Silly Season 2024

If Ogier wants a late-career challenge, he could go to M-Sport :D :D

2 weeks ago Ogier said that there is no reason why leave Toyota..
https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/...ours/10522465/

Ogier likes joking.. But yes, there is no reason to leave Toyota.. He just wants fun and fun will not come with unreliable car

Somehow I feel sad that Tanak is not staying with MSport. Together they could fix the reliability issues and develop the car to his liking, but probably that's a budget question.

For Tanak it's surely an improvement, but let's not forget the propshaft, turbo and suspension problems Hyundai has had this season, still clearly a weaker car than Toyota. They need to improve reliability, or even with Tanak it will be a return of "amazing quality"...
For M-Sport let's hope they can find someone. If nobody is willing to pay for a full season, it would spice up each single event to rent the car to specialized drivers who want a taste of Rally1 (for example Lindholm + Pajari for Sweden and Finland, Solberg in Estonia, Fourmaux on tarmac etc.)

If Tanak does leave MSport as seems likely, I do hope they can get a good driver even if it is not one of the ‘A’ category guys to lead the team, I know he has his detractors but I would think Mikkelsen would be a good safe pair of hands. I have said many times on here that I believe Fourmaux will become a good driver, he has good speed, a nice driving style and is very determined. Equally, MSport seem to be playing their usual playbook with him and giving him time to develop away from the top class and gain experience. It all got on top of him last year with the mistakes, but MSport I think did the right thing. I would like to see him back as a second driver if there is a budget to do so next year. For me he is a far better prospect than Loubet.

I’m pretty sure Fourmaux is one of the drivers for Msport.

Can’t see where else Loubet also would go besides renting the car from Hyundai or Toyota if it’s possible

I think Toyota stays as it is. Evans last year struggled due to the diffs, which have to be the same for all drivers but in the meantime I read that they did some changes and as we can see he's winning rallies again (even if sometimes benefitting from circumstances).

As for MSport I think it's too early to speculate, as my feeling is they themselves don't know what they can do yet. Regarding Loeb, it's not a question of convincing him, I think it's simply a question of paying him to drive the car, somehow I doubt anything he does he does for free. Solberg I don't see it happening because of things already mentioned, probably another year in Rally2. Also seing the issues the various customers had with the Puma if I was in the position with money in hand I might rather go for the spare Toyota as Bertelli did...

Many people will disagree with me, but I think, that duo Neuville-Tanak will work nice next year. On the podium last Sunday, they looked like best friends, congratulations from Thierry to Ott after finish looked really lovely! :D

I think you overthink too much how friendly Tänak and Neuville are or are not.

They are professionals. On that level, you respect your competitors, do you like them as person outside of competition or not, it's pure respect.

Another thing is just pragmatic - if you co-operate, you'll get benefits as well.