Afaik, Citroen was one of the manufactures pushing for Asian competitions because of their market there...
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Afaik, Citroen was one of the manufactures pushing for Asian competitions because of their market there...
so before spain Toyota will reveal their lineup but very cheeky smile from Tommi when asked about Meeke...
Joukhi said on the stream that Latvala has contract and it will be announced in 2 weeks. Sounds like Toyota confirmation to me.
it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Is it a new contract, or is it the remaining year in the one he signed originally? If it’s the one he signed originally, why does the way they speak about it make it sound like it could potentially be with another team?Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
Ah who cares. We have three rivals again in three different cars for next year.
Perhaps you don't remember that just last year Latvala actually led the championship and was in the fight until Poland. Tanak wasn't realistically in the championship fight at any point.Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
Before the start of 2017 Meeke was by many considered the main favorite.
Going the other way Ogier didn't have the speed in 2017 at all and many were writing him off for this year. Latvala was written off at the end of 2016 after being 3rd fastest Polo.
and we can continue like that...
Things change. To quote Tanak again, nobody knows how fast any car/driver will be next year. Things can move up/down very fast.
So there is no guarantee whatsoever that Neuville, Ogier, Tanak will fight for championship next year.
Agree, If Hyundai cant get it sorted that must be his move to save his career. Love to see him at M-Sport with a full season and a new sponsor? Where is Monster Energy in all this? Red Bull is everywhere in the WRC, Monster Energy going hard in the US in motorsport in general, Nascar, Moto X, World Rally X etc. They are big sponsors of Ken Block and Valentino Rossi when it comes to Rally, but not the WRC? Paddon's hood scoop would go well with the Monster Energy green??Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
FordQuote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Or Martini...
have been thinking the same, MotoGP seems very much a red bull Vs monster series, they sponsor the riders in a bigger way.Quote:
Originally Posted by gouldy
My money is on a full season at Hyundai.
His current contract ends now, 2018. Maybe it has on option for 2019, can´t remember was it originally 2+1 or 1+1 with Toyota.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
Latvala can´t say anything, team(s) will announce deal(s).
Alain Penasse already said in the Rally Forum that they are doing a split third car.Quote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
Penasse also said that Huttunen has tried WRC, so could be him learning on some outings...Sordo doesn`t like Finland much, Huttunen on the other hand was born there etc.
Is that actually what he said? Or just that Sordo happy for half season?Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Right, he says that the third car this year has been more beneficial in points compared to Mikkelsen and they convinced Dani to do a half season, but he also says the third car is still open and they are "reluctant" to have a shared car - it seems he's contradicting himself on the latter...maybe broken English or I hear wrong?Quote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
No, thats exactly what he said. It sounded like they will share the 3rd car.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
"Exactly" or "sounded like"? Seems you're just as confused as AnttiL.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Most likely to be the case. Still water to go under the bridge here yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
'Exactly' means thats what he said.Quote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
'Sounded like' is my interpretation of the meaning.
If Paddon has an option to join Msport (which is the rumour), surely he has to take that over staying at Hyundai with the current half season he's getting?
He's also getting smashed to pieces (as is Mikkelsen) by Neuville, who is the clear team leader and dominant driver/personality.
He's stagnated and even if there's less money in it for him at Msport, I feel a full season is essential for him if he ever wants to kick on again.
Lol "smashed to pieces" some new vocabulary there. I liked that so much I had to put it in a spreadsheet, not posting the sheet cause it takes half the page, but feel free to use 2 mins in excel to recheck.
I hereby start the 3 "smashed pieces indexes", listed from smallest pieces to biggest ones ;) All indexes are weighted relative to number of starts and relative to the fastest driver in the team.
a) By the number of stage wins:
1. Evans (11.7%), 2. Suninen (12.1%), 3. Paddon (15.3%), 4. Lappi (25.8%), 5. Latvala (27.6%), 6. Mikkelsen (33%) 7. Sordo (45.8%)
b) By the number of stages leading a rally
1. Evans and Suninen (0%), 3. Lappi (1.3%)., 4. Latvala (2.7%), 5. Paddon (10.5%), 6. Mikkelsen (31%), 7. Sordo (47%)
c) By the number of driver champ points: (manu are kinda unfair, mostly due to superrally)
1. Evans (29.1%), 2. Suninen (40.8%), 3. Mikkelsen (43.9%), 4. Paddon (53.3%%), 5.Sordo (58.2%), 6. Latvala (58.3%) 7. Lappi (61.9%)
And for the ultimate dust-smashed index, calculated as sum of placements in the previous 3 indexes:
(I highlighted those than did full season in 2017 or earlier)
1. Evans (3 points)
2. Suninen (5)
3. Paddon (12)
4. Lappi (14)
5. Latvala and Mikkelsen (15)
7. Sordo (19)
This.Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
He’s knocking on a bit now too. Never realised he was that old before i Wikied him.
Love it! the STP index!Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Would be cool if a higher number was worse, ie smashed in to more pieces
Smaller number = smaller pieces.Quote:
Originally Posted by Toyoda
Was party trolling but also an idea for comparing how other drivers in same team do vs the 3 title contenders. Clearly the only one "smashed to pieces" is Evans. Paddon is a bit worse than others but the difference is not huge. (Suninen and party Lappi have much less experience than others so don't mention them)
I dont think anyone really needed this STP analysis. Just a look at the WRC points tables tells you much the same thing. The lack of results from Ogier's team-mates is glaringly obvious.
However the STP index doesnt take into account Evans' bad luck or the fact that M-Sport is totally centred on Ogier (more testing, new cars, new aero etc.)
Actually it doesn't. Lappi and Latvala look very good when you look at points. But the relative number of stage wins and even more number of stages in lead seem to tell that they are actually not doing all that good relative to the fastest guy in the team.
As to the "bad luck":
[troll] Time to introduce "bad luck index". This time it's easy.... technical issue 1 point, technical retirement 2 points, didn't care about weighting it and didn't care about checking much tbh. Don't count "bad luck" in crashes. Higher number=more bad luck.
Mikkelsen 8 (Monte, POR, SARD, TUR)
Latvala 5 (Mex, Sard, GER, didn't give him any points for Argentina or Portugal)
Evans 3 (Tur, GB)
Lappi 1
[/troll]
Is Mikkelsen's car the same one Paddon had last year? :bonce:Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
We could argue about Mikkelsen's retirement in Monte, was it a result of his off or not?
Latest Colin Clark Kitchen Table https://t.co/9Zby5QwIZK
- Suggests Meeke to Toyota is unlikely
- Suggests Toyota should buy Kalle out of his Skoda contract for 2019
- Says Hyundai won't change seats next year
- Says Lappi to Citroen should be announced next week
Why do it, when you can make a contract for 2020 onwards and let him mature for another year on someone else's expense?Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
I mean, I don't agree with Colin and I know the Skoda contract is sealed for 2019.Quote:
Originally Posted by Franky
If thats enough to break a rally car we wouldnt have many cars finishing the rallies. If I remember correctly Nandan had some comments that people were laughing of where he was "blaming" the little detour Mikkelsen had on a parking lot to why the car broke down.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
If we look at the rest of the season im pretty sure we can blame the car - not the driver for Monte.
Today's David Evans:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DpIFbTJWkAEyOO4.jpg
what the ....?
really?
I still think it's more this...Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
...than the story being actually true.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
They had a headline (probably by the same journo) about the same time last year about Tänak rejecting Toyota's offer in favor of M-Sport.
Well, it looks like a set in stone headline. Evans setting himself up to look a right dick if it isn't true.
If so, Kris has slipped in shit and found a tenner! to coin an English phrase.
IF this is true, then it must be Breen to M-Sport.
NOT
Toyota has found another wild animal to tame for their barn!
It's unbelievable to me how out of touch this guy can be when is so much involved in this sport. He sounds a lot worse than some of us here. And he has been involved in this sport for many years now. Unreal.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL