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I'm not saying before the end, I'm saying for next year. There aren't many drivers in the pipeline (maybe Tidemand but I don't see how he'd be faster than Lappi, for instance) to replace him but he's not doing himself any favors.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
I don't agree that FIA should change the rule in the midle of season. I know that what happened in the last two power stage are not fairplay but they didn't violeted any rules
Neuville's pace on PS doesn't justify this circus, I said it before - rerun gravel stage doesn't make such difference as in Sweden.Quote:
Originally Posted by seb_sh
Ogier: "I'm also very pleased because I think we improved a lot since last year, the car seems faster on gravel. Together with Ford our engineers have done a good job to prepare this rally, at high altitude, now we have to see in Europe if we improved the same. That's good sign anyway!"
Really good point! :up:Quote:
Originally Posted by seb_sh
Everybody had the chance to do it now, so no reason not to change the rules before Argentina since it's more fair now than if they had done it after Sweden.
Everybody had the chance in Sweden too. Only Ogier had the idea.Quote:
Originally Posted by SubaruNorway
Congratulations to ogier ;-)
and for a smart drive to Andreas even if the times did not match the way he is used to.
All in all a nice rally.
Everybody know that trick, only Ogier start play with it (I even don't wonder... only one man in championship who can play dirty games) and he benefited from this and not been penalized. Soooo circus started and all other play this game too.Quote:
Originally Posted by steve.mandzij
Really great rally by Ogier, no significant mistakes, everyone else had spins/punctures/technical troubles.
Great performance by Sordo, all in all good rally by Meeke as well. Neuville managed to scrap up some points at least.
Loeb, much faster than I thought he would be, can't wait for next event to see what more he can do.
And Toyota should up their game.
Some thoughts over this weekend: the star Nb.1 by far Mr.Loeb ! He took away all the attention alreday before the start, but with every stage even his biggest enemies realized, that ''the devil ate the joke''. Nobody expected the he will lead the rally! Period! All attemps from other occasional guests driving new gen.WRC cars were-said gently-unnoticed. The change from former gen is way to big and therefore difficult.....but not for Mr.Perfect. I'm 100% sure, that the permanent WRC drivers will have some sleepless nights until Corsica.
Ok, enough praise for Loeb.
Seb Ogier surprised totally (look at the pickems), even himself. He used the same approach as many times: attacked where all others sufferd problems, drove some advantage & control it. Simple as white bread.....Good to see him back on the first position in the WRC ranking. He deserves it. And even took some points on PS.
Dani Sordo- very good result, he must be excited. This is going to be a huge pressure for his teammate Paddon.
Meeke-his face at the award ceremony tells all. He fuc#&* up the whole event; was very lucky even to finish it.
Mikkelsen-was he driving?? Completely unnoticed, loosing time....I expected much more from him.
Neuville-event to forget. Troubles, every day cleaning the road (welcome in club, Thierry); at the end the 6th place is more than expected after such a terrible event for him.
Toyota boys: even worse performance than 2017. I would expect from village boys to learn something from last year, but they skipped this lesson.
Ok, move to Europa & tarmac.
Drivers of the rally were both Sebs and Sordo for me, the Sebastiens were at their own best while Sordo showed some rare proper pace. Hard to tell where Tänak would have ended since he essentially missed the whole second leg but for the two out of three legs he could drive he was very good, so he'll get a positive grade from me.
Meeke got a podium but he could've won, and probably should've, and can only blame himself for not doing so, car was good as well as his pace but ultimately his mistakes were too many. Same old.
Nice win for Ford. Evans and Teemu should step up their game. Another catastrophic event for Toyota. Things looked great for them after Monte, but now with a tarmac event following, they may fall back in the Constructors. Loeb was really competitive. Hats off to the guy. Meeke always flirts with self destruction. Sordo was good. Neuville was killed by the starting order and a few issues. Mikkelsen was unanimous. But that was not necessarily bad. CU at Tour de Corse.
Latvala did well in Corsica so unless some unforeseen technical issues, it`s all about the drivers.
They have nowhere to fall anymore, as they are last.:D
I can't see anyone of the Toyota trio being legitimately faster than Ogier/Meeke/Loeb/Neuville and probably Sordo/Mikkelsen on dry tarmac. Of course, things may change due to weather/luck.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarmop
It was a nice rally ruined by far too many silly mistakes, reliability problems and punctures that lead to a boring 1,5 day.
Now 1 month until the next one but surely the championship is very very interesting this year...
so what you are going to do during this month to satisfy your autism (don't call the FBI please) forum members ? I am going to count how many minutes the month has...
http://www.easysurf.cc/monthtable.htmQuote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
what next?
Totally agree with NOT. Would have been amazing rallly and big fight without these punctures and technical problems.
But that’s rallying.
Mikkelsen the most disappointing for me.
Maestro performed exactly like I expected. Maybe took a little more time to settle in
Mikkelsen is a huge mystery. He's playing it very safely so far this season and it's working well for him.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
thank you for the spoiler party crasher....Quote:
Originally Posted by A FONDO
now i will be forced to cure cancer, but keep it a secret....
Est, since Tanak was out, the rally was over for you, right?
Its his country man so its normal... it is ok to support you countries entries, it gets sad when you get blinded, and it gets really really funny when you become a hopeless case like some finish friends who after years of manager fake dominance in the sport they turned into mice running away from the big mean french cats....Quote:
Originally Posted by macebig
A bit of hoonage out of final service from Ogier - https://twitter.com/SebOgier/status/972944034053410816
Why everyone spit on Mikkelsen, he is sitting in 3rd. Maybe he is playing smart and where he can't be fastest he benefits from taking the most he can. Like Ogier always do. And what Tanak do. After Monte he is pushing and do mistakes. And everytime slipping way back. And Latvala too. He struggle too much. Then there is Evans, Teemu - completely off pace, not even interesting to watch. Toyota - complete disaster. Not gonna say anything more.
Most dissappointing thing is that after 3 months and 3 events already, timing and live is still shity as hell. Well at least previous years there was times brought faster and more accurate. Always freezing and technical issues. And it's not worth any money for a full year...
because you have to look at the big picture... you would expect someone at the age of Mikkelsen and with his experience to challenge for stage wins constantly and be a championship contender or at least a rally winner and someone that opponents see as a threat.Quote:
Originally Posted by ESTR
We have ostberg if we want a hopleless case with a big pocket daddy.
What mistakes Tänak has made this season, apart from that misunderstanding with Meeke, where it wasn`t going brilliantly for him anyway?
Teemu has an excuse, being just a rookie, but unless he improves his depressive mentality, it would be hard for him to improve...same with Lappi.
I agree that Teemu and Lappi are very very negative. It's good that they enjoy pushing themselves and won't be satisfied until they reach the level they desire but it's a dangerous state of mind, especially for Teemu being so young and quick. Latvala has been hard on himself his whole career, but it paid off when his constant search for improvement let him put things behind him (early career) rather than in 2016.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarmop
Also, Tanak has been quite unlucky so far. Sweden was his mistake but the road order did him no favors, and his engine issue here definitely put him out of contention for a very possible podium early on.
I'm surprised that Latvala was able to clear his head before Mexico after being so flustered in Sweden when Ott began to beat him regularly.
Justice happened, Ogier got a 10 second on time penalty on a power stage for hitting the chicane.
Means no power stage points for Ogi and Latvala, Neuville, Mikkelsen and Loeb gain 1 additional point.
Well Ogier did hit the chicane, so he can't really complain, but seems a harsh punishment. Can't help feeling after Sweden, he's a marked man.
However, who the hell are the stewards? What qualifications have they for sitting? Where did they drag them up from? They sound like the 3 stooges...(Sorry, but I despise officials in all sports; full of their own self importance)
Isn't this the same as hitting a side rock a snow bank, how is it any different? Hit it at your own risk, it might damage your car as well. Plain stupid decision. What is the punishment for Meeke hitting plaints?
They're probably 3 well qualified stewards who've given a lifetime of service to the sport.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
What, in the above report, suggests that they are "stooges" or that they're full of their own importance? They have an important job to perform without fear or favour. Seems that they have done just that.
I recall Meeke was given a time penalty for doing some cutting on another event a few years back. Ogi lucky those stewards were not there.
Meeke rally aus 2014 1 min 1 second penalty.
http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/septe...2--12-12-.html
https://www.adac-rallye-deutschland....ast-one-140462 (right guy? - secretary Rally Germany)
https://www.fia.com/profile/officers/hugo-mersan (Paraguay - Formula 1 and WRC - long list for the cv)
Carlos Cordero, Director of the FIA NACAM Rally Championship.
How can you compare the two? When you hit a snowbank you lose time. When Kris hit the plants he lost time. Ogier hit the empty barricades and pushed them away easily, with no risk of damage, and gained time.Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
I can't see how you couldn't understand why Ogier got a penalty.
Ok, let's agree on this stupidity. Why he hadn't penalty on the the previous stage with the same outcome?Quote:
Originally Posted by steve.mandzij
Ofcourse it is different. Ogier gained a small advantage and knew he wasn't going to damage his car doing it. Neuville did it on the first pass as well and he could've/ should've been punished too (although no point as nobody was close to him and it wasn't for power stage pts).Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
As for Meeke hitting the plant pot, any person with sight and a working brain knows he lost time with that MISTAKE and it was nothing alike to the chicane incident. I really hope you aren't being serious with that, because there's no help for you if you genuinely think Meeke deliberately tried that in an effort to gain a few tenths :D
If I understand correctly, you mean he nudged the chicane on the first pass too, in which case it's not as serious because extra points are not at stake.Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
Are You serious?:DQuote:
Originally Posted by steve.mandzij
I ask the same :DQuote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
I really want to see Your's brain measurement for the time gain/loss in both cases. I'm seriousQuote:
Originally Posted by er88