Many apologies - a 'late at night' typo - I will try to correctQuote:
Originally Posted by rayh_mx
Fixed that!
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Many apologies - a 'late at night' typo - I will try to correctQuote:
Originally Posted by rayh_mx
Fixed that!
http://www.caf.com.mx/wp-content/upl...-EntryList.pdf
Rally Gto 2013. Runs the last stages in the day at the event
RALLY MÉXICO: Who will win? Have you voted yet?: surveymonkey.com/s/GXKBRJ9
Citroen @ poliforum Leon
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BEcxBO2CIAAFPbZ.jpg:large
Benito Guerra
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BEab3tWCQAABNmD.jpg:large
it's a bit quiet on this page considering the rally starts in 2 days!
hope we will see some great action, with battles, drama, and not a dominating ogier...
I am sure that VW is going to struggle a little with high altitude. They have done a few days of testing (including crash by Latvala) in Mexico compared to Ford and Citroen whose experience in high altitude events is much, much greater.Quote:
Originally Posted by spiderem
Don't afraid for them, they have much more experience than others on high altitude conditions from Dakar. Argentina and Chile are much higher than Mexico which is around 1800-2800m ... Otherwise in Mexico winner is who hit less stones, not good event for heroes.Quote:
Originally Posted by bluuford
...And of course although we've seen the pics of the week that VW were testing in Mexico we haven't seen the cammo'd 'muletta' that's been testing the engine for a month at some previous time. This is a German company, nothing is left to chance! They will know exactly how to optimise for altitude. My fear is they will be so quick that the rally is over after the first long stage!Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerra
So who's going to win ?
For the first time since 2006 we can say with absolute certainty that it won’t be Sebastien Loeb. The Frenchman, who has won the last six WRC rounds in Mexico, hasn’t chosen this rally to be one of the four he will contest in his retirement year.
Which leaves us with 13 World Rally Car drivers all trying to fill the vacant position. You can read more about the entry list by clicking here, but for now here are our tips for outright victory:
Going on past form, top of the list is Citroen's new team-leader Mikko Hirvonen, the man who finished runner up to Loeb on the two most recent rallies in Mexico. Hirvonen knows he has some big boots to fill, but is treating Loeb’s departure as the beginning of a new era. “I feel full of positive energy and I can’t wait to show everyone that I can win,” he has said. Well, now’s his chance.
Most likely, however, Hirvonen will face a tough challenge from the championship’s new sensation – the Volkswagen powered Sebastien Ogier.
Ogier has a good record in Mexico, winning the J-WRC class on his WRC debut in 2008, taking third in a Citroen C4 World Rally Car in 2010 and finishing eighth in a Skoda Fabia S2000 last year. Of course we don’t yet know how his new Polo R will fare on gravel, but as this is the surface on which most of the WRC rallies are staged, it’s fair to assume that Volkswagen is well prepared. Also, as a new manufacturer, Volkswagen is the only one to have benefitted from a test in Mexico last year.
Hirvonen’s Citroën Total Abu Dhabi team-mate Dani Sordo is also hungry for success. Starving, in fact. The Spaniard will make his 100th WRC start in Mexico and is still looking for that elusive first win. He says he wants to ‘put this right’. Perhaps the absence of Loeb will give him the extra push he needs?
At the wheel of Volkswagen’s second Polo R, Jari-Matti-Latvala is also in winning contention. With less seat-time than Ogier, Latvala is still playing catch-up as he settles in to the car, but if he can get the Polo handling to his satisfaction early enough he can be as fast as anybody.
Ford hopes are likely to ride with Mads Ostberg and Evgeny Novikov. Having secured a fifth and fourth place finish on his two previous visits to the Mexican event, Fiesta RS driver Mads Ostberg is eyeing a podium this week. Novikov meanwhile will have the advantage of his experienced co-driver Ilka Minor who won Rally Mexico alongside Manfred Stohl in 2009 when it was not a round of the WRC.
Finally, there’s former Subaru factory driver Chris Atkinson who will drive a Citroen DS3 as stand-in for absent Abu Dhabi Citroën Total WRT driver Khalid Al Qassimi. Atko was a stage winner in Mexico last year and, as he seeks a more permanent return to the series, he'll be out to prove his ability as a top-flight driver.
Nice article, but shouldn´t it be quotation marks around what you´re saying? If not you are a writer at wrc.com... Maybe you are after all...?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Maybe I'm a pessimist but I would be somewhat surprised is the end result is not 1-2 for Volkswagen...
my thoughts:
Volkswagen is very strong team with probably the fastest alternative of Mr.Loeb. This team will be very sucsessful.
Citroen is not strong as before. Now they are more looking as Junior team despite the age of Mikko and Dani.
MSport has a good line-up and experience so they can be right after VW.
1. Ogier proved that he is mega fast. My bet for the win is on him. Remark: Don't know what to expect from VW on gravel as speed and reliability.
2. J-M L on another hand is not as fast as Ogier for the moment. I expect him to search for options to match the speed of Seb and make mistakes. We all know that he is fast but probably can't find the speed with the Polo so far. He will try to win here. He need a good result.
3. Mikko is in trouble (with his mental preparation) and I guess he will continue to struggle. I expect him to make mistakes as well. So far he is the biggest dissapointent.
4. Mads is stable for the moment and if the Fiesta is strong he can make Top 4 finish. He was very fast in Sweden but doesn't have impressive results in Mexico. He will struggle as well to make stage wins. Probably on the second passage we will be much closer to the top times.
5. Novikov is in very good form recently and has the speed to make fastest times. I think he is better than Mads but not so stable as championship contender. I expect good result from him this time.
6. Neuville showed great potential in the first two rounds and I guess he can do good job here as well. He was great in terms of speed and consistency at Sweden. I was impressed by him.
7. Atko can be in top 6 if he is in good shape and doesn't crash. First rally for him this season-probably will need some km to adapt.
If someone from the rest of the WRC drivers impress - well done!
Come on guys just look at my pickems for the answer!
Mikko wins - it is easy we have to account for the fact he binned the car in practice before the Monte and binned the car on the first day of Sweden. This must have had some bearing on his pace in less than normal conditions at both rallies. Mexico though he's back. Remember VW was not faster than Citroen in the Monte. It is not a done deal yet. We all know if Mikko is not a happy bunny he's rubbish at driving. He just needs to get focused and get on with it.
This time Ogier's old problem of falling off the road when leading will return. Watch out for the 'cocky' interview and then he bins it in the next stage. He always was blisteringly quick, doesn't really matter what car he has he is quick. His trouble is it is like an on/off switch. He can be a little too quick when out in the front and that can go two ways. He wins with a huge margin, he doesn't finish. He might pull it off for an entire rally, but for an entire season? Lets consider if Loeb hadn't visited a snow wall in Sweden and also had a rubbish practice day would we have seen an Ogier win, an Ogier settling for second best, or an Ogier retirement in Sweden???. All Mikko needs to do is keep up the pressure in Mexico for the whole rally from second place and he will very likely win.
JML is still finding the limits with the VW, he said so during Sweden, so:
So we have Mikko, JML, M Ostberg a respectable third and Al-Attiya being on the pace (which has been before in Mexico but got disqualified). That's my top 4.I'm probably totally wrong and you'll all be laughing at me in a few days time ;)
There fixed that for you Sprocket ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Sprocket
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Mintexmemory
You must know it isn't easy being a Mikko fan ;) At least before a rally there is still hope!
Not seen it posted already, the Mexico Preview is up on www.wrc.com/video/
fact: ford never been better than citroen at high altitude. so hirvonen will beat any ford.
fact: jml haven't solve the setup issue; he will be inconsistent. i think we all have to give him a year or at least a half season to get it right everywhere.
fact: citoren and fords' rally mexico data cannot be compared with VW tests. it is huge. if you look at sweden, they did a great job but there is always an "if"..
Sorry writing 'fact' doesn't make it so. JML had set up problems in the last 2 rallies - that is a fact. Will that continue on gravel ? Let's seeQuote:
Originally Posted by oyunbozan
Benito Guerra livery. Photo by the spanish journalist Fernando Albes (@fernandoalbes)
http://i50.tinypic.com/ilg1ds.jpg
Of course it will continue on gravel JML always has set-up problems, the surface won't change anything!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mintexmemory
I won't be disappointed whoever wins, It won't be Loeb and that is something however much I will miss him, will make a refreshing change in Mexico.
Winner since 2006, watching the preview Loeb himself was surprised at his run of 6 wins in Mexico.
If Ogier does continue to dominate in Mexico it will be awesome for VW. If not, we have a run of 6 gravel rallies for Mikko to find his mojo and keep Citroen in the fight. :D
So have you posted your Pickem?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sprocket
Yep post #23 on page 2 of the pickems.
My only reservation right now was not putting Guerra somewhere in the top eight. My son thinks that is an oversight not to have put in a local driver.
Both Polos are ready to have gravel for breakfast:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BEtis6MCMAA7hd1.jpg:large
BTW, It was a long time since the last time I saw a photo which includes the photographer's finger. :p
few pics from the service park:
rallysport.hu - Rally GTO Mexico 2013 - szerviz
Last year we have the opportunity to watch the ss street stage live on the net. Is there any chance for live broadcasting this year?
Good point there mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by rage82
What are these finansial services VW are advertising?
The finance scheme when you buy a new car of them ;)
http://www.tv4guanajuato.com/imagene...rally_2013.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by rage82
Yes, there is :) . You can see the above image on Guanajuato's TV Channel. They'll show it here: Ceremonia de Arranque - TV4
This is the channel's press release: Comunicados - TV4 Guanajuato
Last year, it was broadcasted on Escudería Telmex
This year, you can see there the below announcement too.
http://yfrog.com/scaled/landing/576/v3zfw.jpg
On Tv at 7.40pm local time.. Thats late for us in Europe... :(
I forgot to write that the program will last from 7:40am to 9:00pm. So, it starts at 1:40am UK time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
You a man or a mouse? ;)
Taking Fri pm off work to follow the rally so have to be in early...Quote:
Originally Posted by Mad cat jnr
It's really great that we could watch some stage from the rally live again. I must wake up at 3:40 am watch some rallying, take some sleep again and then go to work with a big smile on my face.
Thats my plan too.Quote:
Originally Posted by rage82
Luckily I only work 7.30am untill 11.30am on a Friday so plenty of time to catch up on sleep after work ;)
Free practice started 22 minutes ago. Meanwhile, somewhere in France...
http://img.lrytas.lt/show_foto/?id=425217&s=11&f=4
Start list for the qualification stage: http://www.rallymexico.com/files/rep...ying_Stage.pdf
Start in around 2.5 hours