Nice pace from WRC2 drivers, among the Pro’s in the overall classification. It proves, once more, that the series split is a stupid idea.
Printable View
Nice pace from WRC2 drivers, among the Pro’s in the overall classification. It proves, once more, that the series split is a stupid idea.
The Pro title is in the bag. It changes the game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Mads with C3R5 and another with brake issues on that car
https://twitter.com/MadsOstberg/stat...07872291356672
Ostberg was pushing hard yesterday and today it seems Rovanpera and Kopecky are also doing it, without being able to be faster than private WRC2 drivers. Private crews were also in Pro’s pace most of the season, at least until their direct competitors issues made them to slow.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Regrettably, it seems the FIA can't get it: having 2 or 3 crews fighting for two separate classes will always be less exciting than having 6 on a combined one.
It seems they have 'got it' as the rules change completely for 2020.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Have they? To me they’re justing renaming the classes and allowing manus to formally use semi-official entries in WRC2 (as Citroen is doing through DG Racing and Skoda did a couple of times with TGS or Printsport) while most private crews will just swop to WRC3.Quote:
Originally Posted by Got Mail
Again, dividing drivers that are using the same type of cars is nonsense and it could be easily avoided by having a Privateer Cup inside WRC2.
Were they? I have just checked it and... there were exactly 3 rallies where WRC2 winner was faster than the winner of WRC2 Pro:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
1. Tour de Corse (Andolfi)
2. Rally Sweden (Veiby)
3. Rally Guanajuato Mexico (Guerra).
In the remaining 9 rounds WRC2Pro winners were faster.
Are donuts allowed in Catalunya?
https://www.facebook.com/rallypl/vid...7129820451658/
To be in the pace during a rally doesn’t necessarily mean to finish at the front. Loubet and Gryazin were in Pro’s pace in several events, Bonato was in MC and Corsica, Veiby in Portugal, Lefebvre and Ciamin in Germany, Kajto in Turkey, Camilli in Corsica and now in Catalunya, etc, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
In those cases, and some more, leading WRC2 drivers started slowing down to secure points for their separated classification, as they don’t get any recognition for finishing at the front of WRC2 Pro’s. That’s absurd.
Did anyone hear what Jan said about his engineer at the finish line of the power stage?
I couldn't quite hear it.
he thanked him,seems like good bye to skoda.
Thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
I wonder who will be partnering Oliver next year then. Running a single car is an expensive way to go rallying.
I don’t think he said anything out of the ordinary. Wasn’t much fanfare if it was Kopecky and/or Skoda Motorsport’s last event.Quote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
Press release said this: At the final WRC round in Australia, only a ŠKODA crew can win the WRC 2 championship for private teams. Our customers around the world are rallying successfully with the 311 cars we sold. We have a big responsibility towards our customers and will now fully concentrate on preparing next season properly.”
Source: https://www.skoda-storyboard.com/en/...cturers-title/
interview with Kopecky on auto.cz.. he says:
- He’s not retiring
- Jan Hlousek was on loan from Mares for two events only
- Has no contract for next year ‘We’ll see what happens to Skoda Motorsport factory team, there is a lot of confusion compared to previous years”
https://www.auto.cz/katalanska-rally...m-sveta-131794
I guess that he will start only as a privateer next year.
Perfect timing for Mr. Wilson to sign Kopecky? He’d be quite useful fixing the Mk2 Fiesta.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Btw, it was nice to see Ostberg pushing harder and moaning less, showing that he and the C3 can be fast anywhere; congrats to him, Eriksen and DG Racing. Congrats also to Camilli, pretty competent on his first C3 outing. Hopefully, a good boost for the car sales.
WRC2 provisional standings after Catalunya:
1. Pierre-Louis Loubet - 91 pts
2. Kajto - 88
3. Benito Guerra - 75
4. Nikolai Gryazin - 73
5. Fabio Andolfi - 64.
Loubet will be champion in Australia.
That would be a brilliant move.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
AFAIK there was a time when both were close to a deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
He mentions ‘on tarmac at least we can show something’.. Shame there’s only two full asphalt rounds next year and they’re both at the end of the year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
So no Skoda Motorsport next year or are we awaiting a decision from the board?
Or the Hyundai R5.. Germany is closer to home too..Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
I doubt they know even even in Škoda atm...Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
And getting the 3rd WRC car for tarmac events?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
I know, that's not likely at all. I just want to see Kopecky in a WRC car again.
Oliver Solberg will be very disappointed, as I understand he has already signed a 3 year contract with them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Of course, that could be run through a satellite team.
Champion is Loubet or Guerra butQuote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
Guerra must be 1st or 2nd and Loubet must be non finisher.
There is only 5 entries and even that 5th place is enough for Loubet no matter what Guerra does. (Probably all 5 will not even start)
That would all be nice timing for Skoda to come back in 2022 with a new hybrid Fabia WRC based on a new Fabia road car :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Got Mail
It clashes with VAG philosophy. If can't win it why even bother to start. I don't believe they will come.
Why don't you believe they could win?Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
Against whom?
What bothers me that VW pull out just before Toyota came, Hyundai developed into a decent challenger, Ford building a strong machine (they are always ahead of everyone at the start) and Citroen came back after one year of development stage. That's 4 rivals. Then Skoda in WRC2 had a blast of a car, nobody could match it for a few years and maybe a huge roll too when there were no other works teams also there. (I don't count M-Sport because they have development drivers or just part seasons). And again at the VW. They claim ''diesel scandal'' and build new reg polo, ditch it and instead put millions of euros at the ID.R and break the record straight away again without matching rivals. Now Skoda is apparently moving out. Just after there are many of other R5's (Polo, i20, C3, Fiesta, Iriz) and Yaris coming, new i20 with works team support and two drivers.
I'm not against them, just want to see the real fight and see if it is really that dominant. Look how Hyundai struggle to get the title but they are not ''cowards'' and I believe they will achieve it.
Thanks for your detailed explanation. I see where you are coming from, however if Skoda do indeed pull the works team and move onto some new project the timing would be about normal as the current Fabia road car is in the latter half of it’s life cycle.
I don’t necessarily think they would dominate if they were to come with a new WRCar but I have every confidence they would do a hell of a lot better than last time they tried!
ActuRallye reports that Guerra won't start in Australia..
Verstuurd vanaf mijn ONEPLUS A6013 met Tapatalk
Sir, You clearly don't work in a global company :D Please try to understand that it's not the motorsport department who has the word in strategical planning and that bravery has no value in the decision making process.Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
VW didn't leave because of some fictional fear of the compatition but because of pressure of its own labor union in a situation when twenty thousand employees were about to be fired.
Škoda, if it leaves (that's not clear now), doesn't leave because of fear of competition. Why should they fear anything? They won IRC, ERC, WRC2 and WRC2 Pro against Abarth, Peugeot, Citroën, M-Sport, Hyundai, Proton or in short everyone who stood against them through the years. They couldn't defeat someone who was not present. Maybe simply after a decade the marketing value of the continuos rule isn't that big anymore. Add to that the massive pressure on electrification which is a very real thing inside VAG...
From the last rumours - Guerra, Bulacia and Andolfi are not coming to Australia, so the number of competitors in WRC2 drops down to just 2.Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
If Skoda pull out their entry for Kopecky, then the number of competitors in WRC2 Pro will be reduced to 0.
Kopecky was on entry list only in case of "not good enough" result in Catalunya. So he will not start in Australia too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
Sad to see Loubet is the WRC-2 winner with a better budget and most rally entries than Kajto or Gryazin...Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
Loubet is pretty good.. I think he deserves it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sub_Skoda
Kajto has 7 startsQuote:
Originally Posted by Sub_Skoda
Gryazin has 7 starts
Loubet has 6 starts but is points leader
For me Loubet is right champion.
Loubet also the only one with two wins. No retirements either. Deserved title I say.
Loubet is driving the rallye du condroz this weekend. I have to say i'm not exactly impressed by his times.
He wasn’t impressive to see too.