So 10 years ago we had the qualifying stage and now again they're trying to make the WRC into F1, great thinking from the FIA yet again.
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Its pointless if its not live on free to air TV or Cable. If its only on the internet or behind a pay wall, it will only be watched by us, the hardcore fans. Basically no new eyeballs. The shakedown is normally open on YouTube and its only us watching it.
And there should be 24hr WRC channels. Ad free. In fact, they should pay you to watch it.
Jesus Christ. All this 'free' and 'hope' and 'easy'. Just how good is Norwegian TV? Tell me the last new free thing you sat and watched on TV that you'd never watched before? How often does that happen?
At least where I am TV is DEAD.
Hahaa good points.
I remember discovering Downhill MountainBike racing on a cable TV channel program about sports in general when there was a 5 min part about the recovery process of one of the athletes, showing how she was getting ready for the next season! But I got that instant TV crush on the girl rider, thats why I got into MTB DH haha maybe we need more girls in WRC?? Hmmm I cheer hard for Cattie Munnings in Extreme E hahaha
https://www.iltalehti.fi/ralli/a/e48...f-6d618ce3d014
Hyundai has already filled Tänak's seat but not with Suninen.
Norwegian TV is quite good actually, they send lots of good stuff, both documentaries, humor, news and Norwegian championship in Rally.
Don't have pay TV, the 1 hour max i look at TV at the evening the free stuff is plenty.
Probably different in other countries, but if NRK get an offer to send half an hour of free WRC i suppose they actually do it. Same goes in sweden at least.
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Well Suninen probably will be the one sharing car with Sordo, since he is the one testing hyundais car in finland right now
I’m affraid will be another bad year to M-Sport. And now they can’t sell Rally2 cars like before. The car is not good enough it seems :(
Im going for Neuville and Sordo full time with Lappi and Suninen sharing the 3rd car at Hyundai
Neuville/Lappi and Sordo/Suninen then! Logic never seems to go hand in hand with Hyundai
Just think the Lappi move will be down to Ogier wanting more runs in 23 and just seen the Dirtfish article now!
IF Hyundai really get Lappi and Breen as reported that's some strong moves to try to get a decent lineup to support Neuville. Lappi was strong this year and Breen did good work for them last year.
In any case they're on the back foot again. If Toyota get the last 3 WDC's driving for them they need all the help they can get. But let's see.
With Neuville and Lappi there might be some competition from Hyundai yes, all of Breen, Mikkelsen and Sordo are risky, each in their own way. But rotation between 2 or 3 should reduce risk.
I rank Suninen lower than all these 3 as he never really got a string of more than one decent result. So imo his chances decreased after Lappi "arrived". The comments after testing are not all that promising either. Could be that he was simply the only one available now ( and he works for Hyundai after all).
Hope there will be at least something at MSport. Part time Loeb with fulltime Greensmith and with Loubet and Solberg driving most rallies is hopefully a worst case.
If Breen leaves MSport they really must go for Mikkelsen. I presume Breen wasn’t paying for his drive so neither should Mikkelsen need to.
https://www.rallit.fi/m-sport-ford-y...en-ison-kalan/
here Millener said they are only targetting Loeb for 2023 and maybe again other top drivers for 2024
They said previously that "top drivers" are only the likes of Rovanpera, Tanak, Ogier, Neuville and Evans.
So it is totally unclear in terms of Breen, whom they just a week ago talked about as driving next year.
That said MSports interviews/press are the least reliable there are, often they would contradict themselves completely in a span of two weeks. (ref. "Experienced driver" quotes before and after Finland and public instructions to Breen before and after Finland).
So Lappi must had known there is no more future for him in Toyota after Greece. to Think about that, they confirmed it instantly that Ogier will be doing the remaining rounds.
1.So Lappi should be full time for joining Hyundai
2.Sordo with Breen share again
3.Tanak join Toyota for sure
4.Evans share with Ogier
then how can katsuta be the factory scorer?
Mikkelsen the biggest loser again?
Yep. Narrative keeps changing though. Few months ago they'd only put the money down for a top tier driver who can win a championship, or they'll continue with the "youngsters". Now Tanak is available..., they don't have the money. Off road car being developed, Wilson saying they've got the capacity to get involved in F1. So many mixed messages.
I don't understand Ford's angle either. They put big resource into this hybrid car, Msport were helped out financially and technically by Ford more than the previous cars, so why are they content with pay drivers and poor results? Just put a few million down for Tanak for a season and let Msport focus their resources on development. Loeb has shown the car is quick, Msport just need to seriously fix reliability big time, and bring development or as you say, it's a wasted cycle of this rally1 car.
And i'm a bit sceptical about that Tanak to Toyota thing. What do they gain with that move? They allready have their world champion, and they will get next years manu title with current line up easily...
It really has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons, the rumours and possibilities are all over the place.
Looking forward to seeing how it all ends up.
May sound like a joke, but it's not. It would be quite epic combo if Tänak goes to Toyota:
* he did not get the driver-line-up as he wanted, Lappi already off (based on DirtFish), he got decisions from higher layers
* Ogier - the guy who got titles as his team-mate, messed with hi brain
* Tänak - another guy who got title as his team-mate, not too soft guy to communicate as well. Latvala probably can see nightmare in advance how Tänak is taking habits from Hyundai and criticizing the car or saying that Latvala is not competent team boss.
* Rovanperä - the guy who takes one by one all his "the youngest" records.
3 world champions. Something, what Latvala only dreamed and never achieved.
and this is only relationships with drivers and Latvala, it does not include relationships between them - from distance they actually seems to mach quite well.