I imagine the two Finns would mostly be faster than Ostberg across the season but he would probably score more points than both.
Not a bad move for either side maybe.
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If as i think contract is for one year, yeah could be good move. u have consistent driver, with big experience and he can maybe help also to development car (also if i never heard he have so great skill in this sector)...after for 2018 their could look for someone else
Evans is very good and ambitious driver, so they would profit. But may be they cold prefer someone else for whatever reason. Sorry can't explain it well cause I might have a headache thinking too much about it.
PS: I'm in general disappointed by Toyota's driver choice so far (if that helps), but who knows, we might be surprised in near future?!?
If I'm in makinen i will go 100% with Evans in front of Ostberg...sensation is that drivers look to toyota as 5th option and have less consideration of m-sport.
So is possible that choise of Ostberg was only way for Makinen to take a Wrc driver with some years of experience in wrc. (my dream of course was to see Luky in an official wrc car but this will remain a dream)
We will need some more insider infos about which drivers toyota made offers and expecially opinions of drivers about toyota project. also if looking what's happening we can already suppose:)
The only reason I can think of is that he is expecting the other two drivers to be fast and relying on Ostberg to finish rallies. Lately there are more good drivers around so he can't get the results he used to through consistency but he's not as bad as some claim. If there were less factory seats next year he might have had a harder time finding a place but at the moment I think he still has 1-2 years until enough new drivers come up.
I think Ford will be back as a manufacturer next year, with full support of M-Sport. Everyone around the team is speaking about a "very strong team". They can't say more right now, but still want us to begin thinking and wondering. Just the fact that the new car is built on a totally new model of Fiesta that isn't released yet, is one of the things speaking for it.