Looks like Gaia Street Stage SS14&SS15 canceled on saturday night.
edit: Oopsie, there is some info on page 5 for it.
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Looks like Gaia Street Stage SS14&SS15 canceled on saturday night.
edit: Oopsie, there is some info on page 5 for it.
It probably can only be Hyundai because only they have "free agents" to use who havent sit out for a long time.
I think abandoning Sordo for Rally Portugal is quite harsh, since as said - allmost home event.
Well I think there is more change for Sordo than Mikkelsen driving.
No he does not. But anyway, sure it won't be Suninen who'd be ditched in favor of someone else.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Maybe Sordo dropped for participating in the Fafe local rally?
So Greensmith is driving WRC on portugal?
That's already been announced earlier.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gevin
Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
1 bad rally in 9months? He's crashed/retired in Monte Carlo and Mexico, and was embarrassingly slow in Chile. That's 3 bad rallies right away. He's had one good rally this year and one decent/pretty good event at his home rally.
Then he crashed in Australia (bad), GB (underwhelming), was 3rd fastest in Turkey and moved temporarily into the lead before the car broke (good pace, bad result), was terrible in Spain, and if we extend this random 9 months into 10, he was bad in Finland and bad in Germany. It's a really, really poor sequence of results & performances, nobody can deny that. If that was any other driver you'd be slating them considering how closely you like to analyse most drivers and their performances. I just don't think you can see things objectively in terms of Mikkelsen.
Think all the other drivers are out of the equation.
Citroen surely can't drop Lappi this early on his career there. It would be poor management, but we've seen how poor their management has been for years now....
Evans and Suninen are locked in, and Evans is 5th in the championship (2nd of the group behind the top 3).
Toyota won't bench Meeke for driving issues. Had good pace in Monte/Mexico/Corsica/Argentina and could've had much more pts if it wasn't for rim issues and punctures/ car faults and the recce mistake/ a few driver errors. Yet despite all that he is 4th in the championship.
Jari had good pace in Chile after a very poor start to the season - why drop him now after his first real showing of being back on the pace and regaining his confidence. He'd be a broken man if he gets dropped now (you'd be as well dropping him for the rest of year if so).
So it's Sordo or Mikkelsen surely. Fwiw I still wouldn't drop Mikkelsen for Portugal, he'll have a good road position and can have good pace there. However he also can have no complaints if it is him. Agree with your points about Loeb - there's probably better use for him in other gravel rallies where Sordo and Mikkelsen struggle more than they do in portugal. Loeb also hasn't tested I don't think.
But if the GOAT wants to do Portugal, it'll be hard for Adamo to turn him down (especially if the pressure to win a title this year is as big as it's rumoured to be for Hyundai).
You know when writing about Mikkelsen you list all performances where he doesn't finish well = bad. Then you write about Meeke and Latvala who don't have a single good result in 6 rallies and bad results are not so big deal because of a long list of reasons.
So balance and objectivity goes both ways. Either we talk about performance or results but picking one of each is a problem both mine and your posts have.
Also the comment about not dropping Latvala cause he recently had good pace contrasts quite strongly with Mikkelsen recently having both good pace and result.
Anyway all the drivers listed are those that have a bad season (by results) so far, each in their own way and for different reasons. Loeb also fits on that list (4.,7.,8. and 3. is surely a bad season for him), but he is not announced for Portugal atm so that's why he is not listed. Btw. the list originally came from Paddon fans arguing he should come back cause "all these" don't do well.
For the reasons already listed I see it as very strange if anyone gets dropped, especially barely a week before the rally. Can't really remember last time something like that happened.
Ohhh yesss, great!
Another topic ruined with this mikkelsen conversation.
Stop it guys. Enough.
Confirmed, Loeb will be on the start.
Entrylist available.
Awesome news!
That mikkelsen contract isn’t that waterproof as told in the beginning of the season.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7FbYaPXkAADjz9.png
All news that mean more Loeb in WRC is great news.
Too bad that Mikkelsen still in Sardegna. Would have been good to see Loeb drive again with my own eyes.
Wonder how much this was Adamo's decision and how much it was decided from above. My feeling is the second option.
Somebody at Hyundai leadership saw Loeb on 3rd and wondered why he is not starting next rally. From listening to Adamo my impression was that he was more focused on improving the car and less on changing the drivers.
Getting kicked after finishing 2nd just one rally before is certainly something new, who wouldn't want to drive for a team like that.
Maybe Sordo will kindly step aside for Sardegna if needed...Quote:
Originally Posted by Oliverk
I don't get why they dont just use 4 cars. Sure, it won't help them in the fight for the manufacturers title, but it gives them another extra chance to take points away from ogier or tanak for the drivers title.
Maybe they spent the extra money on paying Loeb and then lawyer bills...Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
That would be a quite considerable increase in cost
Sent from my F8331 using Tapatalk
That is professional sports for you, you are as good as your last result. (assuming that you have not built yourself a cushion with incredible performances before). Mikkelsen was the slowest WRC in Chile. He was slower than Loeb on ALL but 1 stage. (seem incredible, I know)
Completely understandable decision.
If it was so simple JML would have stopped driving 3 years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by krissucool
Ruthless ? It was a no-brainer after Chile and the only decision any sensible manager would take. Mikkelsen has no-one to blame but himself.
Never heard of a WRC manager that kicked a driver one rally after he finished 2nd. By your definition that means that no other WRC manager is sensible.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Just stop your argumentation, pls.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
"Portugal will be Loeb's fifth start for Hyundai this season, where he will drive alongside Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo.
He is contracted for six outings, with the final outing expected to be October's Rally Spain - unless the team can persuade him to do more.
When asked by Autosport if he could be tempted to do more rounds, Loeb replied: "Do more rounds? No, I don't do more."
If what Loeb is saying is true it is extremely weird. (the whole situation)
New apart from when they did the same thing to Paddon?Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
If you mean end of 2018, he was out of contract, don't see which other situation applies.Quote:
Originally Posted by GravelBen
Meeke had won rally and kicked.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
as you see it counts the overall picture,and not ''he just finished 2nd in previous rally''
Ur only as good as ur last result. il try to describe this in terms outside of motorsport so u can see the reality. If you have an average goal keeper and over 2 games first game he pulls of a few saves nothing spectacular (like mikklesons sweden result) and the team earns a draw against the best team in the world and he lets in say 4 howlers in the next game. (Chile resilt) But you have a proven multiple world cup winning goal keeper on your bench who in training is equalling or bettering the current guy. Who are you going to put in for the next game. I know my choice its all about whats best for the team not what he did 2 games ago thats gone and forgotten
Meeke won a rally then didn't finish 4 following ones (1 technical, 4 crashes in 3 others ). Slightly different situation as well as the overall picture.Quote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
This would fit perfectly if Loeb didn't drive like he did in Sweden and Corsica, which were terrible especially by his Corsica standards.Quote:
Originally Posted by wia5958
Yes both are different surface, but his main comment in Sweden was that other drivers drive same stages all the time (and with help of onboards perfect the lines trough corners). Portugal will be the same in this regard while Chile wasn't. So Loeb is by no means a secure card for Portugal. Mikkelsen wouldn't have been either.
It is a risky decision by Hyundai but in order to collect the rewards you must be risky sometimes.
It will not be an easy rally for Loeb, he never raced in the north before and both Saturday and Sunday stages are familiar to most of the top guys.
He seem to also forget Mikkelsen has started doing WRC rounds since 2007, that was 12 years ago, he should be much more competent and consistent by now.
I was absent in this forum for years (mainly active in ERC section) but I hope no one will kill me for this one simple question I can't find answer for. Are there any single stage tickets for the rally I can buy directly on the entrance to the stage? I want to stay on the ss for two passes so I don't have to and I don't want to buy day pass. Thanks for any help.
Relax Raven, the forum killing rate is still zero; some posts can look harsh but eventually we’re all good fellows…or NOT.Quote:
Originally Posted by Raven
As it was already told, you can see all RdP stages for free, with the exception of Lousada SSS. Rally Pass here is a sort of VIP hospitaly pass for a few exclusive spectators zones (ZE’s), but the vast majority of ZE’s are freely open to everybody and they’re usually great to spectate and easy to reach. You can check them here: https://www.rallydeportugal.pt/conte...aspx?menuid=52
Btw, have a great rally!
I take it the passes that are available on the Rally Portugal web site are for special spectator areas??
So all new stages for everyone on Friday and with no service. Will be crucial and important day then, we saw how the young lads suffered in Chile with the new stages and pacenotes.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Ogier is the favourite for me, the dude just loves this rally and he is the record holder here together with Alen.
It will be interesting to see if Loeb can now be right up to speed from the first moment, if he can, then i wouldnt be surprised if he is in the lead after friday considering his starting position.
Another one to watch is Neuville, will the big crash have an affect on him or not?
I think Ott is happy that the friday stages are new, he didnt get to drive any of the stages last year after that big rock took him out.
All in all another cracking event coming up!
Honestly, as long Citroen and Hyundai can’t make their cars as fast as the Yaris, Tanak seems to still be the favourite.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Btw, for Loeb the whole event is new (apart a sprint version of Fafe stage) once he only run during Algarve’s years and having a proper setup since the start will be a challenge not only for him but for all the others; if they fail to get it they’ll be struggling the whole first leg.
On having another cracking event I totally agree with you; that’s what we’re all hoping for and is making us eager to spend 3 days eating dust!
Loeb should be able to lead after Friday or be around top 3. The big question is how he will do on Saturday and Sunday on stages that others know very well.
Btw. other drivers also know parts of friday as they were often used for testing during last years.
This likely being the first rally with real road cleaning since Mexico I doubt Ogier can win. All Toyotas are one big question mark with their reliability on rough rallies. Especially since some of the friday section seem very rough.
WRC2 Monday test; video by Rally Mania: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1__VGBjIDtI
Thierry could be strong here. Hyundai go well in Portugal and he's 3rd on the road so not too bad. There's actually not much actual cleaning on Friday anyway, unless maybe the 2nd pass will still be bad?
As Mknight says, Toyota can't be counted on for not having reliability issues so it's hard to predict - especially if the first day could be a bit rough. Would be nice to see Jari or Lappi get up at the sharp end and take advantage of their road position, and get over the poor starts to their seasons. Don't hold out too much hope though.
Expect Hyundai to have a strong rally with Neuville and Loeb challenging at the top and Sordo likes this rally too. Ogier will be there or thereabouts.