No for sure not... I am a fan of JML as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
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No for sure not... I am a fan of JML as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
Yes,in the current points system "slow" and steady wins the race,and it is just the way it is.
If the points were 10-2-1 for the first 3 maybe JML would be better (even though he would still crash).
But nobody would be better than Loeb :D
But Mikko never really showed consistent signs of being anything but slow and steady. He's a 2nd driver who is doing 1st driver duties at the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by urabus-denoS2000
I agree with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
Mikko is a good 1st driver for a lesser team or a good 2nd driver for a top team, a bit of a "Gardemeister" maybe.
The only reason he stayed in contention for this years title so long is because of the dodgy points system.
To be fair, he did a good job of stepping into Marcus' shoes and was probably the 2nd best driver out there this year, but I expect JML to overtake him eventually if he improves his reliability.
And team orders ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Like all the others except Loeb. There is only one real top driver at the moment and a bunch of 2nd drivers. Without Loeb Mikko would be number one and nobody would complain him to be slow but a great driver who knows when to push and when to bring it home safely.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
Just as Marcus would have been known as a great tarmac driver, if Seb would have continued his gymnastics career a bit longer :p :
Regarding Mikko, let me quote the man himself:
(from his blog at mtv3, http://blogit.mtv3.fi/kaasujalka/ )
"It's of course important to be steady, but I need to get more wins too. Next season I'm going for victories more boldly, perhaps even with a bit of risk. I don't mean McRae-like win-or-crash style, but I'll be seeking victories more than previously. That's what the championship seems to require."
Translation by me :)
Loeb doesn't count. Should he not be in the serie, Mikko would be world champion and again next year. Cry and weep for that but it's true. :mark:
However, Loeb is in WRC and therefore our whole image of the sport is twisted. New talents are loser if they do not win their first rally and even that is not enough. That particukar young talent should win every stage too. Maybe then he would get the respect of our beloved and well experienced rally forum.
Urmo Aava expected to drive a Ford Focus in the 2009 WRC
Source: http://www.rallybuzz.com/aava-ford-focus-2009/
Can we expect big news from Petter this evening, as he's apparently in meeting with Citroën and Ford(according to norwegian media) :confused:
Don't know about that.. Who was leading in Germany in Xsara infront of Loeb's c4? You must find somebody who can do that.. Also has one win and Sordo doesn't..Quote:
Originally Posted by ste898
Quote:
Originally Posted by ste898
and anybody out there, who can promise, that petter will win some rallies and moreober the championship next year, if he will drive a focus ???
how can anybody say that ???
same for the statement, that atkinson can fight with loeb in a C4 ?
only a dream (and maybe bulls..t) !!!
Yeah I was there in Perth when Duval won. What a classic event :laugh: Solberg, Gronholm and Loeb were all out and Duval just inherited the lead. But whatever dress it up as if he's a champion, it makes no difference for me. I know deep down that Duval is a good tarmac driver at best and a liability on gravel.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
Well I seem to remember Petter winning rallies when he had a top car before. So it's not impossible that he will win rallies given a top spec car again :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by StevieWonder
You know it's possible that Loeb will not win an event next year. Doesn't mean it's probable.
Very bad moments for McRae/Grist/Škoda..Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
The Fabia was never going to win though. Although with Duval you never know do you? Hence why he's never going to occupy a proper works seat again :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
Ditto!Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
I dunno if it was just me seeing a WRCar live for the first time or if it was some McRae magic, but that Skoda seemed to grow some balls for Rally Australia 2005.
Skoda was not that "far off" if the Colin and R.E.D. / Prodrive option had been taken up rather than the Schwarz /Red Bull management deal I reckon it could have been a good car. History that never happened.......... sadly.
Skoda didn't lack budget, they just lacked that special ingredient, oh and they were held back by Germanic management styles, reminiscent of Roland Gumpert and his Audi's - really showing my age tonight by mentioning Herr Gumpert!!!
Maybe so, it was like a bad joke, now later on when have read and heard more things about how the team was run, im not sure if one should laugh or cry. For instance first time they did have people from Michelin present at tyre tests was when colin did drive, real WRC teams did have at every tyre test.Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
Yeah, the only problem was that 35 millions (euros)per season D. Richards wanted for winning car..Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
I would say petter will win rallies next year as he will bein a top car whatever car he drives, and its been a few years since he has had a top car.Quote:
Originally Posted by StevieWonder
Sorry I dont understand how am I a comedian?Quote:
Originally Posted by AlfaWRC
Quote:
Originally Posted by ste898
Except if he chose to go in the ADAPTA Subaru team of Mads Östberg... :p :
Yes tom very true....lets hope he does'ntgo that routeQuote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
I dont like talking money on a public forum, but believe me Skoda was not short of money, if they spent €35m with DR that would have been a saving of €several m from what I was told they were spending (in house)Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
No, Petter probably had to turn down the Adapta deal. Adapta has the deal with Prodrive and the Subaru option for Petter was with backing from Subaru Japan. That would be a strange setup. SWRT/Prodrive under Adapta banner.
Petter came with some hints on forming his own team today
MJW: Now with new management in Škoda Motorsport and new S2000 we just hope better das are comming...
But hey, there are still few Fabias able of some good national results. Let's wait for Eugene Donnelly :)
Of course it's true. When you think of it, without Loeb the only guy Hirvonen is competing against is Sordo. The rest were clowns covering for him, and 2 teams with crap cars. Becoming champ in this situation is not such a big deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
and please do not forget, that grönholm also had his chances, but missed!
loeb is too perfect, but hopefully they can beat him in 2009, when gravel rulez !!!
Maybe, but Loeb won 11 of 15 rounds this year including Finland!Quote:
Originally Posted by StevieWonder
The other guys will have to improve if they want the title.
Hmmm, if they had that much money then why did they hire such unproven drivers? Internal pressures maybe...Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
Anyhow, it is funny how things started to happen when Colin arrived. Maybe the driver needs a bit of gravitas in order to get things done.
As we have discussed many times before on this board, I think the Fabia was never a bad car (although not a winner), but a combination of poor management/engineering and slow drivers was the problem.
This was pretty much proven in 2006 and 2007 when the car was in the private hands of CRT and First Motorsport when it scored many points and even stage wins with Duval and Kopecky - and the 'old Skoda Motorsport' at Red Bull were still rubbish.
Totally agree..Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Some people did suggest after that rally australia performance by Colin that the car may not have been quite legal and that Skoda fluffed the clutch change on purpose. Just rumours of course but always good to consider all possibilities.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
I agree, but Hirvonen was a lot closer to Loeb on gravel - point wise and including a lot of team orders - than he was on tarmac in 2008.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Gravel points:
Loeb - 82 points
Hirvonen - 76 points
Tarmac points:
Loeb - 40 points
Hirvonen - 27 points
I actually had Hirvonen as favorite to win the 2009 title because he's so consistent and because there's only two tarmac events, but after the launch of Citroën's Junior team I think it will be close. There will be times where Ford cannot use teamorders because there now is more likely to be several Citroëns in between the Fords. And that's a good thing (IMHO).
You forget the farcical gravel starting order rules....Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeD
Good point. Any news if that will be changed for '09?Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
Not only the starting order but as well minus points by Rautenbach in Jordan ;)
Yes, Finnish people who could not understand how anybody could possibly be faster than Paasonen and Tuohino ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
There is also another story as to why Colin was quicker...
After this i'm sure Wilson tried really hard to get Conrad in a Stobart Focus for next year, but he decided to stay with the C4 afterall :DQuote:
Originally Posted by 'Mirek Fric [Cze