Come on pante :D
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R5=Rally2...
I'm sure they will be called R5s for quite a long time..
https://www.m-sport.co.uk/fiesta-rally2
Page title is Fiesta Rally2 but the text and photos say R5 :D
Was not the plan for Mikkelsen to drive WRC Citroen C3 ?
With the current conditions he would probably be slower in C3 WRC than in Rally2 Fabia.
Ogier leaving was part of that plan, when he stays on, the only option is MSport, since they have not signed contracts yet.
Had I been Malcolm I would give him a call...
Back to WRC event in R5 it was pretty much like like last time in 2017. (Monte, Corsica, Portugal)
1 min lead after first day and rally done.
Broken gearlever on Saturday and 2x bad tire choice made it a bit interesting, but Sunday he controlled it and won the leg in RC2 again.
Based on Canarias and Saturday in Monza he definitely needs to get someone good to work with weather/tires if he keeps running semi-private. In factory teams he wasn't known for doing bad tire choices.
Don't see any way to WRC next year though. Toyota is full, part time at Hyundai doing gravel rounds sounds a bit pointless and Adamo repeatedly picked Breen over him even when Breen does worse (GB/AUS/SWE).
Driving at MSport to "also participate" also looks pointless, especially if he would need to bring budget.
Judging by the livery, it looked like Andreas (and Lindholm) were running with Skoda support in Monza. Perhaps this is their model for next year - budget support but drive in private teams.
So the plan for Mikkelsen to team up with Solberg for a Skoda team in WRC2 will not happen.
What options does that leave Mikkelsen:
Same deal with new teammate?
Trying to go to Ford for a WRCar stunt?
Is Mikkelsen still aiming for the big class?
Then Ford is only option I guess. If not 2nd teams will appear.
I believe Mikkelsen was planning on doing a WRC2/3 season in 2021 in order to get a Rally1 seat for 2022.
Just because Solberg went to Hyundai doesn't mean Mikkelsen couldn't still drive in Toksport's team. Tidemand could still continue in the other car?
MSport without paying either in WRC or WRC2 (to help sell Fiesta Rally2), or he funds (sponsors+own) something (Fabia or C3) in WRC2 with "private" team, that's my guess.
Still think he should find a way to get a drive with Msport this season in the WRC car, either driving for free or bringing some of his budget . Hopefully they'll have some of these deleyed/ much talked about updates on the car, but all he would have to do is outperform Suninen (if he is still with the team) to surely get a role at Msport in 22. Plus, if Mikkelsen is involved with Msport in 2021 doing some events, he should/ could be used as a test driver for their new 22wrc car. And Msport always seem to have good cars straight out the box, so being at Msport could be a great place to be in 2022+.
Hyundai is a no-go for him under Adamo, Toyota will only have one seat available in 2022 you'd imagine, so it would be clever to find a way into Msport and building a better relationship there as soon as he can.
Another manufacturer isn't going to magically turn up, so it's a big year for drivers like Mikkelsen, Lappi, Breen, Suninen, Loubet etc and some of the younger ones, to earn a 2022 seat somewhere. I feel if Lappi stays at home he will be hurt the most (look at Paddon who is being slowly forgotten about). At least Mikkelsen will be doing something, whatever it is.
My life
https://youtu.be/sJJn3E6nIp4
Toksport announced Ola Fløene but on the Monte entry is Anders...
Did you not watch the video?
I think Ola is just temporary
Not very surprising.
As he says many motivated co-drivers are likely better than unmotivated Jæger.
There is no doubt he can fight on podium in WRC, but he has never shown that he can have a real shot at title.
What he has been missing the last few years is that every 3-4 rallies he seems to have a really bad rally performance wise (in adition at Hyundai there were the tarmac issues, shared with Loeb, but that's car-specific).
Co-driver change is one of the few big things that could be changed and unlike team change he has more to say about it. Jæger now forced his hand to do something about it.
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In the vid he talks about lots of traveling, so probably doing some of the overseas rallies (Chile, Kenya, Japan), though question is off course how many take place.
Has andreas ever used English notes?
Only event that comes to mind is when he and Neuville swapped in Monza show, shouldn't be a massive deal to change with his system i think https://youtu.be/i_kLG9HuWIc
Sure he also has some English words in the notes anyway?
Regardless, it won't be an issue for Andreas to have English notes.
I dont remember why exactly Andreas split from Ola at the end of the 2015 season, but I though it was Mikkelsen's decision? As far as I can tell, they had a really good chemistry in ERC Hungary win. Would be nice if they could re-unite again (if Ola is up to it?).
15 rallies with Markkula and 2 with Paul Nagle in VW.
Anyway from well known English speaking names, Seb Marshall is indeed the first name that comes up.
Veronica Engan from Norwegian ones, though not sure she is interested since she stopped driving with O. Solberg.
It is off course also possible to pick some relatively unknown one like P. Solberg did with Patterson in 2009...who later even got to drive last stage in Sweden.
If they are to live, travel and drive for aprox 200 days a year, I think he is thinking more of finding someone he feel he can have fun with and like, in addition to that the crew wil gel during driving.
I think the whole package is much more important than language the notes are given in, but lets see who he will test and choose.
So both ERC and WRC2 in Skoda.
Development work towards 2022, Rally2
so a busy 2021 for him. Still no new on new codriver.
He says he will try to win all rounds, being fastest Rally2 car. Tough goal. He will get some tech issues, he might go off fighting in the hardest class in Rally.
I noticed that Andreas in this video says he's selling this apartment (he has another place in Monaco): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVD_PW0Wd_8
I wonder whether that is funding his 2021 season?
Not yet, still for sale
https://www.finn.no/realestate/homes...HVtZ4tFGslOwuI
i was thinking the same
must have had very good salary with VW
or he has some other business as well? maybe someone knows