[WRC] News & rumours (part II)

I'm starting to believe that Ben Sulayem will become president of the FIA shortly... ;)

http://www.fia.com/sites/default/fil.../Photo%203.jpg

MENA seek greater role in global motorsport

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Originally Posted by Kielder

I'm starting to believe that Ben Sulayem will become president of the FIA shortly... ;)

http://www.fia.com/sites/default/fil.../Photo%203.jpg

MENA seek greater role in global motorsport

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Can't see that as a bad thing, with his power and influence rallying might be back on top of the short list again.

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Originally Posted by stefanvv

Finish more Rallies I guess. But I think in general that it is too much to ask for his first WRC season outing.

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Well I thought I'd do the comparison with JML's 07 season with M-Sport
The scoring system has changed but I converted JML's 07 season to the current system and removed Ott's power stage points.
JML - 82 points (1, 3rd place) 16 events Av 5.125 per event
Ott - 48 points (1, 3rd place) 13 events Av 3.69 per event

So Ott was a fair way behind the JML level of consistency (and that's comparing someone with a similar reputation!) although he did equal the podium placing.

Anybody know what Hayden Paddon's plans are (more specific than "get enough sponsorship to drive again", I mean)? This guy is in my mind a future front runner, I'd hate to see money problems prevent him getting there.

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Originally Posted by Mintexmemory

Well I thought I'd do the comparison with JML's 07 season with M-Sport
The scoring system has changed but I converted JML's 07 season to the current system and removed Ott's power stage points.
JML - 82 points (1, 3rd place) 16 events Av 5.125 per event
Ott - 48 points (1, 3rd place) 13 events Av 3.69 per event

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But the difference in starts in WRCar before those season?

Latvala had 32 starts with a WRC car before the 2007 season. Tänak had 2 WRC car starts before 2012.

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Originally Posted by wrc45

Latvala had 32 starts with a WRC car before the 2007 season. Tänak had 2 WRC car starts before 2012.

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Now work out how many of those starts weren't in ancient machinery.
I make it 11
Ott had 2 structured seasons in development leading up to the WRC ride so wasn't exactly unfamiliar with the stages in most cases

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Originally Posted by oyunbozan

i compared tanak to neuville whole season, and tanak is beaten, badly. i dont think it is all his fault. i think it is partly m-sport, partly mind his mind setter; martin. he is quick tho, very quick. he deserves more wrc seasons. but still not too late to become a ERC champion.

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Id plac Neuville above Tanak aswel. But let's not forget, neuville isn't exactly crash free either!

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Originally Posted by kirungi okwogera

Anybody know what Hayden Paddon's plans are (more specific than "get enough sponsorship to drive again", I mean)? This guy is in my mind a future front runner, I'd hate to see money problems prevent him getting there.

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Paddon has a get-together scheduled for the 24th Feb in NZ where he will likely present his plans for this year.
He is putting his Evo IX back together in a R4 spec - likely for NZ rallly use.
4 - likely choices -a) WRC2 doing selected rounds mainly in Europe with Skoda or other brand.
b) Group N cup with a Group N car.
c) Selected rounds in leased WRC.
d) Staying home.
Rallying is also politics and the driver fitting the car/ sponsor brand image etc

Khalid al'Qassimi doesn't know how to use Twitter:

https://twitter.com/khalidbinfaisal

Though to be fair, neither do I.