That means they're around 4 months behind M-Sport who had their Rally1 Puma testing in July.
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If you believe everything that adamo says, then yes
What else have you got to go on ?
We know for a fact they are behind due to the delay in getting the Hyundai bosses go-ahead for 2022.
Plus look at their car on the latest test.
And Dirtfish:
Let’s look to the future and to 2022. It’s increasingly common knowledge in the service park that Hyundai is a long way behind M-Sport Ford and Toyota. That’s not rocket science, we all saw how much later Hyundai’s 2022 test mule broke cover. The LWB Fiesta was moving just into March. The i20 turned a wheel in May.
I would claim that in the opposite end of the spectrum, M-Sport deliberately wanted to be first to get the car out running in the public. But all teams can do secret testing as well, it's not everytime that testing occurs that we get footage.
Yes, as Adamo himself commented "some of our competitors are very busy showing the car on social media".
Meaning primarily MSport.
Ever since Goodwood and a bit before their social media are basically only about the new car. This is likely due to a mix of these reasons:
- Not much to show for with current car/drivers
- PR for Ford
- PR for attracting sponsors
But again, as repeated multiple times it boggles my mind how Ford can be satisfied in putting any money into this if they show up in January with (Breen), Fourmaux and Greensmith combination....
whaat should they do then? I'm pretty sure Ford knows the situation very well and maybe is ok with it.
Didn't get any current top driver, then didn't. Fourmaux is their young hope(good deal, moneywise) and I'm sure he can fight for podiums next season.
M-Sport tested their car first in public and shows it quite often to people. PR works.
If they really had money for the likes of Tanak and Neuville they could likely get all of Breen+Lappi+Mikkelsen (and Fourmaux in 4th car) for the same ammount.
I like Fourmaux, but some of the hype around him is approaching Solberg levels. You know that in his (so far very short) career he only won ONE international rally (Canarias 2020 with rain/tire lottery) in his clas. (Trying) to win last stage(s) before PS when everyone is cruising is good PR, but doesn't show that much. Sure he can be good in the future.
Anyway, off topic.
Neuville on it again
Thierry Neuville expects the World Rally Championship’s new 2022 Rally1 hybrid cars will require a different driving style, labelling the experience as “Formula E driving on a rally road”.
When asked for his feedback on driving the Rally1 car in a media briefing ahead of this weekend’s Rally Spain, Neuville said: “It is Formula E driving on a rally road.
“It is very early to say how it is going to be. Many things are not working yet as they should be with the hybrid system, to get real feedback is very difficult.
“For me so far, it is going to be a change [of driving style].
“The target is that you need to recover energy under braking to be able to discharge the [hybrid power] in acceleration. If you don’t reach the target under braking, you can’t have additional power on the exit, which makes the whole thing inconsistent and unpredictable.
https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/n...mpression=true
He really doesn’t like them does he!