The M-Sport Puma Rally1 car has been running for a while now and there has been no sign of Mikkelsen testing it...
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The M-Sport Puma Rally1 car has been running for a while now and there has been no sign of Mikkelsen testing it...
If you want to go the speculative road he had 2 day test of new Pirelli tarmac tires using current Fiesta (Tuohinos) on Sardinia during the same days as MSport was testing Puma there before Greece. 2 days seemed kind of long for just new compound that will likely only do 2 rallies...Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Anyway, I personally don't think he tested Puma then. But to keep your line of thinking there was no sign of Tanak testing a Hyundai before he signed for them either (to use the biggest driver move in latest years).
Still Mikkelsen just said one (him?) has to pay to drive at MSport and he doesn't want that. What is going on behind the scenes we won't know for a while. Often details on these kind of negotigations come out first 3-4 years later.
Huttunen has withdrawn from Hungary and replaced by Nil Solans. Seems like a move to Ford is pretty much confirmed. Him and Pajari for the M Sport run Fiesta Rally 2s next year.
Märtin tested the i20 on behalf of Ott. Ott couldn't because he was contracted to TGRQuote:
Originally Posted by mknight
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Yeah, Märtin always does the contract like job for Tänak.Quote:
Originally Posted by cali
Still strange and annoying Tänak not getting used to Hyundai, first there were excuses that not enough time in the car, but now, still rubish driving and rookie mistakes. When there were good rallies where he could show his speed, technical issues took him down. Must be a karma because he left Toyota, what bring him the Title.
https://toyotagazooracing.com/challe.../2021/1029-01/
Katsuta to have a full 2022 Rally1 season. Aaron Johnston will be the permanent co-driver.
seems like Barrit has pretty bad injury..
Don't think Taka dropped him just for co-driver change.. Dan is so much more experienced
To me it seems like he's would have been risking something continuing "temporarily" with Johnston for a while, because it would have resulted in another change, and another disruption. Now they can start building together from this point onwards.
Great to see Taka back. I'm interested by the new team... a second driver perhaps? This is silly season!Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Good call, I almost didn't notice it. It seems they are finally entering Katsuta in his own team so he can take points off their competitors.Quote:
Originally Posted by WRCStan
https://scontent.flis8-2.fna.fbcdn.n...78&oe=6187737B
Someone discover why Ott did’t come to Monza?
- He signed with Malcolm.
That would make it crazy season not silly season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
Mikkelsen back at Hyundai confirmed, you read it here first!Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli
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Now we're talking!;)Quote:
Originally Posted by seb_sh
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Wanna bet?Quote:
Originally Posted by seb_sh
Wanna get the joke? :PQuote:
Originally Posted by bandit12
Updating a (quite) old topic but I’m not a huge fan of Toyota’s decision with Katsuta.
I do not say he should have be fired but giving him a full program with such a second half seems quite strange to me: at least, I would have given the Monte Carlo start to Lappi to adapt to the car and also because, even if I don’t think Lappi can be a title contender, he has proven to be quite consistent in the past.
And then, I would have decided in function of Lappi and Katsuta’s results.
Taka = Japan
Toyoda = rally fan = Toyota= Japan
Toyota = Japan
They are still hoping to get the WRC event done in Japan..
All drivers aren't equal at Toyota, that's just how it is.
Japanese (Katsuta)
Finnish (remember 2017 team, now it goes to 2/3 again)
rest
Toyota pushes to have a Japanese driver in all their official teams. Each WEC car has a Japanese driver. Now Katsuta is clearly not good enough for the main team, but there will always be budget for a full season Japanese driver. They recently started a new junior program as well. I suspect there are big marketing opportunities in Japan by having a Japanese driver.
Well I am not saying it's bad. Specially since Katsuta is 4th car and not taking a drive from anyone and he clearly has some talent. Though I doubt he can be a champion he might win some rallies.
Indeed he has some good performances so he's not a wasted space. I think the strategy to make a junior team might help in the manufacturer title. Katsuta is capable of podiums on some rallies so should take some points away from Hyundai.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Everyone knows that Lappi is faster than Katsuta.
but for B-team it´s Japanise driver or nothing, I prefer Japanise driver, better than nothing.
Also many others are faster than Greensmith/Loubet but who pays drives ...
How do you explain Makinen preferring Latvala over Ogier at end of 2016?
Because makinen is retarded.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
What do you mean? Ogier was testing Yaris before any decision was made. He thought that the car is not ready and selected M-Sport.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Exactly. It wasn't Makinen's decision to make... and if both had been available, both would have ended up at Toyota.Quote:
Originally Posted by rp
It's common knowledge, also confirmed by Makinen that he didn't want Ogier and Japan insisted on making him an offer and letting him test.
So Makinen made sure Ogier wouldn't want to join. Letting him drive on the second ever test of the car on tarmac (and first ever on wet tarmac), rather than in Finland where the car was at its best.
Compare that with MSport that put Ogier on their private test track where they knew how to set the car up.
You have to remember the talks at the time, everyone thought Toyota was just a village team and the car would hardly match R5's. Meanwhile M-Sport was known already for making the best cars when new regulations arrive. And Latvala has also said he made big changes to the car when he joined the team, to make it a winning car like it was in 2017.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
It's also worth remembering that Toyota didn't aim for wins or titles in 2017 and they didn't expect to be so competitive. It would have been embarrassing for them to have Ogier struggle in their car, (kind of like Citroen in 2019). Meanwhile they were just looking for someone to develop the car and build up the action towards following years, and maybe they felt Latvala is better for communicating in the Finnish team.
But like always, we might never know.
Good points Antti.
One has to remember the times as the were then.
It´s always easier looking in the mirror.
It's also always easy to say "ah, I never wanted him anyway" when he's already signed for another team :laugh:
Incidentally, Ogier's first Fiesta test wasn't at Greystoke. Probably just as well, the story goes that after a couple of months running the mule around there, the roads were like driving on the moon...
Back to the start.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Driver picks at Toyota:
1. Japanese
2. Finnish
3. rest
Definitely like this in 2016/17 and seems the same in 2021/2022. (Latvala didn't appear to be interested in for example Breen at all. Already in Portugal it was all about Lappi).
One of them has won a WRC event and one has notQuote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Edmonson as codriver for Oliver Solberg at monza.
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Question remains...who co-drives for Mikkelsen and Greensmith?Quote:
Originally Posted by skarderud
Good points. Here is the video of Ogier testing the Yaris in 2017. At that time we discussed here how disappointing the car appearance was and even in the hindsight of today it still looks very raw and unconvincing.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-WyZkZNmKs
https://www.wrc.com/en/news/2021/wrc...season-finale/
Adding fuel to the fire of Huttunen possibly driving an M-Sport car next year.
Probably the best option as long as they don’t reach an agreement with Mikkelsen.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
The «*swap*» Huttunen-Suninen may sound strange at the first place but in the end, probably the best for all: Huttunen was not really trusted at Hyundai and has some speed, he has the profil for M-Sport; Suninen was in a really difficult situation this season at M-Sport and Hyundai needs a top RC2 driver.
Sometimes, it is enough to give the push to launch again a career.
Good for Edmondson if he obtains a job in WRC with Solberg; his stint with Mikkelsen has proven he was not the issue about Greensmith. A little more surprised by the Greensmith-Andersson association but let’s see.
Yes it seems like a good 'swap' for both Suninen and Huttunen.
I thought Huttunen was a future champion since his days in ERC Junior with the Opel Team and maybe M.Wilson will still see this as a possibility. Jari wont find a better option for fulfilling his potential.