Petter Solberg WRT

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Originally Posted by janvanvurpa

It is a shame that the extreme sarcasm and parody of voice reflecting my rejection of the current trend in getting children of the "right" marketing demographic, that is to say 19-24 year old into WRC car so that the children view can worship them failed to be understood, and that your selective quoting missed the compliments to Sohlberg for getting off his ass and spending some of his own money and own personal efforts to secure a deal which he's doing fantastically with and in huge contrast to other well know supposed heroes who couldn't be troubled once they lost their rides did NOTHING, specifically the much overrated rich boy Atkinson and the reckless killer of 3 Colin "Crash" McRae. (may he rot in hell for killing his son, the other kid and his neighbor showing off and hotdogging)

I will presume your selective quoting was from laziness and sloth and poor reading ability rather than a serious attempt to make a point misunderstanding what was obviously implied.

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Disgraceful comments, shame on you.

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Originally Posted by RS

Yes but sponsors aren't in it for the sake of driver development are they? They want to get the best return on their investment possible and that is more likely to come with Petter. I would guess that they are pretty happy with the return they have had so far this year.

The better scenario would be that Petter would be in a paid factory seat then the Norwegian sponsors could then support the up-coming drivers.

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Sure in short term they get more value from petter, but in the long run not. Can be that with a bunch of crying brittons we soon have a bunch of crying norwegians joining the choir aswell, wondering why this or this other driver is not choosen for a factory car.
What i mean is very simple, i think its more important so see that there is someone ready to take over when petters carreer ends, thats not so far away, instead of trying to extend something that will happen very soon anyway.
Scenarios dont help much, if they are not scenarios but wish thinking.
Many people have had simular scenarios you talk about for years now, but it seems not to happen, when a team nowdays sign a driver its a kind of investment for future.

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Originally Posted by ridder

Tarmac rallies, hard to say yes, only comparison is Spain last year, Solberg in first rally in C4 was 4th comfortably ahead of Ogier and Latvala. He has never been one of the fastest on tarmac, this year with new car I expect him between 3-5th (ahead of Latvala, fighting with Hirvonen and Ogier).

That you "think" Solberg is speedwise the slowest of them all is no surprise and nobody can take that from you, doesn't change the results though.

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Petter loves tarmac rallies, one of his favourites actually. The years in Subaru he did'nt do well on tarmac exept when it was raining.. First time out in a new car(C4 last year) he's on the pace.. Go figure.. I think he will surprise many people there also.... As a "has been" I mean... ;)

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Originally Posted by Tomi

Sure in short term they get more value from petter, but in the long run not. Can be that with a bunch of crying brittons we soon have a bunch of crying norwegians joining the choir aswell, wondering why this or this other driver is not choosen for a factory car.
What i mean is very simple, i think its more important so see that there is someone ready to take over when petters carreer ends, thats not so far away, instead of trying to extend something that will happen very soon anyway.
Scenarios dont help much, if they are not scenarios but wish thinking.
Many people have had simular scenarios you talk about for years now, but it seems not to happen, when a team nowdays sign a driver its a kind of investment for future.

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Without the Solberg brothers noone in Norway would care about rallying and sponsors on a national level like the ones Petter & Henning have pulled out would have invested in something totally different. In periods where Petter has underperformed or rallies where he hasn't started no Norwegian national media even mentioned the WRC.
No "up and coming" driver would stand a chance without the Solberg brothers and if they both retire tomorrow all new driver would be sh*t out of luck.

If you're gonna bitch about someones age, bitch about Grönholm, he's 42 and still out there blocking the way for other up and coming finnish drivers...

Petter's bang on the pace of the very fastest rally drivers in the world, and very well could be for the next couple of years. Too old? Hell no.

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Originally Posted by Alpha

If you're gonna bitch about someones age, bitch about Grönholm, he's 42 and still out there blocking the way for other up and coming finnish drivers...

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Im not bitching about someones age, who's carreer has Grönholm been blocking and in what way, maybe you can explain, so I get a good laugh?

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Originally Posted by Tomi

Im not bitching about someones age, who's carreer has Grönholm been blocking and in what way, maybe you can explain, so I get a good laugh?

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Matti Nykänens!

Gronholm blocking someones career? how ?

I fail to come up with a career he has blocked... I doubt that there is any one else who would drive Rantanens private Focus if Gronhom stepped aside.

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Originally Posted by Tomi

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Originally Posted by Alpha

Tomi: "... Its better to face the facts, petters carreer is about to come to an end. In norway it would be clever maybe to invest the limited sponsor money on new talent ..."

Tomi: "Feels a bit like a déjà vu, Petter comes out with big noise about his car and his chances, his fans gets carried away big time, it will be interesting to see, if it again this year will end up with mega crying, how unfair the world is."

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The first quote is still valid, about the second one, lets wait and see a few rallies.

"... maybe it is best for norwegian rally to continiue sponsoring petter, at the same time the new possible future drivers struggle. ..."

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If Petter is so old, and standing in the way for money getting to younger drivers then surely that must be even worse for Grönholm which is 42. Or the same for Loeb, which is Petters age.
I just find the entire argument silly. If they're fast in a rallycar, let them drive! Age shouldn't play a role at all.

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Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem

I fail to come up with a career he has blocked... I doubt that there is any one else who would drive Rantanens private Focus if Gronhom stepped aside.

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Thats only because he is too busy teaching norwegians how to drive and set up cars.