Optimistic start number...Quote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
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Optimistic start number...Quote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
very nice indeed, much better combination of the same colors than Paddon! and Yazeed is may be the only arab who drives not for advertising/marketing but just for pleasure (quite good show for spectators in Spain though)
At last we have a rally where I think no one can predict results before first stage is done. It's so exciting that at least 5 drivers (Loeb, Hirvonen, Latvala, Solberg, Ostberg) are capable to win and hopefully there won't be any early retirements and fight will go on till the power stage finish. I try to figure out who will be the pace setter, but it's useless as everyone has a good reason for winning.
Hirvonen is always fast in Sweden.
Loeb is just Loeb :) Fast everywhere and in proper winter conditions will be a big threat.
Latvala has to win to be back in the championship.
Solberg has a good feeling with new car and he will be at home.
Ostberg is a snow surface specialist and had some really good testing in Norway recently.
And we also have drivers like Ketomaa, Tanak, H. Solberg, Sandell and maybe someone else who can surprise.
It will be interesting to see the debut of qualifying stage, and where the fastest drivers want to slot in.
Some 20'ish P1 and P2 drivers at start (including Ogier).
My guess is that fastest in qualifying will pick slot "10....
Worl Rally Radio also though it will be interesting, so they will go live from Råda at 10.00 local time on Thursday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Viking
I suggest about 4-6 place but we'll see soon... anyway I cant wait to see fast drivers catching the dust of slower ones.... especially Loeb and Solberg who (as usual) compalined the most last year. I can bet my right arm that not later than Acropolis one of these two will want changing the rule AGAINQuote:
Originally Posted by Viking
How many runs can they do again when qualifying starts?
By looking the weather forecast, I would say that winner is going to choose 2nd or 3rd position on the road. Current forecast says no snow until Friday afternoon, very high air pressure, very low wind, temperature below -10 degrees. I quess the teams are gong to put their drivers like 2nd and third or 4th and fifth. Hirvonen front and Loeb behind, Solberg in front and Latvala behind.
I'm really not sure why people keep saying Ostberg is a potential winner of Rally Sweden this year? Yes, he came close last year, but that was on the back of a 1st Leg where the cars running at the front struggled. If you look at last year's stage times, there were a few S2000's mixing it up at the top of the leaderboard on Day 1. On Day 2 P.Solberg, Ogier and Latvala all took a massive chunk of time back.
Granted, he has his best chance to get a decent result in Sweden of all the events, but Ostberg really isn't as quick as people make out.
Maximum two practice runs before qualifying run methinks.Quote:
Originally Posted by SubaruNorway
And apparently he has already started to look for possible shorcuts in the rally route (?):Quote:
Originally Posted by Doon
http://p.twimg.com/Ak-QMb9CQAMszL-.jpg
"Oooops! I thought I was on a road, but then we went trough the ice, and I realized we wasn't.. Interesting "
Think you are wrong. Mads Østberg beat Mikko Hirvonen on three of the eight stages in Finnskog saturday. But with one minute between the cars, and temperatures below -30, Mads was greatly handicapped by snowdust never clearing, resulting in extremely bad visibility. He also had a puncture in SS7. If Mads had started first on the road and Mikko second, there would have been a different winner in the rally...Quote:
Originally Posted by Doon
Btw you shouldn`t forget Henning Solberg in Sweden. He has had a hard time recently, but dusting off the old Mitsu and driving like hell in Finnskog, seems to have been a great mental vitamin injection. He was joking and laughing and really playing with the old car. I haven`t seen him like this in a long time. He even managed to scare Ilka Minor a couple of times, and that doesn`t happen often!
If, if, if... If my granny had balls she would be my grandad. I really don't like this kind of argumentation. Let's see on Swedish stages.
P. Solberg wants to shine at home. The route passes in front of the doorstep of his family home.
A quick coffee/tea break marked on the pace-notes is an option. :D
Mads Ostberg has the potential, really! What more has he to prove? His results so far shows what he can do.
Just wait and see for yourselves.
He had a big benefit laast year with the road position. yes he is fast, but judging only by speed he does not cut into the top five.
Ok it's 40 passes in two hours so not too bad. And then just 1 run for qualifying? I've read through all the rules but can't find anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by Viking
Yes, then just 1 run for qualifying.
A qualifying in rally? Now that's something which is new for me.
How do you explain his pace on day 2 and 3? Latvala and Ogier had no chance in keeping up with Mikko and Østberg on day 3.Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
Maybe i didn't take a look at the facts before posting... ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by SubaruNorway
Hehe, lets just let them drive shall we ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
A worrying thing i saw in Rally Finnskog with Marius Aasen running DMACK is that they came loose from the rim two times at the rear. He had another puncture after raising the air pressure but I'm not sure what caused that one, could be rock as Mikkelsen and Østberg had a puncture on front right too.
Can't wait for start.
The rally program say free training for two hours, and then qualifying
I understood it is two training runs for the priorities in the beginning and then the third one is the qualifying
Didn't they both have problems? Punctures? Sorry but I can't believe Ostberg was quicker. The WRC is pretty easy to predict atm, and last year it was Loeb or Ogier apart from fast gravel/snow events where Mikko and Latvala were quick. Ostberg is still a fraction off the pace. We will see in the coming days, but I don't think he has the final tenth, be it the car or his own pace.....probably the latter.Quote:
Originally Posted by SubaruNorway
the Shake Down counts for something real now. first 2 runs are for settin gup car, third run is for time challange. fastest driver has first right to pick his starting place (first on the road, or second, or fith, or tenth) second fastest driver has second chooise.. So nowe more roadsweeping for Loeb, unless he fails in SDQuote:
Originally Posted by F1boat
I think you are somewhat unfair now, Iskald's not the type who flings about him with if here or there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
And for us who were present at the Rally Finnskog, we BELIEVE that Mad Mads would have won if he had started first.
We BELIEVE in fact also that Hirv depends on seeing the road to go fast. But of course we can be wrong.
On SS3 where there is a very high speed, rear wing lifted so much snow dusts that Mads hardly saw any brake points in all. This was the worst of course where the speed was highest before the braking. At temperatures as low as they were at the rally Finnskog, snow crystals are so fine that they hang in the air very long time.
Meeke ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
He may go too fast, but at least he would live up to the sponsors name ;)
Meeke is under contract still...
Yeah kinda on/off dont you think? Hopefuly he can sort out some consistency so we dont get a repeat of Germany!Quote:
Originally Posted by noel157
Of the up and coming 3 (IMO-Nuivelle, Tanak and Mads) I'd still pick Ostberg to come out on top!
I wouldn`t :)
Karlstad webcam
It will be not too much snow on SS1 Super Special Stage. :(
Even in Belgium now, there is more snow than there...Quote:
Originally Posted by Salist
RS dont need snow in Karlstad.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wim_Impreza
Karlstad webcam
hmmm this webcam isn't working, says image is 3 months old
Another webcams:
Karlstad
Kopparberg
Solowow had crash on test before rally.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...97872092_n.jpg
photo source; autosport.cz
latest weather forecasts says subzero temperatures and possible some snow on the during the night between Saturday and Sunday.
Prognos Hagfors | SMHI