Maybe that was last rally for Kościuszko with MINI, his sponsors will talk with MI about their cars and their conditions
Printable View
Maybe that was last rally for Kościuszko with MINI, his sponsors will talk with MI about their cars and their conditions
Hopefully they do talk. Perhaps it's a tad more expensive to rent a Fiesta or DS3 but in the long run it will come out cheaper.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bartek
Now is that we have interesting battle for the manufacturers. If Latvala puts it together/doesn't have more bad luck/etc will be just game over and in that front. VW is just in other planet, first year, first 3 rallies. And still has development potential, imagine when they will bring the next evolution! Better transform the WRC series to VW Cup and add more Polos for other drivers because we will not see a fight from Abu Dhabi or M-Sport.Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
Drunk?? :p :Quote:
Originally Posted by wwbroe
VW is good but it's about citroen drivers who are not on the level of Ogier except Loeb.
Congrats to Ogier and VW. Brilliant performance by them. I see if Latvala hadn't that bad luck from first proper stage, this could easily become 1-2 finish, because looks like Latvala is comfortable in the car on gravel. VW appears to very strong, Ogier taking the PS points without taking risks just show how certain he feels with the Polo.
About the Gate-gate which has turned big discussion here :) It was said on WRR at the moment happened that it is organisers responsibility to secure these things and IMHO they just corrected their own mistake. Ogier could easily live without the time given back and I didn't see any contest made by VW or him.
From other drivers I can distinguish Ostberg & Neuville only. Great performance by them doing their own Rally, such a shame what happened to Ostberg's Ford really.
Rally Guanajuato Mexico: Stage 21 ::: Free Sport Live Streams / Videos
Friday & Saturday highlights on wrc.com - World Rally Championship - Video - Highlights
go to the end of the page you sent please. they are not loosing money. their profit got just a little less. that cannot be a true reason for them to aim lower. this page is not a place economics lecture to talk about benefits and environments. PSA sells A HELL LOT of cars. mostly cheap cars. they have special models for different markets that you cannot imagine to be sold in Europe. in a showroom here, i can see 206+, 207 and 208 at the same time. and their awful sedan remakes without proper accessories and safety equipment. Citroen sells at least 5 models on c4/307 platform.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeD
motorsport is not a choice for ford, with its rally history. i point you lancia. focus mk1 rescued ford..
and then, when you create such a car like JCW WRC, you have to back it up, or your reputation fells so bad. if you read all the pages of this rally, people say "sh*t car", that is what happens.
today, i never pronounce toyota, they left WRC for F1 and fail big time.
mexico is at north americaQuote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
Wrong - their net-income is negative - they are loosing money big time. They have been loosing money and over the last 5 years they have lost 88% of their market value (I think you are looking at revenue, which isn't an indicator of earnings). PSA has an EPS of -18,1.Quote:
Originally Posted by oyunbozan
I think the rest of your mail is rubbish to be honest, so let's just stop it here.
@voiceofrally: Looks like @SebOgier had an accident on way to podium. Banged his head on a roller shutter and badly cut just above eye. Stitches needed!
Day 2 in English Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQF18...EomGYouhSRUbz_
Maybe his head grew so big it didn't fit under the shutter!Quote:
Originally Posted by eestlane
Only kidding, deserved win and hope it doesn't spoil his looks.
Ogier is so dominant, this season could be so boaring..... :(
Atkinson did good job. He must drive more WRC events.
What is wrong with Ford's, lot of technical problems i Mexico?
Ogier makes all the other drivers look like sick dogs.
Ogier now has a massive lead in the championship, no hope for Latvala to win this years championship.
Disagree - when all cars works properly and shrinks had fixed some of the drivers heads, it will become more equal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Langdale Forest
BTW why doesn´t anyone talk about Novikov, doing a perfect rally until sh*t happened??
Maybe JML go to VW was mistake. In Ford he could fight for title?
Novikov is too young and...... Errors will be all season.
Novikov is improving a lot, it was ECU problem destroyed his rally early on.
No luck again for the top Fords of Ostberg and Novikov.
Ford need to keep the faith with these guys as they have the raw speed, and especially Ostberg, the ability and consistency.
I think only Ford can challenge VW as Mikko & Sordo dont seem to believe they can win for Citroen anymore.
JML will never be champion. He makes too many mistakes is far too mentally weak to be one.Quote:
Originally Posted by faateris
Hirvonen will never be champion, he is not fast enough and relies on team orders and other people mistakes too much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Allyc85
Just back home after taking my dear ol Mum out for afternoon tea, and what do I find an epidemic of knee jerk reactions! Maybe some counselling is required! I have always said a) that VW would show a level of planning that would make previous standards look second rate. b) that Citroen were the first team to sign joint No 2s and c) That to dismiss JML, when he has proven to be Ogier's equal for speed in the past, is slightly premature. I expect Portugal to be a big fight for VW supremacy with no team favourite BS (YET)
Its not bad luck for ford, they are not competing in the WRC - it is M-Sports poorly designed cars being run on a budget that causes their repeated parts failures.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
M-Sport dont have any faith in their drivers, they only have faith in the money they bring.
M-Sport will not challenge VW because they do not have the money to develop their car or the drivers to develop it for them
It is nice to hear different opinions, but when the opinions are taken from the cosmic dust hanging around our heads and minimal knowledge on the sport is interpreted as the ultimate knowledge on how to create machine that never stops and never requires any fuel then it is not nice, interesting, funny etc. It is just lame.
So Msport are developing the new engine upgrade for free? Bargain!
20 smackers says he will be before 2020 ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Allyc85
It's amazing that he even won the last stage of the rally (SS23 Super Special 5) when he only needed to drive it as a tourist driver.Quote:
Originally Posted by WRC1
Or was he riding a mountain bike? :pQuote:
Originally Posted by eestlane
So, answering my own pre-rally topics:Quote:
Originally Posted by MAXLD
- Ogier destroyed once again. VW modest comments and expectations went down the drain for good. With this type of commitment and pace by him, they are clearly the top contenders for the tittle in their first year and I don't think they'll have a very hard time to do it.
- Ostberg surely had some good pace, but unfortunately the car let him down. Neuville was very good and he can go faster if he pushes a bit more (I would encourage him more if I was Malcolm). Sordo, quite a disappointment... but to be honest I wasn't expecting much of him anyway, I think it might be his final season, even if he proves to be fast on tarmac.
- Hirvonen finally got a podium but miles away from Ogier... and this when he had the best road position of them all. He did get some consistency this time though, but it's just another nightmare for him, again he has to lead a team against a much faster driver. The difference is, theoretically he has the best car this time... the Citroen should (and might be for "someone" at the wheel) the best car of the pack, and although he was fast in this rally, it wasn't enough to get even a chance for the win.
Of the 23 stages, we can wrap up a few things:
Stage Wins:
* Hirvonen - 2
* Neuville - 1
* Ogier - 16
* Ostberg -4
Stage Podiums:
* Hirvonen - 15
* Neuville - 9
* Ogier - 20
* Ostberg -11
* Novikov - 2
* Sordo - 4
* Latvala - 6
* Al-Attiyah - 1
* Atkinson - 1
Not so bad in podiums for Hirvonen, but... of those 15 podiums:
in 7 of those, he was 9~11s slower than Ogier
in 2 of those, he was 13~15s slower than Ogier
(not counting the one he lost 2min)
was faster than him:
in 2 stages around 3~5s
in 2 stages around 0~1s
in 1 stage around 17s (stage 21)
not much left to say.
Ogier had this event pretty much controlled and if he doesn't catch any problem with the car in Portugal I think he has that one also in the bag, considering his fantastic performance there the last 2 times with Citroen. The possibility of rain might have a word to say though.
Ogier interviewed on L'Equipe: http://www.lequipe.fr/Rallye/Actualites/Ogier-on-sera-dur-a-battre/356039 …
He thinks that Osterg is his current and future rival (no word about anyone else). I remember a TV interview in 2010 in which Loeb guessed that Ogier would be his rival on the following seasons. This kind of drivers recognise amongst themselves.
Could be a little bit of psychology going on here to make Hirvonen feel even worse? I think that may be just a little part of it. We do not even know if Mads would have held off Hirvonen. It was all to play for when Ostberg retired and Hirvonen went into cruise mode.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kielder
The massive lead then built by Ogier and subsequent stage wins, just seems to be what I've said about Ogier. He cannot back-off, he has to keep the same rhythm. If he can keep it on the road he will be unstoppable, I've still some doubts he can do so for every or enough rallies this season. If he does manage to keep the same pace without a major off, it will be a truly epic win of the title for him.
pictures from saturday and sunday:
rallysport.hu - Monte Carlo Rallye 2013 - shakedown
Last year he started the season with a massive off when he tried miracles with the S2000 car - it didn't make him any slower.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sprocket
The beginning of this season made me wonder, what is the biggest margin in a title win ? What was Loebs ?
wahou, didn't get much time to follow this rally, but it looks like ogier was just 1 level in front from everybody... 3 rallys so far, and what a demonstration, not very promising for an exciting season...
Maybe Mikkelsen will bring us some excitement! (and challenge ogier???) as for the remaining drivers... Nobody seems to have the speed or the car to match ogier.
What the f*** is happening in Mikko's head?
Go on then!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mintexmemory
Recent biggest margin (last 5 years I guess) was definitely GB 2011. Latvala won by 3:42.9 in front of OstbergQuote:
Originally Posted by Kalm