What is the reason for not official confirmation neither from Hyundai nor from Loeb????????????
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What is the reason for not official confirmation neither from Hyundai nor from Loeb????????????
Didn't see this one coming! Had seen the rumours but didn't believe it would happen. Well done to Hyundai for pulling off a master stroke.
Does anyone else think that this is further evidence of the lack of good atmosphere and team management within Citroen. I believe Loeb never really wanted to leave the PSA group but when he saw that he wasn't going to get a drive after delivering their only rally win last year, he thought to himself f**k this and lost his loyalty. Just my 2 cents, I know that's how I would feel.
Also I think he felt he could win in the Hyundai after doing so in an inferior C3.
https://www.rallit.fi/gronholm-valim...dankin-autoon/
Grönholm says he gave Loeb's number to Hyundai and asked them to make sure Loeb will use his WRX cars.
https://www.rallit.fi/suomalaislupau...aytti-hyvalta/
Then on this article Grönholm regrets giving that number because he has realized it's not good for Huttunen's future - if the team needs to win a title, there's no resources for giving drives to a junior. Although, it's mentioned that Huttunen had a WRC test on Wednesday
Two year contract too:
https://motorsport.hyundai.com/wrc-l...uned-for-2019/
Sébastien Loeb
13 mins ˇ
When Passion (re) takes over on reason ☺️
After Peugeot Sport's decision to withdraw from FIA World Rallycross Championship and the withdrawal of a major sponsor from Citroën Racing don't allow them to be able to align a 3th car in WRC, no more Option was offered to me with the PSA group and so I had to bounce quickly to stay in the race ��
It was out of the question for me to take my sports retreat and my thirst for victory and new challenges being still intact, I could not refuse the proposal of Hyundai Motorsport, with 6 SLEEVES IN WRC IN 2019 And maybe other equally exciting challenges to come ��
Their project seduced me, with a team and a car that will allow me, I am sure, to be able to fight at the outposts and try to get a 80th win in wrc with Daniel Elena ��
It was with a huge emotion that it had to say goodbye to all the teams of citroën racing and Peugeot sport with whom I built my career and thanks to whom, I became the pilot and the man I am today ����
And finally thank you all for being always so many and faithful to carry us, to Daniel and to me, as much affection and support ����
Stay tuned, I'll tell you advantage in my next chronicle about the events of recent weeks, the reasons for this choice and over the months to come ��
Seb.
I wonder what could have happened in the last 2 years if Malcolm Wilson led Hyundai, and Nandan led M-Sport.
Nandan is an employee... Wilson OWNS m-sportQuote:
Originally Posted by jparker
These news will raise the value of WRC 2019. That´s for sure!!
How should it be read that Huttunen isn't even mentioned on the press release?
citroen must really have fucked up to chase away loeb.
Maybe it was part of Ogier's contract? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
They don't have the budget and maybe another Seb wasn't too happy (especially given Loeb's win in Spain).
In that case it would be interesting and a symbolical dot at the end of a circle which started many years a go...Quote:
Originally Posted by tommeke_B
Seb said they didn't offer him anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
Ok fine, but still....Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
but they were talking with Loeb as Budar said.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Daniel Elena
41min ˇ
I'll go wherever you go, no matter where the place is
Hyundai Motorsport management with Sébastien Loeb for 6 WRC races from 2019
Citroën Racing and Peugeot Sport, M-E-R-C-I for all these incredible years I will never forget you
PS: Do not worry, I already learned to say 'drink' in Korean: Masieo
https://twitter.com/RallySweden/stat...07151819153408
Attachment 1693
Vad fan? So Loeb is doing Sweden then?
Yeah, Sordo's season starts from MexicoQuote:
Originally Posted by Allez Andruet
Translated from Sordo's Instagram:
Happy to be able to announce that next year I will be in 8 races of wrc 2019 with Hyundai. The tests were more or less defined but the arrival of Loeb has meant that we have some changes but the number of races remain the same, 8. The participation in the Monte Carlo rally was fixed until today ... but now it seems that it will be Mr. Loeb with Neuville and Mikkelsen who will defend the colors of Hyundai on an asphalt rally. We will look forward to the rally in Mexico where both Carlos del Barrio and I will be ready to fight for victory. Greetings to all and see you next year
Neuville:
Welcome to the @HMSGOfficial team @SebastienLoeb and @DanosElena and happy to count @DaniSordo and @CarlosdelBarrio with us again next year! Strong team to fight for the manufacturer and driver titles in 2019 ����
#WRC #TN https://t.co/QimT7xJ2Bp
I see he puts the two Championships in order...
In my opinion Huttunen should drive in WRC2 for next 1-2 years before thinking about WRC.. didn't show anything special in 2018 to get a seat in WRC.Quote:
Originally Posted by Allez Andruet
Goodbye Newville, Goodbye dreams ...
Run at M-Sport while there's room ...
Loeb has never been a team player, he's greedy ...
are you going to make that petition or public protest now ?
Agree one more R5 season is totally fine. 2018 was his first.Quote:
Originally Posted by TypeR
For both Neuville and Mikkelsen this is good news Loeb will certainly help with car development. And no he wont run full season, it's about (free) time, travel and not needeing to prove anything. Which means he is no threat to Neuville for a seat even if he beats him. For Sordo it's not so good news, since Loeb wants tarmac rallies and already got him out of Monte. For Paddon it's terrible news.
So Danny does 8 events and Loeb 6. Paddon is out unless they run a 4th car considering Mikkelsen and Nueville are doing a full season. Sucks for Hayden.
After the announcement of Sebastien Loeb's commitment for 6 WRC rallies in 2019, we are rubbing our hands at Hyundai. "Sébastien Loeb ran a few WRC rallies last year," said Alain Penasse, Hyundai Motorsport team manager. "With talent, he still won the Rally of Catalonia this season, and we were very interested in it, so when Peugeot Sport's announcement came out, we immediately contacted him." It was not an easy deal but we are very happy to welcome him to the team and our goal is obviously to win the title of world champion builders in 2019. "
Sébastien Loeb will quickly integrate the team. And will amblée aligned on the first rally, Monte Carlo. He will only ride 6 races. It's his own decision. And that suits Hyundai Motorsport well. "We already had verbal agreements with the other drivers, and it would have been difficult for us to negotiate his presence on more than 6 rallies, so his wishes are good for us."
The arrival of Loeb also seems to please the other drivers of the team, who can enjoy his experience. "Thierry Neuville is very happy to have someone of Sébastien Loeb's caliber at his side, as is Dani Sordo, who has worked with Loeb for 4 years and has forged ties of friendship with him. Everyone knows we will be able to benefit from their expertise in the team. "
As to whether, despite his stature, Loeb will serve Neuville when the time comes, Alain Penasse proposes to wait: "For that, we'll see.Each walk begins with a first step.But what is certain it is that Thierry Neuville, even if he is already experienced, will always be able to learn from contact with the world's nine-time world champion Thierry Neuville was also quite positive after the announcement of the arrival of the Frenchman.He knows very well what it can bring him."
And then humanly it can stick. "All the drivers we have on the team are easy people, Sébastien Loeb is someone who knows what he wants, it's true, but it's not complicated at all. the marriage with the other pilots will be done without too much problem. "
And Alain Penasse concludes: "The arrival of Loeb is a good marketing move for Hyundai, but it's also a good sporting coup."
https://www.rtbf.be/sport/moteurs/ra...es?id=10097516
They still have discussion with Paddon about what to do in 2019. I think he will get some WRC2 outing and maybe new car for New Zealand. Maybe they will attack ERC or APRC, who knows.
When Loeb has won the first two rounds he might start to have second thoughts about driving only 6 rounds. And probably it is not an issue for Hyundai to have even 4 cars per rally.
2019 WRC+ All live pricing probably just got raised ;)
He is the maestro, but it is not going to be a walk in the park for him...especially taking two in a row. If he is a podium contender on all the events, its good...figthing for the win on some, excellent. Toyota has a driver capable of winning everywhere, two capable of taking atleast a podium everywhere, Ogier is Ogier, Lappi and Suninen can also suprise us and Hyundai needs Neuville to win...
Ofcourse, no-one's promoting him to WRC based on his 2018, but Hyundai has invested in that guy and he's been testing the WRC lately.Quote:
Originally Posted by TypeR
Why shouldn`t they invest in him again...in WRC2 etc, Loeb`s partial program should not have a bad influence in his career as he is young enough...maybe quite the opposite, learn from the best.
Sure, Thierry Neuville tells us that he has learned of the confirmation of Sébastien Loeb's commitment by Hyundai for the next two years (with a six-run program in 2019, which will start at the Monte Carlo). at the same time as everyone ", this Thursday in the early afternoon.
Good news ?
Yes, of course, it's good to have Loeb on his team! Sincerely, that's the thing I was waiting for Hyundai to finally fight for the title, or even for both titles!
It is true that in previous seasons, your teammates have not been a great help; neither for the team nor for you?
I do not want to say negative things about Andreas (Mikkelsen) or Dani (Sordo), who have had their share of bad luck, but have also been successful under certain circumstances. What I want to say is that the more the line-up will be strong, the more it will benefit everyone at Hyundai. Having Loeb with us is a great asset!
In the past, you also had the opportunity to complain that some drivers, like Ogier, had been able to count on the voluntary retreat of some of their teammates, to pick up some points in the championship. Do you think Loeb will be ready to do the same?
We'll see what happens during the season, but from the moment he does not make the whole championship, it's clear that Seb will obviously not play the title. He is there to strengthen the team as a whole, which is why the team hired him.
What does Sébastien Loeb mean to you?
First a nice memory, because he was close to me when I made my debut in WRC at the wheel of a DS3 WRC Citroën Junior Team. It was at the Monte Carlo 2012, almost 7 years ago. We shared the same infrastructure. It was nice to see him, and especially to see on this first occasion that we had him and me, the same sense of the party!
Did you ask him for some advice at the time?
No, I did not bother him too much: I started in the big leagues, as he approached what would be his last full season, finally crowned with a ninth world title.
And this time, are you going to ask him some tips to help the team evolve the car, or whatever?
No, I think that now, it is rather the other way that it will happen: it is rather he who will probably ask me one or the other pipe ...
https://www.lesoir.be/195441/article...t-pour-hyundai
Surprised by that, something really doesn't feel right about it but I'm sure I'll get over that. I feel immensely sorry for Paddon though and hope he gets at least a full WRC2 Pro campaign; 2nd in Aus and doesn't have a seat at all next year.
Congrats to Loeb and Hyundai for this deal. The 1 thing I don't understand is why is Mikkelsen doing Monte over Sordo. I thank the last 12 months has shown how poor Mikkelsen has been on tarmac compared to Sordo. He obviously has a very rock solid contract but I thought contracts were made to be broken! Gutted for Paddon though too.
Hyundai is NOT Citroen when contracts doesn't mean anything. How would you feel if your boss would kick you out?
Well, Paddon and Sordo had contracts for 2018...drove only half seasons.Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
Appart from contract issues in Monte Mikkelsen is usually very good. Even with i20 last year he was equal with Sordo until the technical issue. Then on Saturday Sordo crashed out from 3rd while Mikkelsen was fastest of the day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grutz
Come Corsica Hyundai will have much more of a dilemma in case Loeb wants to drive it. There Sordo definitely looks like a better pick.
i don't understand why they don't run 4 or even 5 cars if they really want neuville to win the drivers title. i shouldn't be that big a problem with their budget.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grutz
So what happens if Loeb wins the Monte and Sweden then?
Still just six rounds?...
I would be surprised.
Loeb himself only wants to do 6 rounds. I think either the Hyundai press release or Motorsport interview says this.