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Well, before Tänak's announcement yesterday, there was a possibility or idea that Tänak may join the team one way or another, but it could change something in the current obvious scenario. It did not happen. Yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Guess if Ogier wins the WDC, he will go for the 10th title in 2026 to break Loeb's record. If Evans beats him, he will probably go full part time.
taka full time again.
why?
he is NOT a rally1 driver imo. great character, but just nope for a rally1
why not? there's no one better at the moment, solberg and pajari are already in, and rally2 prospect are still in development.Quote:
Originally Posted by saco0o
no idea tbf, sorry about the negativityQuote:
Originally Posted by wyler
but 6 seasons on the best car out there and 'nothing'. i dont understand
i think that's the general level of the "2nd tier" drivers: enough top5 placement, some podiums, maybe a lucky win...Quote:
Originally Posted by saco0o
Is he full time driving, or full time driving for manufacturer points? That is the question.Quote:
Originally Posted by saco0o
With Evans + Solberg + Pajari + Katsuta + partial Ogier, and three drivers for manu points per team in any given rally, there is a lot still to be revealed.
Will they go for a second team again? This year Pajari drove for Toyota 2 for manu points, which blocked him from driving for main team, presumably to minimise mental pressure. Next year, who knows?
If Katsuta comes along as a "decorative" driver again, because marketing will pay the marginal cost of one extra driver, I'm not that bothered. Basically we get to see 10 cars instead of 9 because he's Japanese.
Also... for "not a rally 1 driver", he has too many podiums. He gave Evans a very close run in Sweden this year. I reckon Hyundai would consider him for their third car if he was at M-Sport now.
There was never a possibility. Toyota never had any intention of bringing in Tanak, it was all rumours by fans dreaming. Even Tanak himself said so early on.Quote:
Originally Posted by meh
He's Japanese, simple as.Quote:
Originally Posted by saco0o
Plus Toyota run 5 cars, so no-one can complain he's taking a seat when others only run 2 or 3 cars.
I think if Rovanpera wouldn't retire, it would be different story with Taka. Because I don't think they would let go Ogier to bring Solberg onboard.
Agreed, this is the key point - I suspect Solberg goes straight to the first team, and Katsuta drives alongside Sami in the 'b-team', apart from on rallies where Ogier skips.Quote:
Originally Posted by Morte66
I think they'll have to be a little careful over eligibility, so their 4th driver can remain eligible to drive for manu points in the main team if there's an injury/illness in the top three. I think if you drive for manu points in the second team, that stops you doing it in the first team for the rest of the season.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobJones
I assume Evans and Ogier (when entered) will always be nominated for manu points, but it'll be interesting to see who else. I expect the de facto "#3" driver will be whoever else is nominated for manu points at Monte. And whoever they additionally nominate in Sweden (assuming Ogier skips it) will be #4.
Latvala to Delfi Estonia: "I think every driver, when their contract is about to expire, starts to look around and ask the teams what the options are. Ott also contacted us and asked about the situation, but we had the lineup together by then," Latvala commented.
Ford/MSport
- ?
- ?
- ?
Maybe:
- Sesks
- Mikkelsen
- Brynildsen
Hyundai
- Neuville
- Fourmaux
- ?
Maybe
- Mikkelsen
- Gryazin
Toyota
- Evans
- Solberg
- Pajari
- ?
- Ogier, part time
Maybe
- Katsuta
Who have I forgotten and who else do you see in the race for a seat?
Latvala killed all the buzz. If this is as they report, then most probably Tanak did not like to keep driving that Sh...Box and as Toyota was fully booked, he better spend time with the family, recharge and returns on white horse from Italy.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Well that’s quite obvious, like dirtish said Hyundai offered him even more money but he still walked away.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndersX
He just had enough
With Latvala said this and with Tanak/Jarveoja's claim "for now", it could be that they will be back in 2027. Maybe he will secretly prepare with Rally2 cars (Lancia, Toyota, Skoda maybe...) to instantly attack 2027 championship, when most of Rally1 drivers will not be ready (in case the championship will go down this route and seems more and more likely it will be that case)
Colin Clark's full thoughts on Tänak's decision are available on Club DirtFish
https://www.patreon.com/posts/colin-clarks-to-143173871
Anybody have the subscribe member ? can tell us what's the Colin conclusion?
Katsuta is confirmed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sulland
Iirc it's not possible to change a team mid season, so Taka will probably drive in main team, just won't be nominated when Ogi would skip an event.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobJones
So toyota or retirement. How bad must hyundai be.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
I think it goes something like this: "Goodbye, now I have even more time to lick Ogiers boots"Quote:
Originally Posted by 1988senna
More than ~5-6 000 000€ bad as this has been his estimated annual salary per last three years at Hyundai. For the 2026, team offered him more than ever has been paid. Respect to Ott for that, family comes first.Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
If he doesn't believe he can win the Championship, I wonder if he thinks, is it worth the risk at these speeds, in a car I dont trust.
Life is too precious.
This salary took a very big reduction hit when he both left to go to M-Sport, and then again when he returned to Hyundai.Quote:
Originally Posted by sti123
He had no leverage so had to take a hit when returning to Hyundai. So maybe they did offer him an increase to stay, but it was starting from a much, much lower base. The win bonus was high, but you need to be winning to get that benefit....
Source?Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
Common sense I guess. M-Sport was certainly not paying what Hyundai paid him when he was hired on a multi year deal as reigning (or soon to be world champion).Quote:
Originally Posted by flat_right
When he wanted to come back he had zero other options bar staying at home. You think Hyundai offered him the same as in 2019 when he was the beggar rather than the chooser in 2023/24?
You can get this turnover info even on the paying country level from the public Estonian companies registration database. Figures I posted are valid.Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
With Msport it was Red Bull that paid his salary not Wilson alone.Quote:
Originally Posted by becher
At least this is what I have understood. The same was with Ogier when he was in Msport.
Sure it was sponsors money but i'd still guess his previous Hyundai contract was a lot more lucrative than his year at M sport.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
A perfect reminder for everyone, nobody inside the team is going to confirm anything before it's time to confirm it.
Quote from post Nov 5th:
And quote from post five days later:Quote:
Originally Posted by flat_right
Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
I don't know if there has ever been published how much WRC drivers earn but at least in Estonia, we do some proxy analysis. And for 2023 season, Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti wrote that it has been one of the most paid seasons for Tänak https://www.kauppalehti.fi/uutiset/a...6-35786a3ce1cbQuote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
This news was also cited in Estonian media, where they say it was about 4.9M €. Which is as close what he earned in Hyundai. One thing I’ve learned about Tänak is that he’s just as fierce a businessman as he is a driver. He got this trait from his mentor, Markko Märtin, who was even more intense in that regard. Just look at Ott’s contract negotiations with Adamo when Adamo tried to bring him over from Toyota. I don't remember how many Excel revisions he had to make... something close to 100 if I recall correctly. So there was no chance that he accepted to go to M-Sport for pennies.
Adamo
Just sending blank pdf files would have taken hours haha.. :D Adamo really was on a missionQuote:
I think I exchanged 168 Excel files with Markko about the contract.
I believe Jari-Matti is still honest 5 days later, because Ott had contacted "us", don't mean contacted him personally, because he is not a contact person for such decisions in the team.
I believe Jari-Matti is still honest 5 days later, because Ott had contacted "us", don't mean contacted him personally, because he is not a contact person for such decisions in the teamQuote:
Originally Posted by jonkka
Munster not sure about his future, might drive a Rally2 next year.
https://www.rtbf.be/article/gregoire...chain-11629408
Semantics. Claiming not to know anything when he most certainly knew if potential hire contacted someone in the team. The lesson is, do not trust anything team members say until official word is out, they will call black white and not blink an eye.Quote:
Originally Posted by spark13
What would M-Sport do if Munster is out, then? Sesks and Mcelrean? Armstrong isn't there yet. Doubtful they pay for anyone else, especially if RB/Ford don't greenlight a new car for 2027. Guess we will know more in January,when Ford and RB begin their partnership officially.
I suggest Romet for the M-Sport seat.
IMO seems a bit early, WRC2 championship should be his target in 2026.Quote:
Originally Posted by WRCStan