If Marcus retires, who will fight?

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Originally Posted by duff

Marcus has had a long and great career, but how you end your career is extremely important as thats the last anyone sees from you. And everyone wants to go out a winner.

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Nonsense

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Originally Posted by cut the b.s.

Nonsense

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indeed, nothing more to say..

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Originally Posted by Peugeot206WRC

Kankunen, Makinen, Sainz, Mcrae, Auriol and many more continued several seasons even though they had no chance and some of them knew it.
I dont remember/judge these great drivers for their lasts season at all, its what they achieved at the best I remember the most, for sure.
I think Gronholm have many more years in the WRC where he can be competetive, maybe not all years in the top, but something like Sainz or Mcrae (from their last years).
He will never be slower then Slowson, so even if he was getting slow he wont be embarassing!

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WELL SAID !!

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Originally Posted by Peugeot206WRC

Kankunen, Makinen, Sainz, Mcrae, Auriol and many more continued several seasons even though they had no chance and some of them knew it.
I dont remember/judge these great drivers for their lasts season at all, its what they achieved at the best I remember the most, for sure.
I think Gronholm have many more years in the WRC where he can be competetive, maybe not all years in the top, but something like Sainz or Mcrae (from their last years).
He will never be slower then Slowson, so even if he was getting slow he wont be embarassing!

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I don`t disagree, but we are talking about our opinion about the driver. I don`t know what Marcus himself thinks, but it would not surprise med that he would like to end his career with a championship. Most of all because he probably allready beforde or early in this season thought about quiting.

It is quite obvious that things do hang in balance in Marcus' mind.

On one hand it's rather demanding job with lots of travel to places he has already been many times and being away from home a lot, tedious PR assignments and repetitive testing. On top of that, if fight against Loeb is going badly, I can understand that it chips at one's motivation.

Then again, it is a job he apparently likes very much, at this point of his career he is setting new records (I don't know if he cares about those but he sets them anyway, might warm one's mind later) and when fight against Loeb is going his way - which is new feeling after two difficult seasons with 307 - it must feel very good as his reaction at New Zealand proved.

Which of these factors weigh most is known only to Marcus himself and since his decision has delayed, I feel and hope that the yes I will continue side is slowly winning.

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Originally Posted by duff

Marcus has had a long and great career, but how you end your career is extremely important as thats the last anyone sees from you.

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Who remembers that Alen's last rally was a first-corner disaster? Markku is remembered for entirely different reasons.

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Originally Posted by jonkka

Who remembers that Alen's last rally was a first-corner disaster? Markku is remembered for entirely different reasons.

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You did ;-) I dont, what was his last rally?

Carlos Sainz retired in 2004 after winning in Argentina. The previous year, he was a serious title contender, winning in Turkey, being a usual podium visitor and arriveing to GB behind Loeb and Solberg on points.

Carlos also said that he wanted to retire while he was still succesful, and that's exactly what Marcus wants to do. I believe he should stay until the end of 2008 as minumum, so if he wins the championship this season he'll be the one with the number 1 car and, if he looses, he may have another shot next year, as the definitly last one. Also, that would give time to Hirvonen, Atko and Latvala to develope themselves and become a threat to Sèb's chances of winning the championship again. Of course, his decision is attached with personal and family reasons as well.

Many rally drivers are remembered by they're whole career and now by they're last season. Who cares if Auriol finished his WRC career in a crapy car as the Skoda? He is still considered as one of the bests in the history of the sport and as the second best French rally driver, behind Loeb.

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Originally Posted by cut the b.s.

You did ;-) I dont, what was his last rally?

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Last works entry for Markku was in 1000 Lakes 1993 with Subaru where he went off on the first stage.

I would think without Marcus that Seb would win all the events in 2008 and it will be a case of forgetting the WRC for 1 year!!