[WRC] Rally Saudi Arabia 2025

Congrats to Ogier, almost perfect season, like in his prime. After last 3 years, I thought he didn't have it anymore, but he does. Part time season win is great, but let's not forget about road position advantage and how this year Hyundai was nowhere and Kalle was already checking out. Not Ogier's fault of course, he still deserves it and no doubt he'll go for 10 next year with the same strategy.

Too bad for Evans. When was the last time a top, full season driver never super-rallied or DNF and scored points in every round? Worst result was 6th. Amazing consistency, but he missed pace just few too many times.

Nice win for Thierry to avoid getting in the "club". Like Acropolis last year, he stayed out of trouble while others had problems.

What a shame for Fourmaux and Sesks...

Goodbye to Tanak and Kalle, super fast champions, we'll miss them.

Utter dominance from Toyota this season, but they didn't manage to do better than the 12 season wins record by VW.

I think its not astonishing because it was almost an advantage. It wasnt like he took a few spontaneous vacations. They were rallies that wouldve gone sideways for him peobably anyway. He not only avoided the stress of cleaning roads, but always gained better starting positions for gravel events.

I think that this should not be allowed anymore. If you want to do hobby rallying in highest category then it should be outside the points completely.

So when are we gonna know who is driving for Hyundai

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Originally Posted by Odd

I think its not astonishing because it was almost an advantage. It wasnt like he took a few spontaneous vacations. They were rallies that wouldve gone sideways for him peobably anyway. He not only avoided the stress of cleaning roads, but always gained better starting positions for gravel events.

I think that this should not be allowed anymore. If you want to do hobby rallying in highest category then it should be outside the points completely.

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He started in top4 in most of the events.

Congratulations to Ogier.

Also congratulations to my man Elfyn. He did what I was after at the start of the season -- beat Neuville and Fourmaux -- and also beat Rovanpera which was not on my horizon. Keep at it next year, mate.

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Originally Posted by Odd

I think its not astonishing because it was almost an advantage. It wasnt like he took a few spontaneous vacations. They were rallies that wouldve gone sideways for him peobably anyway. He not only avoided the stress of cleaning roads, but always gained better starting positions for gravel events.

I think that this should not be allowed anymore. If you want to do hobby rallying in highest category then it should be outside the points completely.

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I'm pretty sure I saw people complaining half way through the season that Ogier was cheating and gaining an unfair advantage by skipping rounds.

I'm more inclined to say: "gravel rallies so punish the leaders that the championship lead is self-defeating".

Unless we're going to do something like switch order every lunchtime, which would presumably have huge negative consequences, I don't see what can be done.

I haven't really watched the gravel rallies this year, but I watched this one because it's the finale and I thought Evans had an outside chance. I liked the scenery, and I liked watching some of the driving without thinking about the times, but the rally as a contest just didn't seem worth following. Next year I think I'll stop watching WRC after Japan, unless maybe there's rain.

Anyhow... See you at the RMC thread guys, and have a good end of year. :)

Congratulations to Ogier, he has been fantastic in the rallies he drove, but I can’t help feeling this is a bad thing for the series in the modern era that a guy won by not doing the full championship.
Evans can feel a bit sore on that one. Nobody would deny that when the chips are down, Ogier is better than Evans, that’s just the truth and he will always be a bit exposed when he comes into a direct fight with the very best.
I hope that this situation can be avoided in the future.

For me this season diminishes Rovanperas status quite a lot.

Before the start everyone was saying how he will dominate. Instead he got beaten by both teammates even when one of them drove part time.

The main reason being his lack of gravel pace with Hankook, especially during the first half. I do not see how this was in any way caused by his lack of motivation, rather the opposite. The struggles were likely one of the reasons why he left.

Obviously this does not mean he couldn't win again next year if he tried, but he is nowhere near "greatest ever" class at this point.

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Originally Posted by doubled1978

Congratulations to Ogier, he has been fantastic in the rallies he drove, but I can’t help feeling this is a bad thing for the series in the modern era that a guy won by not doing the full championship.

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Loeb did as well, but not by choice.

Kalle and Tanak retiring, Evans losing the title to "part-time" Ogier... Next season Ogier will stat pad some more in a dead series before retiring.

It looks grim and I wonder if I'll even be able to force myself to watch any of it

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Originally Posted by Kras

Kalle and Tanak retiring, Evans losing the title to "part-time" Ogier... Next season Ogier will stat pad some more in a dead series before retiring.

It looks grim and I wonder if I'll even be able to force myself to watch any of it

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Have any opinion on me, but I believe in Hyundai next year.

Of course Ogier deserved the Championship but he was fortunate again on this rally with the massive sweeping done by his opponent (Evans) ruining his chances from the start.

Plus only getting one puncture (and that only a low pressure near the end of a stage) no stops to change a wheel like so many did.

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Originally Posted by focus206

When was the last time a top, full season driver never super-rallied or DNF and scored points in every round?

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Loeb in 2010. Hirvonen also managed it in 2008 (despite the final event roll).

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Originally Posted by mknight

For me this season diminishes Rovanperas status quite a lot.

Before the start everyone was saying how he will dominate. Instead he got beaten by both teammates even when one of them drove part time.

The main reason being his lack of gravel pace with Hankook, especially during the first half. I do not see how this was in any way caused by his lack of motivation, rather the opposite. The struggles were likely one of the reasons why he left.

Obviously this does not mean he couldn't win again next year if he tried, but he is nowhere near "greatest ever" class at this point.

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Just as with tanak, i feel the reason rovanpera was able to become champion was a superior car and no superior teammates.
Oli think ogier would have won all those titles if he has in the toyota doing a full season.

Ogier will do 10 rallies next year. So he gives other one extra round handigap :D
Haters can continue :D

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Originally Posted by TypeR

Ogier will do 10 rallies next year. So he gives other one extra round handigap :D
Haters can continue :D

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At least he said it this in advance this year.

Congrats to Ogier. Although I rooted for Tänak and here in Saudi for Elfyn, then this championship is a deserved one. If you can win with less rounds, being always there, avoiding all the trouble it means you are a worthy champ.

About Saudi rally, then I like it. It gives WRC championship another dimension. We just need to have some extra strong tires for this event. If manus need to build their cars so that they can handle all the conditions, I think this responsibility applies also to the tire manufacturer. Formula 1 has 6 dry weather compounds. Rally, where the conditions are even worse, we have only 2. Okay, we have snow and asphalt also but the majority of the rallies are driven on gravel so I we need to do more. Hankook guys, I know you can do it!

Great rally. Of course the punctures introduced some randomness, but maybe it turned out even more exciting. Just really shame for the Fourmaux timing error. Also for Sesks, punctures today, really was rooting for him this rally. Would love to see him competing full time and kind of would be interesting to see him do that in Ford.

And Ogier.. man, that is some drive this year. It looks like he was on another level. I mean, to do this by without competing in all the rounds, its amazing. It is a nice addition his other trophies, like wining with three different manufacturers.

I think Evans did good this year. He wasn't very fast, but was very consistent and did stick to it. And when others had problems, he was allways there to take the points. I like this because it shows other dimensions of rallying.

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Originally Posted by mknight

Loeb did as well, but not by choice.

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Yeah, completely different scenario. I can’t feeling that this was a more calculated approach from Ogier than is being let on and if it didn’t work out, nobody would have been the wiser.

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Originally Posted by doubled1978

Yeah, completely different scenario. I can’t feeling that this was a more calculated approach from Ogier than is being let on and if it didn’t work out, nobody would have been the wiser.

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That's what's wrong with it, it's dishonest. "I didn't even study", when you ace the test energy

This rally has been a change, something different and very dramatic due to the puncture lottery. And it's kind of got away this this as Ogier won this lottery.

He's a great driver, but can you just imagine the crying by Ogier if a (proper) puncture had happened to him and 'cost him the Championship' ....

This rally slot is in early March, or right after Monte, when temps are somehow bearable, then from April till Oktober it is too hot. But, not as the last round. Or, they need tires of different construction.

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Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

This rally has been a change, something different and very dramatic due to the puncture lottery. And it's kind of got away this this as Ogier won this lottery.

He's a great driver, but can you just imagine the crying by Ogier if a (proper) puncture had happened to him and 'cost him the Championship' ....

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It would have been the tantrum pf all tantrums hahaha.

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Originally Posted by doubled1978

Yeah, completely different scenario. I can’t feeling that this was a more calculated approach from Ogier than is being let on and if it didn’t work out, nobody would have been the wiser.

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Of course it was calculated. Ogier has a huge ego and this way he can't loose only win.

All the Rally1 drivers use 80-90% the soft tyre for the entire rally. The Hard tyres were barely touched.

Surely this us because they will make a choice for speed and performance at all costs and accept the risks.

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Originally Posted by rallyfiend

All the Rally1 drivers use 80-90% the soft tyre for the entire rally. The Hard tyres were barely touched.

Surely this us because they will make a choice for speed and performance at all costs and accept the risks.

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Didnt I hear the commentators say there wasnt much difference in puncture resistance and the hards were more prone to delaminating ?

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Originally Posted by rallyfiend

All the Rally1 drivers use 80-90% the soft tyre for the entire rally. The Hard tyres were barely touched.

Surely this us because they will make a choice for speed and performance at all costs and accept the risks.

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The hard tyre with Hankook seems to have a problem with delaminating, so might not be about speed. We saw quite a few delamination with the hard this rally.

Part of his greatness was always managing the tires throught the event. I think that nobody out of the whole current field still didn't learn that. Maybe just Evans a little this year, when there were clearly more punctures and destroyed tires (Hankook).

That event should be either removed or moved way before on the calendar. Or cleaned of those big rocks deadly rocks. If they got money to bribe Promoter to get record 10-year deal without any experience they should also apend some to make it less a lottery.

Congratulations to Ogier (the greatest), and the best thing is that Loeb will be driving next year. This will certainly be a great year.

Well if that would really happen, I hope he (Loeb) will skip more rounds than Ogier and won a title easily, so we could see some whining again, that the rules should be changed to not let retired drivers compete again.

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Originally Posted by becher

Of course it was calculated. Ogier has a huge ego and this way he can't loose only win.

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He's been part time for a few years. You guys have gone mad.

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Originally Posted by CeskyOndra

So when are we gonna know who is driving for Hyundai

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Think that is pretty easy. Lappi + Sordo and maybe some wild card entries

http://forum-rallye.com/uploads/mont...1764447113.jpg

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Originally Posted by WRCStan

He's been part time for a few years. You guys have gone mad.

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Yes and since his Le Mans dream went down the drain he started competing more again and has been basically full time for the last two seasons. In both those seasons he could hardly hide how much he was after another championship even though he said otherwise plenty of times.

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Originally Posted by becher

Yes and since his Le Mans dream went down the drain he started competing more again and has been basically full time for the last two seasons. In both those seasons he could hardly hide how much he was after another championship even though he said otherwise plenty of times.

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So he calculated a plan before the season not to do some rallies so that he could win the title by 4 points on the final day of the 14th and final rally which he earned through attrition. And the purpose of the missed rallies is so that people won't think he cares about competing for the titles.

OK.

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Originally Posted by WRCStan

So he calculated a plan before the season not to do some rallies so that he could win the title by 4 points on the final day of the 14th and final rally which he earned through attrition. And the purpose of the missed rallies is so that people won't think he cares about competing for the titles.

OK.

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Yeah, it is. He misses a few rallies so he is not "responsible" for not winning the championship later.

:crazy:

from French forum

Coria's early check-in was due to the team's mistake. They mistakenly informed him that early check-in was permitted, as is often the case when returning to the service parks at the end of a stage.

He asked the marshal to verify, who confirmed it was allowed. He then asked a second person who was unwilling (or unable) to provide an answer.

He checked in 5-10 seconds before the base minute... but in the end, early check-in wasn't allowed.

This was due to the team's erroneous message, sent unintentionally, not Coria's.

Hyundai's appeal was rejected, the penalty was upheld... and the €1000 penalty wasn't returned

Stupid situation..
But why even bother checking in like 1minute or less before..
It's not like 10-15min earlier to go to sleep..

But maybe the result may have been different if Hyundai/Neuville hadn't won the rally..

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He checked in 5-10 seconds before the base minute... but in the end, early check-in wasn't allowed.

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10-15 seconds !!

Why not just wait and be safe ?

Who would have thought that a rally in Saudi Arabia would be so thrilling.
Sesks leading, the title fight happening further back, Nasser Al Athyia entering the event.
But I would still rather have the finale in Europe