[WRC] News & rumours (part IV) 2016

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Originally Posted by bluuford

I think it was Finland, he crashed heavily into a huge boulder, but car somehow survived it and he managed to fix it temporarily.
In Monte he also made some kind of strange fix that hepled him to reach service and collect a few points.
In Sweden he had an off into the snowbank in rather slow junction, only damage was 2 minutes loss, which is huge in Sweden.
In Portugal , I think it was the place where he managed to crash twice in one rally.
In Poland he had little off and later retired with technical problem
In Australia he had a huge spin in sixt gear. Just a little cosmetical damage and +20 seconds was the result.
In Spain, he had rather simple off, cutting too much and going strait into the ditch.

So, he had a few crashes, three of them caused Rally 2, one caused him huge time loss (Finland) and one caused major time loss (Sweden).

Tänak had two calssical crashes, Spain and Monte (There he managed to continue).
Then he had two very unlucky moments GB and Argentina where he managed to hit small stones and broke suspension. and this strange crash in Mexico where he hit depression that broke steering and created the most viewed videos in 2015 WRC ;)

So, I would say that their season was rather similar, only difference was that Ott had mostly more speed.

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My point exactly

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Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

Any know when the 2016 WRC team liveries will be revealed ?

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I would expect M-Sport to reveal their at Autosport international this month

Kubica debuts this morning testing for Monte-Carlo 2016 with BRC Italia and Ford Fiesta Wrc
Photos and video here http://planetemarcus.com/kubica-prep...ec-brc-italia/

he was testing... until he decided to test the depth of the ditches

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Originally Posted by omer yetis

he was testing... until he decided to test the depth of the ditches

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At least he is able to recreate realistic situations (for him) in testing...

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Originally Posted by Jack4688`

I would expect M-Sport to reveal their at Autosport international this month

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Can we expect any sponsors this year?

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Originally Posted by RAS007

Can we expect any sponsors this year?

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No clues from the Camilli press pic:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYNX6EtWQAAyGpn.jpg

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Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

No clues from the Camilli press pic:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYNX6EtWQAAyGpn.jpg

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What is Azione?

They're on twitter and have sponsors M-Sport cars for I think two years.

Electronics.

Eurolamp WRT was thinking about registration to WRC as a team. But as Mini is not manufacturer, they are not able to register...

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Originally Posted by PLuto

Eurolamp WRT was thinking about registration to WRC as a team. But as Mini is not manufacturer, they are not able to register...

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What is the purpose of this rule, anyway? Why would a team need a manufacturer to register?

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Originally Posted by Duvel

What is Azione?

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From the website of M-sport:

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Azione provide the team with the clothing that allows them to perform on all rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship - from the sub-zero temperatures of Rally Sweden to the blistering heat of Rally Mexico. www.azionedirect.com

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They are from the start in 2015 on the car. Very small at the bottom of the bumper.
http://www.m-sport.co.uk/images/igal...4-944-80-c.jpg

http://planetemarcus.com/une-mini-de...-eurolamp-wrt/ Extraordinary programme for Gorban. N.O.T. can hate them all he wants, but it's good to have some more privateers with WRC cars.

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Originally Posted by focus206

What is the purpose of this rule, anyway? Why would a team need a manufacturer to register?

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To be registered as WRC Team, you must use a car of registered manufacturer. Thats why this year there is nobody registered with Citroen and why FIA is so much pushing to M-Sport to be registered. Because without it, there will be only four registered teams this year - Hyundai, VW and their B teams...

found this from autosport forum

Esa-Pekka Lappi said Savon-Sanomat morning broadsheet newspaper that his Skoda contract ends season end and welcome the fact that Toyota is interested in him.

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Originally Posted by PLuto

To be registered as WRC Team, you must use a car of registered manufacturer. Thats why this year there is nobody registered with Citroen and why FIA is so much pushing to M-Sport to be registered. Because without it, there will be only four registered teams this year - Hyundai, VW and their B teams...

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FIA is also pushing because the registration is not free. Is it around 300k-350k Euro, right?

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Originally Posted by PLuto

To be registered as WRC Team, you must use a car of registered manufacturer.

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I must have missed that one. Do you have a source?

WRC Sporting Regulations and Appendices.
4.1 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR WORLD RALLY CARS AND S2000-RALLY (1.6L TURBO) CARS
4.1.1 The homologation of a World Rally Car will be completed only after a Manufacturer has registered for the current Championship for Manufacturers.

http://www.fia.com/Regulations/regul...lltext=&page=1

Um, there might be a misunderstanding. If Pluto meant, as I re-read it now, that you have to have a homologated car (and only manufacturer can homologate a car which is a fact), then it is so and I agree, that's how I've understood it to be.

My point was that WRC team can use car from manufacturer not CURRENTLY registered as registered manufacturer (if they have previously homologated car). Meaning, you could run WRC team with Citroen, which has a homologated car but not registered as a manufacturer team for 2016. And thus, so should Mini, which was the question originally.

Agree? If not, point out the relevant ruling. Karukera's quote has "current" in it but in my interpretation it does not mean that manufacturer needs to re-homologate every year. Once it's been done, homologation is valid for some time. So, either Mini's homologation has expired (haven't checked, could be and probably is) or someone has misunderstood something somewhere sometime.

And sorry if I point out the obvious... :D Cheers

No they really do need to have a car entered for manufacturers. There was talk about D-Mack not being able to register as a team if M-Sport didn't register as a manufacturer.

I have no idea where in the regulations that can be found.

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Originally Posted by EightGear

No they really do need to have a car entered for manufacturers. There was talk about D-Mack not being able to register as a team if M-Sport didn't register as a manufacturer.

I have no idea where in the regulations that can be found.

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I don't think that is true. Bozian did an M2/MT team in 2006 with two Peugeot 307 (Stohl & HSolberg) without Peugeot being entered as a manufacturer.

Well ok but that was 10 years ago.

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Originally Posted by EightGear

Well ok but that was 10 years ago.

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But the rules haven't changed as far as I know. And furthermore two MINI teams ran as private M2 teams some 3-4 ago before BMW stopped the whole Prodrive MINI project. (I think it was Araujo and that Brazilian nutcase).

Also RedBull škoda in 2006 with Panizzi/Aigner/Rovanpera...

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Originally Posted by Barreis

Also RedBull škoda in 2006 with Panizzi/Aigner/Rovanpera...

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Yep, and that BBR running that team as an MT/M2 entry for Manu points.

From FIA Regulations:

7.3 PARTICIPATION – WRC TEAM
A WRC Team:
7.3.1 Will be eligible to score Manufacturers’ points only if cars of the same homologation number (homologation extension 100/01 KSR and its WR extension or homologation extension 200/01 WRC or homologation extension 300/01 WRC) are used as those of a Manufacturer under Art. 7.2 or as a new Manufacturer under Art. 4.1.2.

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Originally Posted by focus206

What is the purpose of this rule, anyway? Why would a team need a manufacturer to register?

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I suspect the current circumstances don't quite justify it, but the rule probably exists to force the manufacturers to pay in order to sell customer cars.

IMSA (sportscar racing in the US) now requires the manufacturer to pay the series to allow entrants of their cars, seeing as they can sell more customer cars if they are eligible.

Bit of a horrible rule, up there with the 'not all R5s score for WRC2' horror, but it's the way of the world these days.

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Originally Posted by EstWRC

found this from autosport forum

Esa-Pekka Lappi said Savon-Sanomat morning broadsheet newspaper that his Skoda contract ends season end and welcome the fact that Toyota is interested in him.

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For once, it's a good year as a rally drivers to have your contract ending at the end of it. Potentially a lot of top seats and not much experienced talent to go around. For the first time in a while there'll actually be competition for drivers, I imagine.

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Originally Posted by samWRC

From FIA Regulations:

7.3 PARTICIPATION – WRC TEAM
A WRC Team:
7.3.1 Will be eligible to score Manufacturers’ points only if cars of the same homologation number (homologation extension 100/01 KSR and its WR extension or homologation extension 200/01 WRC or homologation extension 300/01 WRC) are used as those of a Manufacturer under Art. 7.2 or as a new Manufacturer under Art. 4.1.2.

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And yet they let Motorsport Italia enter as an MT/M2 team with Kosciuszko in 2013 despite MINI and Prodrive was out of the WRC the year before. I remember we had that same debate back then, and I think FIA are more in favour of more M2/MT teams than this rule. Or maybe the rule is supposed to be understood a bit different, like that you can enter as an MT/M2 team with a car that has been entered as a Manufacturer (but not nessesary in the same year). That could be why the Lotos Mini was allowed to enter as an M2/MT team 2 season ago.

Didn't the Motorsport Italia team become M1 after Prodrive stopped their Mini WRC programme?

Looking very good. Reminds a lot of the Falcon V8 Supercar in Australia.

Attachment 852

https://scontent-bru2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...72&oe=570E6254

From a different angle it looks less spectacular. Still not a bad livery. Anyone knows if VW sticks with their design from last year?

Best looking WRC of the moment. Hands down.

Nice, I really like the last 3 M-Sport liveries. I guess you need not many sponsors to have nice liveries :D

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Originally Posted by Franky

Didn't the Motorsport Italia team become M1 after Prodrive stopped their Mini WRC programme?

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Yes in 2012, but in 2013 there was just 1 MINI team and car and that was Kosciuszko in the "Lotos Team WRC" M2/MT and scored 20 Manufacturer Points.

See wiki and the bottom for verification:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_W...ionship_season

So there might be a rule, but I think people mis-read it or misunderstand it. So you can enter a MINI MT/M2 team this year, and you can enter the DMACK MT/M2 team no matter if M-Sport is registered as a Manufacturer or not, because the M-Sport and MINI factories have been entered as Manufacturer entries before.

Elfyn Evans shocked to be demoted from M-Sport WRC team
By David Evans Monday, January 11th 2016, 12:16 GMT

Elfyn Evans, 2015

Elfyn Evans has declared himself "shocked" by his demotion from M-Sport's top-class World Rally Championship team for 2016.

Instead of competing alongside Mads Ostberg in the frontline team, Evans will drive the Cumbrian squad's WRC2 spec Ford Fiesta R5 on a part programme through 2016.

He has been replaced by former Toyota protege Eric Camilli.

Evans and 2015 team-mate Ott Tanak were both made aware their positions were in jeopardy during inconsistent campaigns last season, but the Welshman believes he was judged unfairly.

"I felt I did everything in my power and to the best of my ability and to get judged on something which didn't actually make that much difference was tough," Evans told Autosport.

"I was shocked by the decision, to be honest.

"I'm confident I can do the job on all surfaces and I think Rally GB proved that. People's perception wasn't 100 per cent correct about that event."

Team principal Malcolm Wilson has already made clear that Evans could return to the World Rally Car for some events this season.

Evans is adamant his career in the WRC's top flight is not over and that he can change the way he is perceived in the service park this season.

"This is a bump in the road," he said.

"Everybody has tough times in their career - unless your name is Sebastien and you're French - and this is my tough time. I'll deal with it and be back.

"For sure, people are going to see a change in me this year.

"I don't agree with the decision and my only priority right now is to get myself back in the World Rally Car as soon as possible.

"I don't think I have always been perceived in the best or right way in how I come across.

"Maybe I have been guilty of being too modest in the public eye, but I will change. Trust me, deep down, I have the confidence I can do this."

Evans will have a new co-driver this season, with Tom Cave's former partner Craig Parry replacing Dan Barritt alongside him.

Barritt remained tight-lipped about his plans for the future, but he is believed to have accepted a job with Toyota's Gazoo-branded works arm.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report...medium=twitter

That article was in print last week - funny how they keep the news for print and then release it online a week or sometimes two days after.

Great to see they're holding bigger news for print then releasing online after!

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Originally Posted by dimviii

"Everybody has tough times in their career - unless your name is Sebastien and you're French.

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Except for Chardonnet..

BTW, is this from Elfyn himself or just another British media BS..?

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Originally Posted by Arnold Triyudho Wardono

BTW, is this from Elfyn himself or just another British media BS..?

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Evans does not write articles on autosport.com, but he used to have blog on crash.net, I don't know currently though