2025 WRC News & Rumours

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Originally Posted by Morte66

It seems Toyota is going to have five cars to accommodate Ogier part-time. If (not certain) they have five cars' worth of mechanics, truck drivers, catering etc set up for that, might they offer the fifth car to somebody when Ogier isn't driving?

If so, there's the question of who is available. I imagine Gryazin and Rossel might have contracts which lock them to Citroen. Solberg would be easier, especially if he's at Printsport. If Arai were a bit further along, they could give him a go for marketing.

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Arai was beside Katsuta that time, when Toyota started a program for japanese drivers. Katsuta was better and got a seat. Toyota is developing 2nd tier japanese drivers already and if I'm correct 3rd and 4th. So it is covered for years already. That's why Katsuta is feeling more and more pressure. It could be his last season if he will not perform better.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Morte66

It seems Toyota is going to have five cars to accommodate Ogier part-time. If (not certain) they have five cars' worth of mechanics, truck drivers, catering etc set up for that, might they offer the fifth car to somebody when Ogier isn't driving?

If so, there's the question of who is available. I imagine Gryazin and Rossel might have contracts which lock them to Citroen. Solberg would be easier, especially if he's at Printsport. If Arai were a bit further along, they could give him a go for marketing.

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Isn't Gryazin a works driver by name only? His special livery in Japan had zero Citroen livery context. So I guess he could go and bring his budget anywhere he wants?

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Originally Posted by becher

Isn't Gryazin a works driver by name only? His special livery in Japan had zero Citroen livery context. So I guess he could go and bring his budget anywhere he wants?

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I think that those WRC2 programs are really signed only for a year. Except (if) HYPOTHETICALLY Citroen is aiming at top level and want to had those drivers when they will step up, so no one will steal them. But they don't have ''official'' works team, Citroen is operated by DG competition. I guess there is some sort of explanation why Citroen had this year official program in that category with those two drivers. All that we know is that they are looking at 2027 regulations and Lancia having now road to rally again. Althought DG competition did won team title this year and Gyrazin ended on podium at the end of the season. Quite great achievement.

Abiteboul gives a clue...

https://rallyjournal.com/hyundais-bi...-a-major-clue/

unfortunately rallyjournal has joined dirtfish on the "post loads of articles saying nothing with some clikcbait titles". (imo)

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Originally Posted by saco0o

unfortunately rallyjournal has joined dirtfish on the "post loads of articles saying nothing with some clikcbait titles". (imo)

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They are even worse.

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Originally Posted by saco0o

unfortunately rallyjournal has joined dirtfish on the "post loads of articles saying nothing with some clikcbait titles". (imo)

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Oh god, rallyjournal is far, far, worse for clickbait than DirtFish. There's an art to writing titles, and RJ is at the top of the nonsense so far, despite many of its articles actually being good.

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Originally Posted by Morte66

It seems Toyota is going to have five cars to accommodate Ogier part-time. If (not certain) they have five cars' worth of mechanics, truck drivers, catering etc set up for that, might they offer the fifth car to somebody when Ogier isn't driving?

If so, there's the question of who is available. I imagine Gryazin and Rossel might have contracts which lock them to Citroen. Solberg would be easier, especially if he's at Printsport. If Arai were a bit further along, they could give him a go for marketing.

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Seems quite realistic if Toyota going on with their strategy.
First Pajari
Then Solberg.

Seems no other Rally2 drivers are near those two guys.

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Originally Posted by BobJones

Oh god, rallyjournal is far, far, worse for clickbait than DirtFish. There's an art to writing titles, and RJ is at the top of the nonsense so far, despite many of its articles actually being good.

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I think it is some AI tool that actually writes those articles - they repeat all the info that comes from Autosport/Dirtfish and similar, in the same, very cheasy, click bite way. Edits of those articles are similar.

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Seems quite realistic if Toyota going on with their strategy.
First Pajari
Then Solberg.

Seems no other Rally2 drivers are near those two guys.

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I agree.

One other guy I'd be interested in is Franceschi, who came second in ERC to Paddon. I think he did very well for his years and he's quick. But I think he's a year or two behind Solberg, and not ready for WRC1, so I'd be offering him a WRC2 drive to get him into the Toyota family.