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After his hard crash on Barum Rally Gryazin pulls out his entry for Rally Turkey. They won't fix the crashed car.
So Gryazin's next events are Rallye Deutschland and then Wales Rally GB:
https://gryazin.com/gryazin_will_miss_wrc_turkey
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s...115461589.jpeg
IMHO this shell is worth of scrap metal.
Lot of interesting stuff to look forward to this weekend:
- will Rovanpera be able to fight with Kopecky also here? (Kopecky already started to talk about possible team orders btw)
- Østberg never really showed top speed on tarmac, how will he perform in this competition?
- Camilli had good speed here before, so will new Fiesta (finally) show some speed?
- Lefebvre probably has one of his last chances to show that he is fast against good competition and have some hope for a (paid) future
The rally is over so it's time for some answers :)Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
No. Rovanpera went off the road on stage 8, lost over 4 minutes and finished over 3 minutes behind Kopecky. Kopecky is the winner of WRC2 Pro.Quote:
- will Rovanpera be able to fight with Kopecky also here?
Ostberg hasn't shown much speed also in Germany. He finished 4th (last) in WRC2 Pro.Quote:
- Østberg never really showed top speed on tarmac, how will he perform in this competition?
Hmm... I don't know. On the one hand Camilli and the new Festa finished second in WRC2 Pro, just 1 minute behind Kopecky, but on the other hand it was only because of Rovanpera's mistake on SS8...Quote:
- Camilli had good speed here before, so will new Fiesta (finally) show some speed?
I'm afraid that Lefebvre hasn't taken advantage of this chance. On the one hand he has shown that he is fast against good competition (he was leading WRC2 until SS9), but on the other hand he crashed again and lost the rally...Quote:
- Lefebvre probably has one of his last chances to show that he is fast against good competition and have some hope for a (paid) future
Interesting fact - Nikolay Gryazin, strongly criticized for his constant crashes in the Barum Rally thread (see https://www.motorsportforums.com/sho...Dn-2019/page16), is the new leader of WRC2:
1 Nikolay Gryazin (73)
2 Benito Guerra (69)
3 Pierre-Louis Loubet (63)
4 Ole Christian Veiby (50)
5 Kajetan Kajetanowicz (48).
Number of rallies done:Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
Gryazin 6
Guerra 4
Loubet 4
Veiby 5
Kajetanowicz 4
The whole WRC2/Pro class is a joke really.. not the quality of drivers because there are some good ones but the way whole thing works, or rather doesn’t.
Gryazin in Germany was obviously under strict instructions to finish, which he proved capable of doing. But he was much slower in the process.
Ostberg’s pace wasn’t that bad actually but his punctures ruined things for him. Camilli also had some better stages but I think all that needs to be considered in the context of Kalle’s crash, and Kopecky subsequently cruising.
Jarek you just look on how people finish almost completely ignoring the pace.
- Rovanpera was much quicker than expected relative to Kopecky imo, how "over" the limit he was is obviously another question
- Østberg was kind of ok ish, not bad not great, especially considering his tarmac experience and speed in other cars
- Camilli was actually quite good imo, certainly much better than expected after Finland
- Lefebvre had good speed which was a bit surprising, but since he didn't finish I don't think teams bosses will suddenly start calling him
What were Camilli’s penalties about?
It looks like Kopecky did his comfortable pace and waited for others to screw up (he did that in Barum too). Not the most exciting way but it often works..
+1. Really hoping the FIA gets back to a single WRC2 category next year as it's pretty clear the series are now less competitive than before the split; besides, in some cases the fastests private drivers (mainly Polo users) can beat Citroen or Ford works drivers and even match, here and there, Rovanpera or Kopecky.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Great result for BRR with a 1 2 3 in WRC2.
The thing is that Kopecký already passed the point where there was something to prove by raw speed. It's the young who have to prove themselves and become the new champions in the future. Jan of course knows that there is nowhere to step up for him so what he does is what he can the best - deliver the results like a machine no matter what.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Indeed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
I can see Jan's future being more on the management side of the sport.
How old are Hrabánek and Hortek now?
Is WRC2 really less competitive this year? There are at least 6 drivers competing for the championship. We are near the end of the season (4 rounds to go) and it is actually impossible to guess who will win:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
https://www.wrc.com/en/wrc-2/results...37-256---.html
Last year Kopecky, Tidemand and Rovanpera (all 3 factory drivers) won 10 out of 13 rounds and finished 1-2-3 in the championship:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_W...Championship-2
Can private drivers really compete with factory crews? Last years proved thay can't, didn't it?Quote:
besides, in some cases the fastests private drivers (mainly Polo users) can beat Citroen or Ford works drivers and even match, here and there, Rovanpera or Kopecky.
I know it sounds controversial and most forum members will not like it, but in my opinion one good thing about WRC2 Pro is that it eliminated factory drivers from WRC2.
Ok, the fight in WRC2 looks to be tight but most of the contenders are only doing a sort of part-time campaign…and the same seems to be happening in WRC2 Pro. Besides, who cares about who’s fighting for WRC2 when even WRC2 Pro guys can’t get a decent exposure?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
A single WRC2 series with a Privateers Cup inside it would certainly work better than the current split series, as private drivers would be able to fight among themselves but also directly against works crews (it’s possible, like Bonato, Veiby, Lefebvre, Ciamin and others have showed) and we would avoid having shameful Pro entry lists with only 2 or 3 cars.
That's true. I only found 2 official videos from WRC2 / WRC2 Pro and they are only 1-minute long:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
WRC 2 - ADAC Rallye Deutschland 2019: Highlights Friday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu0As1qxCcs
WRC 2 - ADAC Rallye Deutschland 2019: Highlights Saturday (including 2 crashes of Rovanpera and 1 crash of Lefebvre)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrhayW6PwAw
Second was Marijan Griebel, who was not able to finish on podium in ERC rounds this year...Quote:
Originally Posted by Got Mail
Problem is that there are some fast drivers doing only few events. On the top of classification is Guerra, who can make good result only out of Europe. So in the final it looks like tight fight, but...Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
... and the tripple European champion Kajto was only fourth and Gryazin was completely nowhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
The point is that Griebel was on home soil. Last year Jakeš was able to fight with Sordo on Barum and I'm pretty sure he would be minutes slower in Catalunya.
Come on PLuto, you can do beter than that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
But why should they drive more events when only 6 best scores count?Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
I know, I meant it mainly as a joke. But this doesnt mean that top crews in WRC2 are constant, mostly are on top drivers which are not doing whole championship, but only very selected number of races...Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Because they cannot, rules allow only 7 races. But there is plenty of drivers who do only 1-3 races...Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
Gryazin:
As you remember, we were forced to miss the Rally Turkey. However, we use this time as efficiently as possible: in early September, we are finally testing the brand new Skoda Fabia R5 Evo, and in the mid-September me and Yaroslav will go to Slovenia...
https://t.co/gAsoJ9sLuQ
In WRC2Pro you can drive as many rallies as you wish and the eight best count. Rovanperä has now driven eight rallies but is entered for Turkey. Not sure how much he can drive in the rest of the season, since he's going to army in October. However, a result in Turkey would drop off the retirement in Corsica, letting him gain full points. After that he can only better up his third and second places.
Østberg has done six rallies and is not entered to Turkey. Assuming he does not go to Australia, his maximum possible score is 160. Thus Kalle would need to just finish Turkey, even in recce speed, in order to get 15 points from a third place.
Greensmith is at five rallies and will make it to six in Turkey. If he wins Turkey, he's exactly level with Østberg and in the same situation. Perhaps he's looking forward to do Wales in the WRC car?
Anyway, this joke of a series seems pretty settled by now.
OC Veiby was testing in Wales with Printsport (team from Finland) Polo R5.
He has been using lately Kristoffersson´s (KMS) Polo R5
KMS has 2 or 3 Polo R5 and Printsport has 3.
If Veiby will start Wales with Printport we could see:
-Emil Lindholm also with Printsport
-Johan Kristoffersson and Petter Solberg with KMS since Oliver is using Solberg family Polo.
Wales could really be Fabia vs Fiesta vs Polo battle !
Kajto with Fabia in Turkey. Presumably because of expected better reliability in this rough event.
Yes, that's how he explained his choice in the press release (sorry, in Polish only):
http://kajto.pl/aktualnosci/kajetan-...a-rajd-turcji/
The choice is not coincidental. This car is well tested and more reliable.
But he is back in Polo in Wales Rally GB :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
The entry list for WRC2 in Wales is quite interesting. For the first time we have 3 Solbergs in one rally :)
Entry list:
https://d2cx26qpfwuhvu.cloudfront.ne...ved-110919.pdf
Maybe date to Cyprus Rwlly being so close there are no Polo available? As Taxis and Herczig are using them in Cyprus...Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Bad start of Rally Turkey for Kalle Rovanpera. Puncture and rolling on SS2, then double puncture and accident on SS3.
"We changed one puncture at the front - I have no idea where I got it. I slowed down the pace because we had no spare tyres, but there was a big rock that we hit. I think it is over for us today because we don't have any spare tyres left."
Now also Greensmith has a puncture and expects more of them:
"Puncture about 15km in. I was driving clean, but it was just one of those things. I think there will be more punctures to come!"
Rally Turkey 2019: FRIDAY Highlights from WRC 2 (including Rovanpera's crash):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0xabAgWfSQ
Not exactly showing the consistency worthy of a WRC seat is he?
Official Ford Turkey car of Bugra Banaz burnt down in flames on SS7.
https://www.ewrc-results.com/quickp/54470_3hzshodc.jpg
The best thing for Toyota is to have him in a 4th car. Time is hugely on Kalle's side. Extra expense for Toyota, but would be worth it in the long runQuote:
Originally Posted by Munkvy
With Greensmith retired, is Kalle now already confirmed the WRC2 Pro championship?
EDIT: Forgot about Østberg
WRC 2 and WRC2 Pro - Rally Turkey 2019: Highlights from Leg 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QA4tvXqz1k
M-Sport
Unbelievable drama in the closing kilometres! But it’s @GreensmithGus and the Ford Fiesta R5 Mk II that take the WRC 2 Pro and RC2 victory @rallyturkey !
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EEf6L_QX...jpg&name=small
Despite serious problems with his car on the last two stages Kajto wins his class and takes the lead in WRC2 championship standings. Congratulations!!! :)
https://scontent.fktw1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...5e&oe=5E107B8D
Genuinely really happy for Kajto. Got to think that the experience gained on the (rather maligned) rougher ERC rallies like Cyprus and the Acropolis probably helped here.