[IRC] Cyprus Rally 2011

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Originally Posted by Mirek

Kopecký virtually achieved his maximum already few years a go and since then he only keeps on same level. He isn't bad but he can't get better. The other mentioned guys still have a space for improvement and that makes them better although more accident prone.

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Agree.Same situation as Prokop.You can t see any progress.

Jan is a bit like IRCs version of Mikko Hirvonen. Capable but not really champion material under "normal" circumstances. Now we find the same situation heading into the WRC finale, although I would find it a bit more extreme if Mikko were to win that one.

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Originally Posted by dimviii

Kopecky is a works driver,and a championship contenter.We HAVE to compare against Neuville,Hanninen,Mikkelsen.Neuville is not the only exception.Look at Mikkelsens pace at asphalt where he is not familiar.Look at Juhos pace at asphalt.I don t mention Tanaks pace in asphalt cause in wrc.
As you see there are plenty of drivers that while there are not faliliar with tarmac/gravel they are fast out of the box in a ''new'' surface,and without the thousants of km testing(and unlimited budget) of a factory driver.

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Mikkelsen has done alot of Asphalt this year, Neuville didn't have any mileage this year on gravel.

a friend told me that he has seen neuville returning to the Pafos service driving the 207, presumably he was able to fix it, such a shame he is out already...

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Originally Posted by mousti

Mikkelsen has done alot of Asphalt this year, Neuville didn't have any mileage this year on gravel.

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So Mikkelsen wasn t fast at his first tarmac event?

Mikkelsen experience on asphalt before this year is quite more then Neuville had gravel experience before this year. Btw he crashed his first tarmac event this year :p after a KM or so . Mikkelsen has a longer career then Neuville already, so comparing experience is a bit difficult. But that doesn't take away he's still a young gun like Thierry :)

Makinen_fan: He even finished the stage, probably not good enough to do another full throttle I think :(

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Originally Posted by mousti

Mikkelsen experience on asphalt before this year is quite more then Neuville had gravel experience before this year. Btw he crashed his first tarmac event this year :p after a KM or so . Mikkelsen has a longer career then Neuville already, so comparing experience is a bit difficult. But that doesn't take away he's still a young gun like Thierry :)

Makinen_fan: He even finished the stage, probably not good enough to do another full throttle I think :(

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i didn t say if Mikkelsen in tarmac had more experience than from Neuville in gravel.I said that mikkelsen was fast in new surface out of the box.Something Kopecky lacks in gravel.

I wasn't talking about Kopecky :p . But I think that our oppinions are a bit different but have the same thought though :) . And Can't wait for the Golden stage maybe a battle between Mikkelsen and Neuville. Thierry will probably get some more rhythm on gravel tomorrow :)

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Originally Posted by RS

Altenator seems to be a weak point on the 207.

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What seems to be the problem with them, and why?

Mikkelsen wasn't fast driver on any surface out of the box. This is his more or less 5th or 6th season on international level. He has always shown the promise, but to my opinion not until this last half of the IRC season has he come to a level where he can keep the winning speed and win with it. He still makes odd mistake here and there, but it's less frequently.

What's good about Mikkelsen's speed could be said about Neuville's tarmac pace too: very quick, very promising, but a bit more accident prone. The little what I've seen of him live last year and this year, there's monumental change. Last year he was more all over the place, now far more focused and faster. There's still a lot of potential in Neuville, and hopefully well-supported seasons ahead.