WRC commercial rights holder CSI goes into Administration - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.comQuote:
Originally Posted by makinen_fan
Good be a good opportunity for Eurosport to come in at a bargain price!
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WRC commercial rights holder CSI goes into Administration - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.comQuote:
Originally Posted by makinen_fan
Good be a good opportunity for Eurosport to come in at a bargain price!
They are in discussions to merge IRC with ERC so must be on reasonably good terms with the FIA....Quote:
Originally Posted by wrc_flipper
I know administration can be a little messy - but the sooner something is sorted, the better. I think Eurosport would be the best for the sport at the moment.
I absolutely agree Homer, except that my comments were generated by some suggesting that Tanak isn't ready, which he clearly is ... as you say.Quote:
Originally Posted by I am evil Homer
I've not advocated him for the seat other than to suggest that he is potentially a better option than Solberg. Astute investors will always back a commodity in the ascendency not on the descent, which is where Petter is presently. Yes he's won rallies, but not for 6 years and he's never likely to again other than by default ... as much as we all might like to see it.
There is not any drivers avilable that could help Ford to win the manu. title, that is gone for sure, thats why I think it would be better for Ford to invest in the future with a young driver with high potential, and yes think Tänak could bring the car in top 4 in most events.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
World Rally Championship - News - Pedersoli linked to eight-round WRC bid
The loss of money in Kimi renting in Citroën is a bit solved :D World Rally Championship - News - Pedersoli linked to eight-round WRC bid
This is a way more tourist than Kimi although a very friendly guy but fast? No..
World Rally Championship - News - North One Sport statement
Don't panic.......everything is okay!! ;)
Bring back Eurosport.
The best option would be Infront, IMHO. Only with them, the WRC could become the No. 1 of the "League 2".Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
He won the Italian tarmac championship (winning also in Sanremo back in September) and soon will release its first video "DriftWar1"Quote:
Originally Posted by mousti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0YcQMmKGQY
Still a friendly guy but means nothing. Is already 40+ years old and barely has any experience with a WRC rally. I reckon Kuipers will be faster mostly. Better to do the ERC again like he did some years ago with the 306 Maxi Kit Car or do an IRC program.
Btw North One confirmed they are a stand-alone subsidiary and that it is not in administration. Andyrac was before me
It would be great to see an Italian again driving a WRC car in the WRC, after Galli.Quote:
Originally Posted by mousti
I don't say it isn't great, every extra WRC is good, but I'm just realistic about the speed and results he'll have.
Indeed, I don't believe he'll do anything incredible, but it'll be a nice addition.
Guy has a speed on asphalt but how quick can he be against Loeb, we'll see.
I thought that R-GT was created for guys like him??Quote:
Originally Posted by mousti
Agree - I hope Petter gets the second seat. Some say the manu title next year is a foregone conclusion. (It may be...) But thats just giving up kinda talk.Quote:
Originally Posted by pettersolberg29
Tanak will be big, maybe even massive, I am sure. But this is in the future. Future and up and coming drivers need to be in a B-team (Like Ogier) and not have the pressure of being put in a WRC car with very little experience(Like Wilson)
For the 2012 manufacturers title, they need someone who is very good NOW. Not someone who is going to be very good.
That is why I think Petter should have the seat. :)
Anyone with half a brain would see that Petter is the best choice for Ford now. He's still fast, consistent and probably the most enthusiastic driver in the field. Many drivers have been in and then drifted away in the past years, but Petter has put earth and skies in motion to stay in the WRC and tried his best to stay competitive. He's gotten results even though the factory teams has done their best to make sure their four boys are at the top and let the rest fight it out with no actual chance of even finishing fourth. With B-teams Petter should actually never have finished above eight.
The sport itself has been laughable for the last years and the FIA needs to take control like in F1. Get in charge of every aspect of the cars, and most importantly: The ECU. They control it in F1 and should in the WRC too. They need to end the current situation where the factories can hand out horsepower as they please. When Petter says he's "never felt the DS3 stronger" or when Warmbold talks about the "Yeti-engine" something is seriously wrong.
Rules should be in place to make sure that upgrades trickle down to all the cars under each manufacturer. When a Ford, Citroen or a Porsche Cayman (one can dream) stands at the starting lights it should perform the same no matter if the side of the car reads "M-Sport Abu Dhabi" or "Expert".
You might attack the manufacturers for ruining the sport but they just run a good business. They pull in as much money as they can, and adhere to the rules while they do it. It might not make the sport better but at the end of they day they prefer money over a healthy championship. There are other motorsports out there they can manipulate if the WRC goes down. The responsibility and the only way of making things better lies with the FIA.
The select few hardcore rally fans know how this world works. We know that noone besides the top boys have a chance of winning. How do you expect anyone to watch a _sport_ when there isn't even a slightly level playing field? It's like watching soccer with one team has a bigger goal than the other, or more players on the field, it's silly!
The WRC - Where every season is a silly season...
I'm getting fed up with this ****. Also, the coverage is poor at best. The radio is ok but just for the most hardcore of fans. The extended online coverage at this years Rally France was an improvement, we need more like that.
I've never been a fan of the Formula 1 championship and never bothered to watch seemingly identical cars zip around the same couple of bends for 60 or 70 laps. But the coverage on BBC is just plain epic! They show a complete hour of television before the race even starts which would seem boring but with Jake Humphrey, David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan running the show it's a complete joy to watch! Throw in Martin Brundle as well and BBCs extremely high production values and the end result is breathtaking. They really show how it can be, but first we need to make the championship real. FIA: Make it happen.
I agree 100% with mousti. The Italian guy is nice, very friendly, but he was never already in Italy at the top of Italian drivers. He is a gentelman driver, he had good fights with Felice Re in TRA for the last two seasons, but that's all. One big plus for him: he is very very spectacular driver, always sideways, uses a handbreake whenever is possible to use it, but he will be beaten also by second league drivers in WRC.......But I'm looking forward to see him in the WRC !Quote:
Originally Posted by mousti
A bit wayward at the beginning but the rest of the post is spot on!Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpha
Škoda confirmed to continue in rallying. They will do IRC, Czech championship and selected events of ERC to prepare for possible merge with IRC. There was no word about SWRC but I expect them there as well. Kopecký is sure to continue, Hänninen most likely also.
Abbring's and Neuvilles test with the Citroen DS3 WRC was also a test for the Citroen Sport mecanics/engineers in how to deal with a non-French speaking driver. Both Abbring and Neuville had to speak Englisch to the staf and mecanics, although they both can speak French :)
Mikkelsen will do SWRC, with SkodaQuote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Could it be that next years SWRC battles are bound to be more thrilling than WRC: Ogier, Mikkelsen, maybe Hänninen. All in Skoda though, but still.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gard
And of course good news on Skoda's plans.
I know but I was referring to the real factory team (although I know Škoda UK is using works cars as well).Quote:
Originally Posted by Gard
Anyway from what was said it seems that Škoda program in IRC will be limited to less events. Still enough for overall classification.
I gotta hand it to Citroen. They don't leave anything unresolved or untested.Quote:
Originally Posted by alleskids
This is how you become a winner.
Marcos Ligato may return to PWRC: Ligato: Quiero una revancha
Skoda UK did use factory cars, but they didnt have all the same factoryparts as Kopecky and Hänninen did have. But in the last events Mikkelsen got the same as the two others.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Last two events was farce.
in what way?Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
Doubled points. In WRC it could never be that way.
but the rules were like that all year. And Mikkelsen did have a great run at the end of the season. and could of won at least one other round had it not been for a few seconds. i see what your saying. but i was happy with the way it was..
I'm not saying that I was fan od Kopecky or Hanninen but to win the championship in two rounds...
IF Mikkelsen leaves IRC, who will driver the UK Skoda? (someone from the UK?)
Does anyone know what livery the VW Skodas will use? ie will it be like the one Juho used this year?
More likely those two VW run already this season ;)
Hopefully we can add Paddon to that list as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hartusvuori
I spoke very him briefly last week. His 2012 plans are for SWRC and his said he was looking at 3 options, Skoda, Ford and also Impreza R4. Of course it was all money dependent, the R4 being the cheaper option. Let's hope he can find the right funding and do it properly. It will be interesting to see his speed against these others. To be fair I don't feel he was really tested this year in PWRC, although he did drive extremely well, and used his brains to control his lead on most events and made very few mistakes.
Update: Hayden flies to the UK next week for some testing. Hopefully this means a SWRC deal is getting closer.
Worst case maybe you can add Petter, Henning and Mads as well!Quote:
Originally Posted by Hartusvuori
More chance we see Neuville in the SWRC than these 3.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sulland
I agree with all of this. The SWRC could trump the WRC in terms of hard charging drivers and potential battles. If nothing else Ogier will prove just how quickly an S2000 car can go and it will give the other S2000 drivers a very good benchmark by which to judge themselves.Quote:
Originally Posted by Maui J.
Just small news but maybe interesting for Norwegian members. First Fabia R2 is going to Norway before Christmas for Petter Kristiansen. AFAIK there is one more ordered from Norway but I don't know for whom.