Did they not say they will produce a R5 to gain experience on, before the WRCar?
Has that been abandoned?
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Did they not say they will produce a R5 to gain experience on, before the WRCar?
Has that been abandoned?
We have new talen here, shy, hiding in the bushes: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZ6IjhJWkAAeLYg.jpg Picture from today Lapland RallyQuote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
Right car, wrong guy.
Kubica would be even better. I think nobody can beat him in driving on tarmac.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sulland
How many rallies did he win again?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mariusz
I don't know, just check on the Internet.Quote:
Originally Posted by EightGear
the main problem with drivers with big fan bases is that they bring hordes of useless people with them. How many of those are going to stay in the sport now that Kubica got kicked out like a dog ? probably 60% of them will go with him, around 20% will leave after a few months and the rest might stay because they were rally fans in the first place and followed the sport for what it offers and not because their boyfriend joined.Quote:
Originally Posted by EightGear
now we hear voices about Kubica to become a test driver, because they think that a good test driver is the one who can drive like a madman up and down a road he has done a million times.
woof woof...
In a perfect world they would bring hordes of true rally fans. Hopefully you're not the 'elite', because I prefer these hordes of 'useless' fans as you call them who go to the stages, spend days in any weather to cheer their drivers and make numbers so sponsors see that there are people interested in sport instead of some grumpy old farts whose girlfriends got booted earlier and now they only complain about everything and bring nothing good to the sport.
I am not that old.
It will be interesting to see now that Kubica was thrown out of the sport if the people who supported him stay with the sport or follow him to the motorsport landfill.
Even if 5% of them stay with the sport in a long term he still brought thousands to it. Anyway I don't see anything wrong with bringing huge interest about rallying even if only for couple of years. Quite the opposite. He made a huge promotion for WRC and the fact he failed doesn't change anything about it. In fact it brought a lot of reputation to the series from the fans of circuit racing as they saw how difficult it is for circuit stars to win something in rallying (Raikkonen did that too).
What he has failed so far is to earn a factory seat. There was a very long interview a few days ago and for me it looks like he just doesn't want to drive in WRC anymore because he can't be competitive in a private Fiesta (he was saying the same last year) and he is too ambitious to waste time driving for fun. I'm sure it's also more complicated than what everybody thinks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
The only one who lose here is not WRC or the fans (except those of Kubica of course), but Robert himself.
I agree with him, without a factory seat, if you are ambitous it will become a "waste of time" after a while... But it's sadly only his fault. With more factories coming in the sport, team principals are hungry for good drivers, they would not hesitate a moment to take him if he had became one of them, also considering the awareness he could bring towards their team. Unfortunately, even having a notable potential at the beginning of his WRC career, he didn't had the right approach to the sport.
Good luck for his new challenges.
Yes, the reason why he doesn't have a works seat is himself. No team needs a driver who crashes in average more than once per every event no matter how fast or spectacular he is. Sadly he hasn't learned how to finish even in several complete seasons and without that everyone is finished sooner or later.
It's a vicious cycle, there is a group that expecting him to finish every rally, there is another group that expects him to be one of the fastest and then there is lack of gravel experience. If he had finished rallies driving like Prokop then the other group would be saying that he was too slow for works seat. But he's not the first case that proves that changing motosport and be successful is a very hard task.
What did Kubica do to make a manufacturer interested with him? He is fast, ok, but does a manufacturer want 1-2 best stage times per few rallies, and then DNF 1-2 times per rally? Kubica is great and fast driver, very fast, but the rally doesn't require this fastness, it requires to be fast and consistent to finish the sprint marathon, not just the sprint. Anyway I was enjoying Kubica being in WRC, very spectacular, hope everything goes how he himself wants, for sure he deserves to race.....
Nobody was winning since the first stage. Neither Loeb, nor Ogier did. There is absolutely no need to start winning right from the beginning especially when You come from another discipline. In fact very few drivers won something before they were chosen by manufacturers. Kubica just proved again that the way to the manufacturer seat doesn't lead through kamikaze style.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mariusz
Seriously, Robert managed to crash once, twice, three times or even four times per one rally and he has been repeating the same story again and again for how long? Three years? How can anyone expect to be chosen by a manufacturer when his only results are retirements? I can understand Robert that he tries to push and keep with the top guys. He has the attitude and the killer instinct in him. What I don't understand is how come he never realized that what he does leads nowhere? Tell me what would he loose if he finished several events around 6-8th place? Do You really think that it's worse than to crash every second day?
Oh, was there a rally he had 4 times? When? 3 times happened maybe in 2014, but I have a bad memory and I actually don't care. I think finishing around 6-8th that was his realistic expectation and goal for most events, unfortunately he made mistakes and sometimes had car failures. I just can't believe that people can think he is always pushing on purpose.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Let's go back to the topic - how could Kubica help TMR to develop their cars? Pushing a car to the limit doesn't seem the right thing for the job, but analyse how the car behaves under different circumstances. So how does he know what is better for the car to go faster?
Don´t blame his driving skills and don´t forget his handicap. I´m sure many of his accidents were caused by this.
I have not seen what his right arm can and can not do in a car. But from the few videos and pics I have seen it look like it is hampering him quite a bit.Quote:
Originally Posted by WUff1
I guess many are overlooking this fact.
On the other hand, you should think there is less arm movement in a racing car compared to rally.
Lets see what he will do in 2016, the talent is undisputed!!
Nobody is overlooking his handicap. It affects him for sure but it changes nothing. Facts say that he isn't able to finish rallies. It doesn't matter how fast, how spectacular or how handicapped he is if he can't get to the finish ramp. I know it sounds harsh but that's how it is. I wish he was able to do that but I don't believe in that anymore. It took too long without any sign of change.
Sorry for interrupting the Kubica discussion but here’s something about Toyota.:)
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/mo...ampaign=buffer
Nothing new here, other than now even Autocar are also allowing David Evans to turn all of three sentences from someone into a full story. It won't be long before he is allowed to write his crap in all of haymarket's outlets, Pistonheads will be next!Quote:
Originally Posted by OldF
Here is my quick list how/why:Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
As a person he has over 20 years of competitive driving experience on tarmac, up to the most professional level in the world which means he has extensive practical and theoretical knowledge of how to drive, test and setup a car for asphalt. He has a very good ability to work with engineers and explain all the issues he notices. This was his strong side when he was in F1 and in the last season he was working a lot on the car between the rallies in their garage so I would image he knows quite a lot about the inside of a rally car now. He's very committed, passionate and puts a lot of attention to details when he's working on something. It may bother some types of people but what TMR is saying everywhere they really need people with passion and commitment. As a driver he is in top 4 of fastest rally drivers in the world, so I'm sure he knows what needs to be done for a car to go faster.
Yes, I'm sure he knows how to setup his car for asphalt to be very fast for him. That's not what is bothering me, what is bothering me is he capable to guide for a correct setup for a rally stage, not just for him, but for any other driver who might drive that car. From what I've seen he has different approach of driving, involving very late braking and over-steering on corner exits. Besides as I read somewhere Makkinen is not that kind of driver to develop his car 100% fast during tests, so there might be conflict with ones and other approach.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mariusz
The fastest setup isn't always the best as the rally doesn't cover 4 kilometers but 400. The ideal solution is often tricky to find and it's quite hard to believe it can be find by someone who can't finish himself. Anyway development work is mostly given to someone who has a strong reputation. Very often the best development drivers aren't the fastest ones around - Mark Higgins, Sebastian Lindholm, Roman Kresta, Philippe Bugalski, Freddy Loix, Raimund Baumschlager or others made a lot of job in development of cars without being world champions.
Hello stefanvv: To clar up a little misunderstandng: Mäkinen wants to develop a car that is 100% fast during Development testing. Pre Event Testing is another matter. But M¨kinen ha a very Clear approach to how he wants a rally car to behave. Mäkinens prolem is that non of the drivers available knows how to drive a car that handles like that, except Ogier. So either Mäkinen has to teach them, and for these guys opening their minds to that can be very difficult., or he has to develop a car that is not so edgy, so that more drivers can drive it, but then it wont be as fast.Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
Yes I know the developed car must be tested at 100% at certain point, but my point was more like it shouldn't be "reverse engineered" by that behaviour for just 1 driver, more like make it stable/strong and fast enough for a few drivers, so it might have potential for further "fine tuning" for every driver.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lundefaret
I agree though Ogier is the perfect man for this job currently on the field, and then his driving and Kubica's (for the context of the discussion) are very different. Both very fast, but the former knows what is needed to bring it to the finish winning the event.
Since Polo is partially based on Fabia design it might be interesting for Mäkinen to try to attract drivers who were involved in Škoda developement testing. Kopecký is out of question, Hänninen might be already hired but there is still also Loix, Baumschlager or Kresta. Baumschlager is rather old and strongly tied to Škoda but the other two are quite free, having their own networks of specialists and very close ties with Reiger (may be advantage or disadvange in the same time).Quote:
Originally Posted by Lundefaret
Toyota testing line up completed: Hirvonen; Haninnen and Bouffier.
For 2017 Makinen is looking for Lappi and Suninen's already linked with the team.
It seems there are already plenty of good drivers to make a strong WRC return!
http://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/h...toyota-670281/
http://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/t...r-2017-670916/
Would be funny if they will have a line up that is actually slower than the test drivers :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Maybe some of those test drivers can be part of the 2017 line up ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by AL14
I think VW wouldn´t let Lappi go. Also he would be dummy. VW is best possible choice.
here you can see his hand:Quote:
Originally Posted by WUff1
https://youtu.be/9EBB3T8eyN8?t=8s
https://youtu.be/poeNFaSLBfI?t=26s
it seems he can't close his hand completely, so he can't pull anything. that's why he has to push the handbrake.
his crashes have nothing to do with this handicap. he has a different, much bigger one: malfunctioning feet. his right feet stays on the throttle for too long, and most importantly, his left foot often brakes too late. but i doubt that has anything to do with his accident in italy.
In Motorsport News today Makinen says he is in conversations with Petter Solberg about working together. Doesn't specify whether it's a test role or for a driving return.
Tommi says he hasn't spoken to Loeb yet despite the rumours. But he said if Loeb is interested then so would he.
He said Ogier is under contract until the end of 2017. The only big name seemingly available for next year is Neuville. It seems more and more than Toyota will pair an established guy (Solberg/Hirvonen) with a young guy (Lappi) - test and prove the car in 2017 before going for a big name in 2018.
Maybe I'd missed this but the article also says that Toyota have a WRC deal in place until the end of 2022. So six seasons.
Hirvonen/Solberg?
........
Besides, that would be a bit of an anticlimax to the silly season even before it has started.
Petter just signed a 3 year deal With Bertel O. Steen according to some rumours, the importer of Mercedes-Benz, smart, Peugeot, Kia and Citroen. So that's why he did the old man "hidden" camera With a Mercedes.
About Lappi i heard a rumor about Joukhi taking him from EVEN management. Is this true?Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
I think, if true, that there are two reasons why Lappi could chose to say bye bye to the faster car.
One is that, as it seems, there is no guarantee for a seat in 2017 since it looks like Latvala is going to renew and he doesn't want to stagnate in wrc2 once more.
The other is that we are all talking about him as the next VW driver but we are forgetting that he is not alone at Skoda, that his teammate was better placed than him last year in wrc2 and that so far is more reliable...
My foresee is : VW will offer Lappi contract for 2017. Maybe not all rounds but just to not let him go and shut his mouth. Lappi will stay with EVEN (see his Monte Carlo livery. Do you think the end of cooperation is coming? ) Kopecky will stay with Skoda and drive whatever Skoda will ask him to do. Even in 2050 he will drive czech championship in Skoda (because who cares about WRC2 when you can be 35-times czech champion :D ). (btw and in 2050 Jaromir Jagr will still play ice hockey) Makkinen will be obliged to ask Tidemand to join Toyota. SO Let´s see next January :)
hahaha Kopecky 35 times czech champion was funny :DQuote:
Originally Posted by liposh
Btw, as long as Latvala, Mikkelsen and Ogier will be in VW there will be no place for anyone else since there will not be 4 Polos as far as we know.