After SS11: M. Hirvonen - "Hopefully we can get some time to Jarri and keep him under pressure.'
After SS12: M. Hirvonen - "Good afternoon. I find rhythm. I will put pressure to Latvala."
+ 2.8 seconds for these 2 stages, quite a pressure.
After SS11: M. Hirvonen - "Hopefully we can get some time to Jarri and keep him under pressure.'
After SS12: M. Hirvonen - "Good afternoon. I find rhythm. I will put pressure to Latvala."
+ 2.8 seconds for these 2 stages, quite a pressure.
Yeah right.Quote:
Originally Posted by SlowSon
He's a highly paid employee whose job it is to drive and pile up points..
Who pays you?
Hirvonen's move to Citroen only makes sense if Loeb retires.Quote:
Originally Posted by SlowSon
There is a kind of settling-in period which happens any time a driver joins a new team - and this happens in just about every form of motorsport. Both the driver and the team need to get to know one another; how they think, how they work, how they set the car up. The end result is that it takes some time before a driver is fully competitive. While Loeb chases his ninth title, 2012 is Hirvonen's settling-in period.
The beauty of all this is that when Loeb ultimately does decide to retire, Hirvonen is fully accustomed to the team, and can lead it. This means that Citroen will have a strong lead driver, and they won't need to shop around for something impossible to buy: a replacement for Loeb. Rather, Hirvonen will be Loeb's replacement, and the team will only need to find someone to fill Hirvonen's role as number two and the process starts over. I'm betting they'll take Thierry Neuville, though I wouldn't rule out them making a play for Ostberg or Mikkelsen. In that respect, I think Citroen have failed dismally - they don't have a wide range of drivers who compete in customer teams to call upon.
Like M.Grönholm said on Finnish paper: Citroen will quit when Loeb retires, so Mikko will never be no.1 in any team
Also what happened to the stories of Citroen transforming into a Peugeot WRC team with the 208?
I think SOMEONE will want Mikko considering his results this year - he is perfect no. 2 for Loeb, which gives him the best chance (along with Ogier) at being at the top when Loeb retires. I'm not so interested in Loeb vs. Ogier - someday the guy will show his age and slow down, so it's never really an even match up in their primes - but Hirvonen vs. Ogier would be an interesting fight in future for sure.
He seems the only guy who should be able to challenge Ogier consistently. Someone will recognize that and get him in a car, and my best guess is they will speak French.
Useless no 1 tommeke
Poor Gronholm... the brutal beatings he received by Loeb forced him to early retirement like a kitten and lost his mind... he even crashed out of sheer terror when Loeb came to the USA to claim his rallycross crown...Quote:
Originally Posted by COD
LOL
Well, unlike "the real man" Hirvonen, he has 2 WDC.Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Gronholm was a far better driver than Hirvonen and in the history of the sport he also is higher than him so far...
But that doesn't mean he can spout idiotic things (of course IF those are his words and not another star trek story from the Finnish media like the latvala contract which is most likely either false of a pay drive)
I don't know if he really said that, but makes sense as Citroen were on top with Loeb ever since, and neither they or he announced anything after this year what is gonna be... we shall wait and see...