Maybe he's considered for the two tarmac events. Didn't he do quite well in the BSA run Peugeot 307? (I seem to recall he came 4th in one of the tarmac events)Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
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Maybe he's considered for the two tarmac events. Didn't he do quite well in the BSA run Peugeot 307? (I seem to recall he came 4th in one of the tarmac events)Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
No offence, but I doubt that the Xsara is the weakest link in that line-up. That's still one hell of a good rally car.Quote:
Originally Posted by dumb
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeD
He only drove the whale on french tarmac championship :D
Except once in Corsica and was 8th overall before crashing... :mark:
I did a bit of digging on the subject of the Citroen testing.
Andreas Mikkelsen is taking part as we all know, but he is holding out for a deal in the second Subaru team, or the Munchi Ford team as a replacement for Companc.
As for Vouilloz, he has been considered for next season's opener in Ireland in a privateer C4 to see how he gets on.
Personally I dont understand the decision to give Vouilloz the chance before Ogier but that's life...
While i agree to an extent Nicolas has at least driven WRC before on tarmac and did pretty well. Has Ogier driven PWRC yet? The set up from a C2 S1600 to a C4 WRC is big and Seb is still young. Better to prepare him properly with a view to a few events in 09 in the C4 than throw him in.
Ogier is the better prospect no doubt but many excellent drivers in lower divisions have fnot lived up to expectations when given a WRC.
3-2-1 Bonus Points system could be introduced in 2009. Based on that days performance of each crew
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70242
I like that idea!
Very good Q&A session at http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70243 with WRC's Morrie Chandler.
I hate the idea.Quote:
Originally Posted by wrc_flipper
Stop trying to fix issues that aren't working by adding other stupid rules. Instead fix or remove rules that aren't working.
keep running order they way it is, and introduce bonus. everyone driing flat out all the time. whats wrong with that?
ps. would bonus points only be available to superally runners or everyone?
To be honest I don't see why Ogier should waste his talent in PWRC. Let him test the C4 a couple of times to see how well he adapts, and after the first test he looks quite promising.Quote:
Originally Posted by I am evil Homer
No doubt that Citroën has a plans with him, so let him run a Xsara or a C4 without the burden of scoring M2 points next year.
I have high hopes for him and I think he will do well on many of the events. He might crash now and then, but I feel that he will progress faster than most normal WRC drivers.
It must be my memory :D But wasn't there some french tarmac specialist who scored a 4th place in a BSA or Bozian run Peugeot 307 a couple of years ago?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
If that's what manufacturers want, I'd say give it a try although I'm not sure how the result will change with that system.
Loeb just scores 19 pts instead of 10 pts??? Hehehehe.... :D
Sounds like more rewards for the drivers and crews that can't finish rallies.
But if this was just for superalliers and it meant they weren't allowed to score main points too then I would be for it.
Hmmm if you're fast for one day, you can score 3 points. If you're consistent for the whole rally and drive three days, you can score 1 point.
I smell trouble.
That was Bengue!Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeD
JML for 2009 champion ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
I think if the 3-2-1 scheme is used, then each driver should get a limit of a maximum of 4 bonus points, otherwise in Germay for example, Loeb could win easily, get 10 points, and then another 9 for excelling in all 3 days. That would be a bit unfair IMO.
Yet another hair-brained idea, where on earth do they get these ideas from. We've had a similar idea before, remember the points from the Live TV stages - what a farce that was.Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
Instead of coming up with stupid ideas, get to the crux of the problem - the S2000/Global Promoter problem. Once these problems are sorted and there is a decent WRC we won't need these silly ideas.
Sorry to say, but Morrie Chandler is beginning to disappoint me.
Did someone expect else?Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
This removes the whole endurance perspective of rally, and makes it into 3 sprints. Then IRC is on a better track of reintroducing the longer classics as they used to be years ago. Taking care of your car over the whole rally is also part of the game ! Remove Superally and let the drivers feel the consequence of going off !Quote:
Originally Posted by wrc_flipper
IRC can't over rule FIA regulations concerning length of competitive mileage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sulland
Sounds like another way for the FIA to play favorites.Quote:
Originally Posted by wrc_flipper
If they go independent they can do whatever they want.Quote:
Originally Posted by DonJippo
It is a stupid rule, which is assisting, along with various other FIA rulings, in turning the WRC into more of a joke. If the FIA actually invested in the WRC they'd have more manufacturers so noone would care about the lack of cars restarting under superally anyway. My impression of Chandler is not a good one.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeD
And there you have it. He just doesn't get it.Quote:
Morrie Chandler, WRC rallies commission president: To me, it doesn't make sense. You take the very best driver and you rearrange him so he actually gets the best opportunity on the roads so you're actually widening the gap instead of closing the gap.
I'm sure there will be a big debate on it at the rallies commission meeting next month.
Independent in what way, without FIA? Will not.Quote:
Originally Posted by Saabaru
Quote:
Originally Posted by theugsquirrel
Completely beggars belief that this guy is 'in charge'. Every few months a new crazy idea comes out; Winter WRC, Bonus points, drive blindfolded,etc
If I was a Manufacturer interested in the WRC I'd be extremely worried about this bloke - all these supposed changes every few months - not what you want for a stable & successful WRC.
Both Ford and Citroen are keen to add at least 1 extra round in 2009 & 2010.
For next year it will be Corsica and in 2010 the rally of GB.
Both manufacturers never wanted to have only 12 rounds. They want even more rally's in country's which are good for marketing exposure.
Question to them: why now screaming and not back a year ago to the FIA :confused:
Rally schedule 2009 van merksteijn Motorsport
Rallysport 2009 WRC Program
30 januari - 1 februari Rally Ireland Sligo, Ierland
13/15 februari Rally Norway Hamar, Noorwegen
3/5 april * Rally de Portugal Faro, Portugal
22/24 mei Rallye d'Italia-Sardegna Olbia, Sardinië
26/28 juni Rally Poland Mikolajki, Polen.
31 juli - 2 augustus Rally Finland Jyväskylä, Finland
2/4 oktober Rally de España Salou, Spanje
23/25 oktober Wales Rally GB Swansea. Engeland
* TBA
I come back to my suggestion. I think that Bonus points is very bad idea. I just looked for example last year Sardegna rally. With clean roads you can be much faster. So, I take the final positions and look what happens in extreme tactics, lets say that after the first day Loeb leads, Grönholm is second and Sordo third. And for example, Hirvonen, Henning and Petter decide to retire two stages before the end of first day.. to save their engine and cars. So, They get 10 minutes penalties but for the Bonus they will get very good road position.
Lets say that second day results will be Hirvonen 3 points, Petter 2 points Henning 1 point.
Third day: Hirvonen gets 3 points, Petter 1 and Henning 2 points.
In the end classification, Loeb retired on the first stage of the last day, So, he gets 3 points from the first day, Grönholm gets 12 points, 10 for win and 2 for second place at the end of firts day,
Sordo is second and gets 8 points + 1 from the third place at the end of first leg so, 9 points in total. , but what comes now is really stupid thing. If you lok at the time differences then those three guys get 5th 6th and 7th place respectively.
That mean hirvonen gets 3+3+4=10 points, Solberg gets 2+1+3= 6 points and henning gets 1+2+2= 5 points and and Hanninen gets the last point.
So, the end result will be
1.Grönholm 12 points
2. Sordo 9 points
3. Gardemesiter 6 points
4. Stohl 5 points
5. Hirvonen 10 points
6. Petter 6 points
7. Henning 5 points
8. Hänninen 1 points
DNF Loeb 3 points
It does not look good, if 5th place finisher gets more points than second place finisher :-) At the same time petter gets same amount of points as the third place finisher:-)
The best solution like I said, top 4 starting order for the next day will be decided according to the drawing lots. Or top four will be reversed order of the last SSS of the previous day if it is on the program. Then we can achieve what we want. No tactics, better road conditions for the beginners and slow runners and push to the maximum on the SSS :-)
While the F1A aren't much good at running the sport, the Manufacturers are not going to be much better having a greater say in the future - if there is one. What is to stop them wanting 3 stages repeated 4/5 times all in a small area, cutting down on road time - meaning they can have more rallies. 12 Rallies is what the format should be - averaging 1 a month.Quote:
Originally Posted by jacko
Will that be for both Snr & Jr?Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy
And are 8 events in the 12 event schedule enough to enter as an M2 Team? (Because I thought that was van merksteijn's plan for 2009)
Here in SA the top 8 at the end of day 1 is shuffled. Leader gets to pick where he wants to start, then the second placed driver etc. On dry smooth rallies the running order normally ends up reversed. It seems to work quite well.
The plan is more rally experience for son. If Sr is not racing le mans series he doing rally.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeD
I think there is no change of a Merksteijn manufacturer team.
8 events is enough to qualify as a MT next year and I still think that will be the case if there are 13 events in 2009.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeD
They could if they wanted to. The IRC has grown and in some ways appeals more to people than the WRC. If they told the FIA to take a hike and got a little more creative thay could be the worlds premier rally championship within a few years. It wouldn't take much the way the WRC is right now.Quote:
Originally Posted by DonJippo
maybe... the reason I enjoy rally is to see cars that are fair beyond that of normal cars... AWD turbo beasts... straight up S2000 cars are slow and boring... I can't see the appeal for IRC... just because citroen is owning the rest of the manufactures doesn't mean anything is broke... it just means citroen is a better rally team...Quote:
Originally Posted by Saabaru
S2000 cars are neither slow nor boring. Remember Grp N. Lancers are AWD and turbo and much slower than S2000 cars now. S2000 has made a lot of progress in the last year or so and I expect that to continue next year when hopefully Skoda and Peugeot will push each other on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Torsen
Obviously WRCars are faster than S2000 cars and always will be, but I find modern WRCars very boring to watch. I honestly don't think the average man on the street would notice a great deal of difference watching S2000 compared to WRC, at least on TV.
I would be quite happy to see S200turbo as originally propsed however as this should be more spectacular to watch than either current World Rally Cars or S2000. But it sounds like the formulae the manufacturers want is moving far too close to the current WRCars now anyway.
They need to get it sorted and soon! It seems as if there are 3 of the 4 WRCteams continued participation is under question at the moment.
I dont know if someone has mentioned anything similar, but this is just a possible idea for the road position problem.
Seen as most rallies seem to have some sort of Super Special at the end of Day 1 and 2, why not increase the spectacle of what are simple run around stages and use them in some way to decide road positions.
Maybe you could have the top 8 cars have a type of shootout on a short spectator stage. The driver with the fastest time gets to pick their road position, the second gets to pick next and so on. The times on the special stage just get added to the overall rally time as is the case now. Obviously someone from outside the top 8 could win the stage, but this whole idea would be just for setting the top eight places on the road.
I think this would be good because it encourages drivers to go flat out, which is always a good thing in my opinion. It also places more emphasis on stages that have become boring to most rally fans. The layout of a super special means their can be no underhand tactics.
This rule isn't really much of a stretch to implement in my eyes. A lot of the tarmac rallies dont have SSS's but road sweeping is no a problem on these events.
Hänninen will drive in Spain and Corsica.
that is a good point... i just see the way the S2000 cars pull away out of a slow turn and they engine screams but no torque... it depresses me...Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Just watching the "eye in the sky" from Rally NZ now, i doubt that you will get these kinda slides with an S2000 car...