Rally Sweden 2012

Day 3 photos added: Autosport : MS - Rally Sweden (SWRC)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mirek

7:0 with us yesterday in ice-hockey :D By the way the highest loss for our team since the split with Slovakia...

---

We have lost too many finals to your team Mirek :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Co-FIN

Maybe true, but the overall result in that stage was good also. But you cant put R4 and Super2000 cars in same line if you compare performances. Great result id say!

---

Of course, especially after PG told me that with Impreza the difference between N4 and R4 is rather small. I just feel it's not good to make conclusions from day 3 when many are cruising.

Latvala - very good, only mistake probably not his fault, would have imo won even if Loeb didn't land in snowbank

Hirvonen - good, but I was expecting him to do even better, after all this is his best rally of the year and Citroen should be better than Ford or?

Ostberg - showed that last year wasn't only due to road position, let's hope he does better on gravel raliles than last year. Has a plan to improve on tarmac.

Solberg - a bit worse than expected, without the puncture he'd most likely keep 3rd, but made 2 other mistakes (spin and stall) early as well, speedwise clearly behind the Fins

Novikov - very good, same speed as when he was crashing.. just without the crashing

Loeb - quite a disappointment, seemed to be slower than Latvala even before his first mistake, then added 2 more mistakes. While in the past he'd charge and win most stages now he "cruised" for 6th. Either he didn't had the speed, or the motivation, or both.

Sandell - was expecting him to fight with Henning

Prokop - very good, yes fast events like this suit him but still much better than a lot of people expected

Neuville - learning, well yes, but at a rather slow pace. First snow rally and first time in Sweden though... even Loeb was 17th first time in WRC in Sweden.

Tanak - moments with ok speed (around Novikov) and lot of mistakes, continues to show that experience is needed for a factory seed, raw talent isn't enough to just jump in

--------------------------------------------------------

Ogier - ok, strangely concerned that someone actually might be fast as well. One could start to wonder whether he thinks too much of himself... oh wait he said Loeb was worse than him and only good due to team orders :)

Mikkelsen - a bit better than expected, overall probably a bit slower than Ogier, but then again Ogier was top 3 WRC speed trough last year.

================================

As for the championship it's looking interesting

Loeb vs Latvala 1:1
Hirvonen vs Solberg 1:1

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ridder

Loeb - quite a disappointment, seemed to be slower than Latvala even before his first mistake, then added 2 more mistakes. While in the past he'd charge and win most stages now he "cruised" for 6th. Either he didn't had the speed, or the motivation, or both.

---

he was less than a second behind him and gainning all the time (10 sec penalty excluded) before his mistake...but thank you for providing us with the bitter norwegian point of view...i will cherish it in my closet...for ever.

Thank you Mr Ogier, that felt good....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ridder

Solberg - a bit worse than expected, without the puncture he'd most likely keep 3rd, but made 2 other mistakes (spin and stall) early as well, speedwise clearly behind the Fins

Ogier - ok, strangely concerned that someone actually might be fast as well. One could start to wonder whether he thinks too much of himself... oh wait he said Loeb was worse than him and only good due to team orders :)

Mikkelsen - a bit better than expected, overall probably a bit slower than Ogier, but then again Ogier was top 3 WRC speed trough last year.

---

well, where to start?

solberg: clearly slower than the finns? do we read the same lists with stagetimes? he's equal, 1 spin and 1 stall was the difference in time, exept the punckture. and remember, he is starting to know the car and the team, and he is also feel the pressure that he has to finish with good teampoints. thats his job, more or less.

ogier: is a crybaby and a wimp. he is actually so little sympatic that i realy hope he doesn't win anything. sad, but true.

mikkelsen: equal speed with the wimp, he has shown great mature throughout whole weekend, and a great face for a manufacturer. he is someone kids can look up on, and a good ambassador for the sport. and the teamorders was clear from the start, get to finish in one part.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SlowSon

Slightly disappointed / expected more from: Sandell, Araujo, PG, McRae, Attiyah, Oleksovich.

---

What did you expect more from PG? Winning the event overall in S2000 car? :D :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SlowSon

yes I had him in my mind indeed. this boy had some strange illusion that he could and must compete with the superior team-leader, like Meek last year, but reasonably failed at the end. I strongly hope VW will send him back in village events and choose Kevin Abbring for the first team. :)

---

oh'no, another moron.......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pucky54

What did you expect more from PG? Winning the event overall in S2000 car? :D :D

---

exactly, in a proton! this is good performance!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skarderud

solberg: clearly slower than the finns? do we read the same lists with stagetimes? he's equal, 1 spin and 1 stall was the difference in time, exept the punckture. and remember, he is starting to know the car and the team, and he is also feel the pressure that he has to finish with good teampoints. thats his job, more or less.

---

Tend to disagree. The way how Petter always picks punctures, spins, offs etc. is not accidental. It is his way of driving which cause these problem (a lot spectacular though), not some kind of extreme bad luck every event.