Ogier - Latvala - Mikkelsen looks like a perfect crash test team :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
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Ogier - Latvala - Mikkelsen looks like a perfect crash test team :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
sponsorsQuote:
Originally Posted by kober
:laugh:Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
On serious note, you're so wrong. Latvala family has a magic tree in their yard where the money grows on.
But can they take three full-time drivers?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Abbring said that he will share the third car with Mikkelsen...Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
Yes, I just didn't name him in the trio as I don't remember some big crashes from him :)
I believe first approach from VW was at NORF last season.Quote:
Originally Posted by tfp
Abbring didn't say he will share a car with Mikkelsen, only that they will drive an equal amount of events. Maybe another season in a Fabia?
Or a Polo S1600T, because VW must homologate one before WRC.
I don´t think so, but we will see. At least Mikkelsen is ready to drive World Rally Car, but it would be better for Abbring to drive Fabia (maybe IRC) and same for Wiegand also. Maybe couple of events with the Polo...Quote:
Originally Posted by EightGear
Why would VW even want to have 2 drivers like JML and Ogier together? It would be Colin and Carlos at Subaru all over again...
I can't see Latvala and Ogier working as a driver combination.
If I were in Volkswagen's shoes, I'd be looking at getting Mads Ostberg in. He's young and he's fast, and he's a lot more refined than the likes of Tanak
If Ostberg wasn't available, I'd be looking at Theirry Neuville. Citroen evidently think highly of him, which would make luring him over that much more difficult, but for Volkswagen to poach two of Citroen's biggest stars would a major coup.
My third choice would be the eternal journeyman, Chris Atkinson (the Atko we saw in Germany, not the Atko in Finland). I think he's a solid, dependable choice who knows when to push for position, but doesn't get carried away by his own success.
I'd also look at setting up a customer team like M-Sport and picking out a couple of rising stars there - maybe put Hayden Paddon and Craig Breen together in a team with a view to promoting them to a works drive at some point in the future.
Naming Atko you could as well name PG as driver for VW along Ogier.Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
I wasn't really that impressed by Andersson when he was driving for Suzuki. Maybe the SX4 wasn't a great rally car to begin with - Suzuki weren't overly interested in it - but Atkinson impressed me when he was with Subaru in a way Andersson hasn't.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
Besides, Atkinson would be my third choice for Volkswagen. I think Ogier-Ostberg would be the best way forward, followed by Ogier-Neuville and then Ogier-Atkinson. Andersson would be my fifth choice at best; it just occurred to me that Kris Meeke might be another potential candidate.
I still think it will be Ogier and JML but Sordo and Ogier is probably the best combination. VW and driver recruitment seems a strange thing, remember Nasser and Petter were almost dead certainties, then that went cold and Jari Matti has been linked to VW since that first night lsunch in Portugal 2011. I'm just wondering why the JML announcement hasnt happened? Maybe Jari Matti should stay one more year at Ford (2013) then join Toyota in 2014.
Rovanpera was quicker in his F-cup rwd BMW at some warm up event prior to Rally Finland compared to his times in the Suzuki.Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
Sordo was entered at the event to get some Finnish road experience and some of the wise-guy Finns here posted the times and the difference between his normal WRC times in the Suzuki and Sordos times was whatever, and he was noticably closer gap in the rwd BMW..
That says something about the Suzuki.
Right, but of course you was saying that the driver was Gardemeister, not Rovanperä...Quote:
Originally Posted by janvanvurpa
Yeah yeah sorry, very confusing all those Finnish names.. I mean where the hell did a Finn get a name like Gardemeister?Quote:
Originally Posted by rp
Shouldn't it at least be Kardimesteri or Kardimesterinenen?? Then at least we could remember it better.. Please tell him to change is name.
kiitos.
Janni Vainalantikhammi
I think you underestimate PG´s speed a lot. Look what he´s doing right now with the Protn. That´s impressing to me. And he has a lot of experience as well...Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
Back to VW in 2013...Why can't Hanninen be added to the like up with Andreas and Seb? He has won x3 consecutive s2000 European titles; but VW seems not to be picking up the phone. Also if it comes to it Andreas could be a number 2 driver with Seb now I think.
I think that the fact that you are swedish takes down you credability a bit towards these people ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
I think that the biggest problem with Hänninen is his age. If he gets a seat in the Polo he might only have a couple of years left untill its time to step down...Quote:
Originally Posted by Plan9
Anybody else than me who thinks Petter an Chris had an meeting with VW on Nürburgring the week before Rally Deutschland?
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...14537101_n.jpg
His being Swedish has nothing to do with the way I don't particularly rate Andersson.Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
He might only have a few years in him, but that's still longer than most careers.Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
Volkswagen clearly have a plan for their WRC campaign. Ogier in one seat, Mikkelsen/Abbring sharing a third car. Whoever fills the second full-time drive will bring something to the team that they need. That's why Sordo is such a popular suggestion, given his ability to develop the car.
Until you give some evidence to support your idea, yeah, it's probably just going to be you who thinks that way. I don't really see how a picture of Solberg on a pushbike in front of a truck while wearing a pageboy cap is evidence of him going to VW ...Quote:
Originally Posted by Viking
Nah I can live happy if it is just me :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
Ok, pic is from his FB page dating 16.Aug stating "Some interesting things at Nürburgring race track" and Petter is not wearing Ford clothes.
This was when Ogier drove the Scirocco and there was a lot of VW motorsport brass there.
But I did not say that this is a evidence of him going to VW.
OK to those who mix up facts with unnecessary matters. My point is on real facts that no one can deny - the fact PG is as fast as the top guys.Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
Im sure VWM stuff dont choose Solberg. If we talk about age of pilots,(As said Hanninen is old for VW seat!) Solberg is older from all and he is not a winner anymore. Yes he is fast. But not fast enough to beat Loeb. If we look after the Loeb possibly 2014 or else, Solberg gets enough old to step down.
Sordo will be a perfect coice as a team player, fast driver and knowledge in R&D.
And when we thinkin about seat no.2 you have to think that someone can handle Ogier ego! :)
I don't think Ogier really has an ego. I think he left Citroen because he was expected to support Loeb at every turn, to the detriment of his own title bid. That might sound like an ego, but at the time, there was a real possibility that Mikko Hirvonen could have taken the title for himself. I think Ogier was under the impression that losing the drivers' title altogether was better than having a Citroen driver other than Loeb win it. In that case, can you really blame him for feeling betrayed? I would have done the same thing in his position and gotten out as soon as I could.Quote:
Originally Posted by aykutbilir
He is young and hunger for success that makes him dangerous and fast. And of course easy to do mistakes. Yes he has a ego. That'smy opion of course. Situtaion last year at Citroen is normal we see that at Sbaru time Sainz-McRae. Loeb is the leading role so Ogier dont want to support just go for win.
I would not say that he is as fast as the top guys Loeb, Hirvonen, Latvala, Sordo, Ogier and Solberg. He might be in comparison with Ostberg and the group right behind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
OK, your opinion, not mine.Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
I remember back when MC was running, someone set up a camera on one individual corner, and watched each car come past and how they took the corner. Loeb was perfect of course, most of the other top drivers (Mikko for example) diddnt quite cut the corner right, others went very wide, and the odd one spun out(Henning...). A few people also spotted another driver that took the corner perfectly, that driver was Ogier. No one else seemed to notice that PG cut the corner as perfectly as Loeb.
I know its only one corner, but it did give a good insight to the skill level of the driver.
Really? He is only in his early thirties. Unlike other motorsports pro rally drivers can go till their early forties. Juho has enought time to do something wonderful.Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
The big question here is the seat number we are talking about. Yes he is not old for seat N2, but VW probably would prefer there a driver with couple years of WRC experience. For N3 he appears to be very old though... But of course this is normal suggestion, may be it won't be this way.Quote:
Originally Posted by Plan9
Of course its my opinion. I'm sorry if i let you think i suggested anything else!Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
And probably we´ll never get the right answer, if not PG joins VW..Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
Robbed from Facebook. VW tests in Finland. Some modifications to the bodyshell, front mask air intake and wheel arches at least.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...67152370_n.jpg
It still knows how to fly (see)... Video by Max Vatanen. Also Kim Vatanen at one shot.
http://youtu.be/Ec_csx10r5c
That car looks good.
Looks fast too :)