I randomly quote Richard Hammond here: they're Italian, they're just lying
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I randomly quote Richard Hammond here: they're Italian, they're just lying
Mikkelsen was testing RedBull Dakar buggy in Abu Dhabi just a week ago. Think it was the same one he drove last year as a last minute replacement.
With no Skoda and seemingly no Ford options, I wonder if we'll see Andreas at all in 2023....
New regulation here :
https://www.fia.com/sites/default/fi...ghlights_0.pdf
- Confirmation of 21 days of test for each team
- Service for retired car (rally2) to 4h can be splited in 2 sections
- Penality for each stage missed due to hybrid system issue : 2min instead of 10min
That testing day cutting is so fking stupid, no wonder new teams don't want to join.
If teams have gone to testing places already, then let them test for extra 1-2 days ffs.
Rather check the thousands of kms of liaisons driver for 2km SSS etc.
Testing days are the only place where teams can check and set thing right during the season.
I would recommend that only 1 engine per season and 10 tires per rally.
They can still test all they like at their permanent test base.Quote:
Originally Posted by TypeR
This is a restriction that can only help to bring things closer competitively.
Comparing costs of test days with liason kms in one post is as ridiculous as it gets.
[QUOTE=rallyfiend;1315240]With no Skoda and seemingly no Ford options, I wonder if we'll see Andreas at all in 2023....[/QUOT
Maybe ERC and desert rally, or maybe ERC + rallycross?
A swedish site "motorbloggen" claims "sources" says Greensmith looks to the 4th yaris , and Mikkelsen is possible in msports 3rd car?
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Regards Mikkelsen vs M-sport.
If Loeb do 3-4 rallies, Mikkelsen can do the rest, both in RB livery.
And, most important business wise for M-sport, he knows better than anyone in M-sport what they need in theire Rally2 car.
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This is very easy - they need to do ANY development...Quote:
Originally Posted by skarderud
Latvala confirming that Greensmith has been in contact
https://www-rallit-fi.translate.goog..._x_tr_pto=wapp
Dirtfish says it is unlikely:
"He has had discussions with Toyota about driving a customer Yaris GR Rally1 car this year, but DirtFish understands it’s looking increasingly unlikely that switch will come to fruition."
I find it unlikely Greensmith will sit at home whole year, dont think they ran out of cash.
Next one in the seemingly endless line of new Fabia drivers?
The most amazing thing is DF put all that info into 1 article. They could have easily made 5 or 6 articles out of it. (Loeb, Serderidis, Greensmith etc)
We might get some news on this rather sooner than later.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
https://www.wrc.com/en/news/2022/wrc...-m-sport-ford/
Quote:
An announcement from the British squad confirmed it could not reach an agreement with Greensmith to enable him to continue behind the wheel of one of its Puma cars, meaning both parties will go their separate ways in 2023.
Now give Mikkelsen a Puma in Monte-Carlo and Sweden to see if he has something left. He would be great back up for Tanak.
They won't give a Puma for free and Mikkelsen don't want to pay for the drive so..Quote:
Originally Posted by Lead
What I heard Skoda has cut their budget and there won't be as good deal for Mikkelsen as it used to be.
How many times people have to read that “3 Puma at MC, Tänak, Loubet and Serderidis.” to stop dreaming?
Clearly think it’s a mistake this time from Mikkelsen not to study the option of finding backing for 5-6 rounds in the 3rd M-Sport.Quote:
Originally Posted by abcrally
In 2020, I understand his position (recently fired, Covid, 2017 experience where he found quickly a job...) all the more than M-Sport had Lappi and Suninen.
In 2021, he was right not to pay when we know M-Sport would completely cut costs in the last year of the regulation.
But, here, if he does not move, his career at top level is as good as dead and he can anticipate his future by looking at Ostberg (nothing infamous about it, just that Ostberg knows he’s over for top level). This silly season has shown the teams prioritize over all the knowledge of Rally1 car: Breen has obtained the job against Mikkelsen like this in spite of a bad season and Toyota decides to promote Katsuta in spite of a bit lack of progress in peak performance (even if he is very regular).
Already 3 years outside of the top level (no driver except Loeb succeeds to come back efficiently after a big stint out of top level), no knowledge of Rally1 car at all (so not a competitive advantage against some youngsters), Skoda having already its plans for the season and not keen on doing him a big offer like in the past ... if he doesn’t try now, it’s over.
Then, if he failed to find the backing, it’s over ... but he would have tried at least.
Well, maybe he is hoping Sordo to become too old or Breen to stay in his 2022 mood or Tanak to leave M-Sport as soon as the end of the season but it’s a very passive view of it IMO.
WRR - World Rally Ranking (Facebook page)
Mikkelsen in Puma M-Sport for Rallyes Montecarlo and Sweden???
Spanish motorsports website has reported that Mikkelsen will be drafted in to the M-Sport team for the first two rounds of the 2023 World Rally Championship. With Fourmaux confirmed in WRC2, and Tänak and Loubet both set to do full seasons in the Puma, Mikkelsen might be a good choice as a strong points scorer.
Same rumour shared by multiples pages will not make it true.
Think M-Sport still has something up its sleeve. They wouldn't turn down Delecour and deny Greensmith a start without something else planned. Having Puma chassis sitting in Cumbria doesn't help the team or the business in any way. We will see...
actually, it can help if you have to focus on the main driver: keeping the money, the spare parts, and the mechanics, avoiding reliability issues happened in the past 'cause with 5 cars to handle the work were less sharp.Quote:
Originally Posted by macebig
Not about WRC but this was a really fun reading, to see the guys from "Hyundai" so happy with American Motorsport...
It got me interested in taking a bigger look at ARA in '23.... I havent seen much, just some Pastrana vs Block drama and thats it...
https://dirtfish.com/rally/ara/the-w...e-for-the-ara/
I like to rag on Dirtfish but even I admit they have been spot on with the rumors this silly season and they said Tanak, Loubet, Serderidis for Monte.
The Manufacturer's title is not the target and is Mikkelsen really a driver that can be just behind Tanak but in front of Rovanpera, Ogier, Neuville? I don't think so... I think that they simply don't need Mikkelsen so he has to pay like any customer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by seb_sh
Who can be regularly ahead of Rovanpera, Ogier and Neuville? Not even Tanak can.
Mikkelsen can and has been ahead of Ogier and Neuville on multiple WRC events, even in his last season in 2019 where he did it on about half of his starts.
So if aiming for manus or just for drivers title with Tanak and needing a support driver he is clearly the best choice available at the moment.
I highly doubt it is going to happen, but have to say that Greensmith leaving really surprised me.
So no Monster M-Sport WRT with Solberg?Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
The only support driver that has ever done anything decisive in the past 20 years was Sordo at Citroen for Loeb against Hirvonen and Gronholm at Ford. I checked :p The support driver thing is overrated, it was never a thing in rally. Name any champion, they drove for themselves and won their points against their rivals. It's even less helpful now because all drivers are forced to use the same diff. So if they need a different feel you're screwed. It's probably part of Evans' issues at Toyota. Blame the FIA and the promoter. I'd love to see Mikkelsen in a Rally1 but in this context I would ask for money if I was owner of MSport too...Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
I usually like your posts but this was a bit ridiculous...Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
If your business is selling and renting cars you're not going to save money by not doing that.Quote:
Originally Posted by wyler
Greensmith driving was making m-sport a profit, otherwise he wouldn't have been there. So him not being there just hurts the team and thus also tanak.
there's not only the wrc team in this business. they have a bunch of sales in lesser categories (especially rally3 atm) and other disciplines (track, dakar). consider for '23 they have a paid rally2 program with 2/3 cars, a partially funded second drive and a full-paying third drive in wrc. greensmith 3rd car profit is just replaced by others paying more.Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
could they profit more with other rentals? maybe. would the management cost of those extra rentals worth the profit? presumably not.
add in the mix they decided to invest in a top driver, and probably the business model for '23 is to start with 3 cars in wrc and a wrc2 program.
the '22 model to have all the possible car rented, went bad with crash/reliability and finished with a 2 car round, and some renters not happy (huttunen i.e)
In case anyone hadn’t noticed, entries closed for Monte last week. There’s no chance for anyone extra to do it now.
Until the entry list is published, there is always a chance. Especially as the FIA entry system had some issues and started working only two days before closing date for entries...Quote:
Originally Posted by J4MIE
Lappi: Toyota and Hyundai “pretty equal” after first i20 N WRC test
https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/l...test/10413898/
Everything I wrote is technically correct, which is the best kind of correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
2019
Mikkelsen just ahead of Ogier: Argentina, Finland Germany (not counting Sweden and Sardinia where Ogier crashed)
Ahead of Neuville: Sardinia, Finland (and Turkey where Neuville had an off).
Number of starts: 10
Number of rallies ahead of Ogier or Neuville : 4 (so about half of starts)
Original claim was that Mikkelsen can't finish just ahead of Ogier or Neuville, which was not correct.
------
In almost all years from 2017 to 2021 the drivers who didn't win lost some points to drivers from the team of the champion. That the points difference at the end of the year was bigger than that number doesn't mean it didn't matter. Drivers (and Ogier in particular) adapt their approach during last few rallies to secure title. While those who are behind risk more.
---
Anyway I agree that nobody is likely to hire a driver "just" to support the one going for title. Even Lappi at Citroen wasn't there just for that, he ended in that kind of role cause he was signed before Ogier.
But if MSport were looking for a driver to do that and try to get some good results otherwise then there is no doubt Mikkelsen and Loeb are the only choices right now. Loeb is seemingly more limited in number of starts he could do. After this year MSport are more than aware how result might look like when you only have one competetive driver who runs into technical issues or retires.
I am a bit perplexed by MSport right now. With Tanak and Loubet it seemed automatic that they would keep Greensmith. Now it's neither money (Greensmith) nor better results (Mikkelsen).
Did they ask for more money from Greensmith?
Only measure is stage times.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
C3 had been great on all tests.
Germany was only because Ogier had a puncture. In fact, Neuville had a puncture as well but still finished ahead of Mikkelsen. I admit that Mikkelsen's best moments were the three other rallies, the last day fight against Evans in Sardinia, good pace in Finland on a Hyundai and runner-up in Argentina. But outside these it was not a good season, and 2018 was mostly not good either.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Short interlude, this is the kind of discussion i come here for, kudos to mknight for doing the research and posting some facts even if not everything backed him up. You guys are good people! I prepared something like a christmas present for you with which we can all have some fun with in 2023 in addition to but not replacing the pickems and crystall ball, I wanted to post it today but sadly my mother broke her ankle and needed to be operated on to set the bones right and I'm a bit stressed and busy about that. On the good side the surgeon said she can make a full recovery. I wish everyone happy holidays!Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
About the Mikkelsen/Loeb debate, I think a lot of M-Sport’s thoughts is about «*do one of them worth to spend money if they don’t bring a full budget?*»:
- about Loeb, the question is yes without a doubt on a pure performance point of view, considering what he showed in 2022; but his calendar is always an issue with his other contracts (and for sure, M-Sport wants also to grab the most possible from Red Bull).
Also, I’m clearly skeptical about Loeb in a manufacturer strategy and I think it was one of Loeb’s issues in Hyundai: IMO, he is still able to be fast sometimes but not as efficient as before (see his rookie mistake in Portugal), which is normal considering his age, and is not really adapted anymore to be a manufacturer driver; I think he is a good freelance driver (with some freedom) but doesn’t have anymore the manufacturer spirit and some of his behaviors in 2022 let me think this like in Safari and Greece (to sum up, he plays for win or nothing).
So I’m not sure at all he can bring some help to Tanak as a side driver, all the more if he does only very few stints.
- about Mikkelsen, the question is much more difficult to answer and I understand M-Sport decisions to say «*no money - no driver*» this year. Don’t forget his last RC1 rallye was in 2019 and he never drove in Rally1. In addition to that, I wouldn’t overrate too much his 2019 performance because as I said before (comparing to Evans’ 2019 season for example), a part of it is clearly explained by road position with an excellent strategy by Adamo (let’s recognize it here) about which rallies to miss. If we take a close look on his best performances (top5) in 2019:
Sweden (4th), he was in the last ones to start even if it’s not the place it counts most
Argentina (2nd): last RC1 one to start and was only good in the afternoon of the second leg
Sardinia (3rd): probably 7th or 8th in the road and only good on the last day
Finland (4th): 7th on the road and nothing special except the last day
Turkey (3rd): 5th on the road (with Evans out)
When you take this into account, it’s rather good but nothing sensational and it was more than 3 years ago now; it’s clearly a risky move to put a money on a driver like this when you haven’t big money for a manufacturer because I’m not sure at all he can bring any help to Tanak (when you see that for example, Sordo was a bit rusty in terms of speed).
About Greensmith, IMO, he was not paying the full cost for his season as he did some marketing for the team + was in the manufacturer team; probably he paid the direct costs but not the indirect (whereas Serderidis or Bertelli are paying all) or something like that, considering especially some of Millener’s interviews. So probably for the team between running a car with him or not running a car at all, the difference is not that big and as they want to focus a lot on Tanak, it may explain some of the disagreements between Greensmith and the team for 2023 (money + test days, quality of the car, ...).
I don’t think M-Sport is giving up clients (see Serderidis and probably Bertelli) for Rally1 but they want to focus on clients paying fully for the service given. Not impossible we see Greensmith back in 2024 if Tanak leaves and they come back to the former strategy.