http://www.auto-moto.com/actualite/s...65.html#item=1
Has anyone seen this? it says next year Meeke will do the full season & the other 2 will do some rallies....this interview was held before the start of Rally Finland.
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http://www.auto-moto.com/actualite/s...65.html#item=1
Has anyone seen this? it says next year Meeke will do the full season & the other 2 will do some rallies....this interview was held before the start of Rally Finland.
I'd interpret it more like "of the three drivers that have contract Meeke will drive whole season while Breen and Lefevbre will do only some rallies".Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli
=>
- sucks for Breen as he did well on all rallies except Poland this year
- opens for one more full time driver
But that's just my interpretation. He might also mean that they won't do full season with all drivers to focus on car development (heard that before).
EDIT: Note that he also says Mikkelsen told them Hyundai went in same direction as Citroen and made same errors. First time something like that gets mentioned. But the whole answer sounds like an excuse when he says that Mikkelsen confirmed their design choices. I mean that's why after he came they fired some engineers, did long test and homologated new parts.
Really hope to see Breen do all the rallies, would be so unfair to him if he doesn't.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
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How so? I though they had this year for "just some wins/podiums" (which they already had) and go a full campaign in 2018? Something makes me think it was just a mind game (Meeke going for it every single round, or could be just Meeke doing it on his own?!?), which doesn't conflicts with current statement also.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
EDIT: On other note they might consider Loeb doing some rounds?
Google translate:
"How are you preparing next season, both technically and humanly?
Yves Matton: Our three drivers have a 2018 contract, Kris Meeke is doing a complete championship and the other two will do a number of rallies. "
Clearly he does not mention how many cars they will drive.
But he is often contradicting himself in own sentences.
Yeah, he is so unsure of the situation. Might be just the owner's management.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
To me it sounds like they're reserving a seat for Ogier
That's why Mikkelsen wasn't hired for more than a rally by rally basisQuote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
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FX is back with Solberg, working with the RX programme at least.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Yeah if that sentence is translated correctly it seems that Matton may not want to over-commit on what the programme for Breen/Lefebvre will be. Clearly as a whole that trio isn't strong enough.
Again, why they were handing out two-year contracts like confetti last year I don't know...
Breen seems to be their only light. Perhaps the real number 1, number 2 driver to keep. Meaning he's the best number 2 driver for the team! Now they have to find their number 1!
http://int-media.citroen.com/en/verd...3%ABn%20Racing Official press release and Matton's comments after Finland.
For once i agree.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
For sure Citroen will eventually get to the top, but I’m really amazed with the team erratic communication on such a difficult phase.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli
Showing no sign of coordination, Matton, Meeke, Breen, Al-Qassimi and even Lefebvre gave interviews to that Auto Moto journo. After the sudden announcement of Loeb’s test, Matton has now decided to speculate about next year drivers, including a possible Ogier deal, while the current line-up issues aren’t yet stabilized...Al Qassimi was even more inconvenient: for him the current situation is a “disaster” and as Abu Dhabi partnership is decided on a one year basis, he doesn’t know if it’ll be extend to 2018. Surprise: for once Meeke eased up a bit on his usual car crap talk and even admitted some driving mistakes. As always, Breen and Lefebvre were more sensible and restrained by saying they believe on the car potential and on the hard work the team is doing (some personal notes: Corsica is Breen favourite rally; Lefebvre will be the C3 R5 developer and they both still prefer tarmac events).
Btw, it’s also puzzling why Mr. Tavares (PSA boss and a known petrolhead) is taking so long to get involved; he was able to turn around PSA, for sure he can help in Citroen Racing current situation.
I haven`t heard the Al-Qassimi interview but if he really said that than there might be the opportunity M-sport is looking for... :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
The next rally will be very interesting, especially if Meeke is on podium pace and Andreas isn't.
Perhaps part of the reason for the Loeb test is to make sure they have the best chance of performing well in Germany? They have talked about targeting events for the rest of the year for good results, this might be their way of doing what they can to guarantee a win?
https://www.motorsport-news.co.uk/ne...-for-2018-wrc/
So, Loeb might compete next year...
This will certainly heat things up for this year in the Citroen camp, & spice things up for next season in the WRC fold.
Bit awkward for the current Citroen drivers plus additional ones, especially them only finding out at the official announcement.
If we're going old skool, can we have Subaru back too? :)
Lancia or not enough old school...
or what about rebranding 2017 Polo as Audi A3 :D
That Matton is even mentioning in public that it is possible that Loeb COULD come back next year, must surely indicate they have talked about that possibility internally.
Loeb coming back fulltime would be great as a driver who could regular bring in pts, like 4th/5th places and a few podiums. Similar to what Sainz did in his later years.
Don't expect Loeb to come back and be able to fight for wins regularly, besides maybe Monte, Corsica and Germany etc, especially in the C3 with all its problems (even though the suspension will be totally overhauled and other changes made before 2018).
However I still don't see him coming back after so long away, unless he's happy to just enjoy the driving and settle with not being at the top of the time sheets. Meeke, Breen and Loeb is certainly a very good team on paper, with Breen and Loeb the reliable points scoring drivers and Meeke the one who will more regularly challenge for wins (along with crashing). The manufacturers title will be a big aim for Citroen so Matton has to get the driver line-up right and the car improved, or else he'll be out on his arse halfway through next year at the latest.
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A Loeb return is an interesting one. There are so many factors in play.
First off Citroen/Matton are really desperate here. To create the whole PSA Motorsport angle, very publicly announce Loeb's test, and then give away soundbites about him potentially doing rallies - that's going to do nothing but destabilize an already rocked trio of contracted drivers. As if having Mikkelsen do three rallies and taking their seat time wasn't bad enough!
Bringing in Loeb feels perhaps like something to appease the brand at board level. And 12 months too late if he's just testing the car. It also probably took a grovelling apology after the way Citroen treated Loeb at the end of his WTCC career.
Monte Carlo 2018 would be three years removed from his last competitive WRC outing. I'm just not sure how quick he'd be. I've no doubt like er88 said he'd be a steady pair of hands and score some decent points. But it's tough to expect him to pick up where he left off.
The other thing is whether Loeb would even want a full-time return? I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to be stuck in WRX for the next five years, so I guess this could be pretty tempting. That said, is coming back and battling for 5th/6th with a questionable car going to do his legacy any good? He's certainly got nothing to prove, so maybe he doesn't mind about that. Maybe he'd be happy with a select programme of events. But how is running a 44 year old on a limited programme really solving any of Citroen's problems? It will likely just cause a distraction with all the fanfare Loeb will bring. Plus he's blocking the progress of their contracted drivers.
I'd love to see him back. I just don't see how it's really worth it for all parties involved.
No matter how he ends it will be a huge "positive" PR for Citroen in France and elsewhere. I think they kind of need it after Ogier being in the headlines for 4 years and now Ogier and Neuville (french speaking).Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
Otherwise I agree with what you wrote.
Citroen management seem to be running their WRT like Trump running the White House these days.
Doesn't seem to matter how bad a job you are doing as long as you are grabbing headlines.....
All this is to distract from the fact that the car is rubbish.
I suppose no manufacturer wants to pay millions for the world to think they can't build a car right....
Loeb would bring solid points every event to Citroën, something Meeke and Lefebvre don't. I understand why they would turn to Loeb since how desperate Citroën's situation is, rock bottom is just not what they expected and came for.
I'm sure having Loeb test the car is a good move as he does have experience of cars with active centre diffs, and was pretty handy at driving them.
As for him driving events, only he knows if he has the motivation for a full season again, but I wouldn't bet against him being quick enough if he is motivated enough.
I have no idea how the budgets work for this new PSA Motorsport, but the fact that Loeb is already on the PSA payroll must be appealing....Ogier would be an additional expense as Loeb would still be in the PSA group one way or another next year.
I don't remember any rally champ coming back at later time, and being equally fast as in his best years.
Even 5th or 6th looks to high to me.
I guess Citroen just need somebody who can find out what's wrong with that car.
I am pretty sure they know what is wrong with that car, there is just so little they can do about it right now.Quote:
Originally Posted by jparker
That could be the case and it raises a question: if the issues are fundamental, can a few joker parts fix the car?Quote:
Originally Posted by DonJippo
Matton’s words have little value nowadays, but his recent comment about Meeke being in all 2018 rallys and the other two guys having to share a car makes some sense if Loeb returns half time. But probably during next week Matton will come out and say something different...Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Here: http://www.auto-moto.com/actualite/s...52.html#item=1Quote:
Originally Posted by AMSS
By clicking on WRC (above Qassimi’s name) one gets all interviews.
Meeke's engineer
http://www.auto-moto.com/actualite/s...89.html#item=1
But do you remember any one of them taking 9 WDC titles?Quote:
Originally Posted by jparker
For sure he's trying to leave his mark in history as much as he can. It will be interesting if he returns, that's for sure, but I'm a bit sceptical.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarmop
is it just me, or does this look slow.. very hesitant and wide slow corner exits, in many places.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY_CBbfP39Q
It's just you, it doesn't look excessively slow (we are not talking Ogier Toyota vid), latest experience (Hyundai Finland, C3 before season), clearly shows that judging speed by over-analyzing test vids is not a good idea.Quote:
Originally Posted by wrc2017
What's more interesting is that it IMO looks more like development test aimed prbly at dif.maps more than a test for Deutschland.
Certainly compared to Breen's test as well as all the recent Hyundai tests. Would be consistent with the announced aim of testing for development and not for specific rally setup. That said it can be biased by where the guy taking the vid choose to film.
Nahh.. looks slow.
You said its me, then you said it could be positioning of camera.
Make up your mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
The impression that it's a dif. map development test could be due to camera position (most of the time at the hairpin and other tight corners in the forest).
Its a pre-event setup test.
Not a development test.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Matton just announced that they're focusing on developing the car for 2018, not to set up the car for certain eventsQuote:
Originally Posted by wrc2017
you cant separate these 2 (development for 2018 and car setup for the current rally)Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL