Oh, I heard about this Polish driver, seems like next year Malcolm wants him to join the Stobart team to replace Matthew, to start a new 5-years-plan :DQuote:
Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1
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Oh, I heard about this Polish driver, seems like next year Malcolm wants him to join the Stobart team to replace Matthew, to start a new 5-years-plan :DQuote:
Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1
Sorry, spelling mistake Wilsonowicsz
Well there's lot of scope for it!Quote:
Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1
I hear there's a Finnish guy called Wilsonninnenoninnen waiting in the wings to take Wilson's place if he gets snapped up by a big team.Quote:
Originally Posted by focus206
Seriously guys, these Wilson bashing threads are getting really boring.
Hmmm....Could we have a translation? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by cali
Maybe these werent rumours!
Not more boring than reading praise for Matty.Quote:
Originally Posted by tfp
There's already plenty of threads bashing him, raikkonen or block, etc etc, cant see the point in ruining another thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
Perhaps the internet is not for you. This thread is for news, someone considered it news and we commented on it.Quote:
Originally Posted by tfp
wrong choice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
For me it's interesting the second name - Yeray Lemes :)
defenetly...i mean, for me of course its nice to see a german driver again and riedemann is a very kind and fast guy too, but others also had deserved a chance. i dont really understand what´s that good for. i think, if they want a german, they should also have an eye on sepp wiegand and build him up till 2013 for a 2nd team car. he´s very talented, at least i hope so. let´s see what rallye de france will bring...Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Daniel I agree with tfp, so please lets use this thread for news and rumours only, thank you :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
lots of stuff buzzing on the wrc set's twitter pages tonight about "exciting stuff and driver moves"
Absolutely!Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
To be honest, the sport needs a good shake up......one day Ford might employ non Finns....... ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
I expected Abbring for Catalunya damn :(
Paddon for GB with Skoda?
He can't.Quote:
Originally Posted by 6789
He must take the start in PWRC to be confirmed as Champion.
I think you'll find that he is contracted to begin the event but free to change category.
That's what I thought, he was talking about doing Spain in PWRC and then looking at options for GB. Hope VW give him a Skoda! He has contacts at Ford as well, so maybe FiestaQuote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
I think it's called Irony? It's like goldy and brassy but it's made from iron!Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
My understanding is that the team must enter but that doesn't mean Hayden has to drive. This happened at Rally NZ 2010 when local driver Kingsley Thompson took over the drive for the Czech National Team usually driven by Marten Semerad. It happened also last weekend at Rally Austarlia when Brendon Reeves took over the entry for the Bilbutikken AS World Rally Team usually driven by Anders Grondal. They must enter as the team to keep the FIA happy and not be fined or excluded from the championship, the driver and car can be different.Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
Often this happens on 'away' events when teams haven't got the finances to travel to the other side of the world.
It seems like a team must commit to the championship, not the driver.
One thing that may keep him doing the PWRC in GB is his contract with Symtech.
Incorrect, Paddon himself has stated he would like to tackle GB in a different class preferably WRC. He is obliged to compete but not in PWRC only.Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
Maybe a Mini ST2000???Quote:
Originally Posted by 6789
Add fuel to the fire: Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat is quoting Italian Auto Sprint magazine, saying M-Sport would be having deals ready for Latvala and Tänak for 2012 - and drumroll - Malcolm's offering Hirvonen a pay seat at Stobart!
According to Auto Sprint Hirvonen's drop from Ford would make him more likely a VW driver. VW is set to test for 20-25 weeks in 2012.
I think I'll be dissappointed after all these rumours when we see JML/Hirvonen and Loeb/Ogier starting in their usual cars next year...
Funny thing too, that apparently someone has made Google's translator tool believe that Mikko Hirvonen in English language spells Petter Solberg...
the sad thing is that all these rumours come from either Finnish or British media... their frustration is up to an extend justifiable since the french managed to totally wipe them of the rally map the last decade...
As for Latvala/tanak team i think for at least 2 years ford will be out of contention of any titles. Hirvonen at WV would be a solid choice.
Please do note that Finnish media is only quoting French and Italian sources on this, not making their own scoops.Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
And if you consider two world championship titles, four 2nd places and two 3rd places in the last decade "totally wiping of the rally map".... oh.
2nd and 3rd places have absolutely no value in the car market, and almost no value in driver market as well....so yup they wiped them off the rally map. COMPLETELY.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hartusvuori
lolQuote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
You are wrong again.
http://www.motorsportforums.com/wrc/...tml#post964439
http://www.motorsportforums.com/wrc/...tml#post964571
Kia Rio as the basis of a WRC program is looking to become a stronger possibility, according to this article:
Kia Rio: Small car sector gets complicated - Motoring - NZ Herald News
I am not sure if I am ready to believe it just yet.
I think Wilson would be silly to drop Hirvonen, he is far less accident prone. Latvala and Tanak are not yet the kind of drivers that could help Ford secure the Manufacturers crown yet. Although they would generate a lot of hits on Youtube for crashes due to their intense rivalry.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hartusvuori
It's looking a bit crowded at VW now isn't it? I'd be keen on a Hirvonen-Hänninen team but I'm not sure where that would leave all the young drivers they are assessing, unless a stobart b team is being considered.
Wilson can impossibly have any desire to get rid of or demote Hirvonen. He got a consistency on par with Loeb, if given a reliable competitive car. Crucial in fight for a Manu-title.
But Hirvonen would have a fantastic opportunity if he can take the VW spot for 2012. Sure he will lose a season, but if it's a 2 or 3 year contract, that route will be his best chance of getting a driver's title, and simply for his future in the sport. To wait one season and potentially being jumped by other drivers is too risky. He gotta take this opportunity although it's not the perfect one. 2012 with Ford is still not going to give him any realistic title chance, so the loss is really not that significant.
I'm sure the Stobart-rumor now is simply Wilson trying to make him uneasy about his seat, to press on an extension for 2012.
It's definately not the British media.....99.9% of the British media wouldn't know the WRC if it hit them in the face......Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Hirvonen paying for a Stobart seat...???? :mad: He's won 14 WRC events, why should he have to pay for a WRC seat? I hope he gets a VW or Citroen seat and tells Ford/M-Sport were to stick it. Similar to Petter, a former World Champion.....who struggled for a seat last year.....
The sport is a joke sometimes....
+1 :up: Autosport proves this, when loeb signed his 2 year agreement, it was overshadowed by a news article on GP2. GP2, For gods sake!Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
+2 :up: Hit the nail on the head there. Ok, so he may not be as quick as he used to be, but he's been second in the title standings for most of the season, and is the only one with an outside chance to stop Loeb with his ongoing continueous reign.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
I saw Chis Atkinsons Dad flying the team manager from
Brazil WRT around in his helicopter at rally Australia. He droppe into the private land we had on Sat, so did MSP-AU in his helicopter :)
So Atkinsons probably trying for a seat in the Brazil WRT?
+1 I really hope so too.Quote:
Originally Posted by 6789
+3. I agree with what you guys have been saying. If the circumstances were different I am sure that things would be different for Petter, I for one am horrified about what has happened to Petter. Hirvonen's dip in form is understandable considering his team and the main opposition I feel.Quote:
Originally Posted by tfp
The following article has quite an interesting take on the VW driver situation (although it is only a speculation on the author's part) Which WRC Drivers Will VW Sign?
I suspect that the GFC and loss of car companies has undermined the WRC's cred somewhat. Also there is a much wider variety of skills in the field, in comparision to the 1990's where most front running drivers had a similar level of skill.