Greece in or out for next season?
FIA denies Acropolis Rally already dropped from 2014 WRC schedule - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com
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Greece in or out for next season?
FIA denies Acropolis Rally already dropped from 2014 WRC schedule - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com
Citroen Sport's plans for 2014:
Citroen: We will be there with a manufacturer entry | WRC News | Aug 2013 | Crash.Net
That is too short timespan, no big changes there. But compare SS km's from late 90's to now, then you see a difference. Not to mention 80's and now....Quote:
Originally Posted by tommeke_B
You shall follow the context. That was reply to the statement that WRC events gets shorter every year which is not true because the trend reversed in last couple of years.Quote:
Originally Posted by COD
Comparison with 90' or 80' is a bit pointless. Everything was different those days. For example for asphalt rallies there was waaaaay less traffic so it mush have been much easier to close roads than today. Those days there was no safety so You didn't need 1500 marshals for 250 km long event (Barum this year). To held 1000 km long event today in Europe would be so expensive that there would be probably on two or three events, not speaking about number of teams which could afford to take part.
Tommeke_B's timespan is long enough to understand the trend. In 2005 the maximum competitive distance rule was changed from 400km to 350km. And as you can see it is slowly growing again when the limit has been set higher.Quote:
Originally Posted by COD
Not a big surprise, Nasser and Papa Wilson want Neuville for 2014 (and maybe Ostberg too....):
M-Sport determined to hang on to Thierry Neuville - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com
how will pay him?Can he pay more from Hyundai or Citroen?
Neuville says he wants to stay but would surely the chance to be no.1 at a full works team like Citroen would lure him away?
Maybe Nasser Al-Attiyah is paying some salary to Thierry. During NORF Markku Alen had a chat with his co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul and said that Nicolas is still working in his daily job.
As far as I know/heard, they don't have any salary indeed. Or at least this year, if the rest of the year goes well, they will hit the jackpot next year (being probably the only one who can threaten Ogier in the near future). :DQuote:
Originally Posted by OldF
Nicolas Gilsoul is working independently for mobile phone operators, he's doing maintenance and repairs on mobile phone masts. He also did some coordination-work for M-Sport (I think things like preparing recce with recce service etc for the whole team).
Thierry has several personal sponsors (such as SuperDry, Ice Watch etc), maybe he gets his salary from there, I don't know (and it's not my business). :)
They f******** stupid. They want ruin it again now that we actaully don't see any ridiculous tactics.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
Why can't they just for once stop changing the rules to create artificial excitement.
I read this during Finland. Sometimes Internet is so slow with Rally news...Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
Two things. Neuville in my opinion is too young to be number 1 driver but saying that. The M-Sport team are doing well in supporting and not playing favorites. I was very surprised that Wilson let the boys fight it out on the podium where there could have been a HUGE f-up if either or both could have crashed in the final stages. He had some balls to let then fight as normally if one crashed, Wilson would be in tears!
I think that was two things already but the third is that sponsors pay Neuville to wear watches, sunglasses and other personal sponsors. He keeps the money and probably gets something from Qatar. But unlike P Solberg, he got sponsors and took a small sum to live off of BUT the rest was invested in working on the team, the car and travel. So Neuville doesn't have to!
I don't think they're intentionally trying to ruin things or create "artificial excitement". Rather, I think Mahonen isn't happy with the way the current system addresses the problem of road position tactics. It's eradicated the issue, but at the same time it has handed a big advantage to the fastest qualifiers. It's kind of gone from one extreme to the other.Quote:
Originally Posted by BleAivano
Whatever changes are made, it's not going to affect the overall order too much. But it will at least give some drivers a fighting chance, rather than saddling them with road-sweeping duties just because they were slow on the qualifying stage.
Honestly, the easiest thing to do will be to fix the stage timing issue. If the FIA can track the cars in real time, then they will see what the drivers are doing, and if someone is inexlpicably stopping on a stage, then they should be given a time penalty or disqualified for it unless they can prove they had a legitimate reason for it, like a mechanical issue. After all, everything is monitored by sensors, and if those sensors can send the FIA live telemetry, then the FIA can see what they are doing.
guys lets look it in the good ways. Loeb won many championships starting first on the road. and ogier is actually easily winning. by being able to just win the qualifying stage. and choose the best starting order. and for me the tacticks were more intresting. and more intense. than just starting and shooting to the lead and that is it.. come one its boring. but tactics. you have to use more of your brains than just pure speed.
the way the system runs now. even if ogier wins 15 titles. he will still not be as good as The Great Sebastian Loeb.. i wanna see tactics. and more challenge. whats the problem with Tactics???? in Formula 1. its not all about just speed. have some other strategies. that makes it more a racing.
What if I told you you can lose over half a minute on a stage without stopping too? What if someone misses a junction or makes a spin? You can't say it is (not) on purpose... For me the system is good like it is now, maybe in stead of letting the drivers choose their starting position after QS, they should just just take the times from fast to slow and let the slowest start first (how it is mostly chosen anyway). Doing this with all WRC cars is a good thing imo, better than the first 15 in early 2000's (where it wasn't always fair for the starting cars around 15th position in classification).Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
As ever, they’re looking at the wrong things. How about the timing issues, attracting new Manufacturers, etc
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the system as it is. It works – the best/fastest qualifier chooses his position. Simple!! No, handicapping the leader – hoping to create false drama.
The worlds most successful sport doesn’t keep changing it’s rules hoping to create more excitement – and to even the playing field. If someone is too good and keeps winning – tough!!
I can't see how age is relevant. He is joint second in the championship, and ahead of both regular Citroen drivers and his Ford team mates. Ok the championship is not over but he keeps on getting better and better despite a big experience deficit to almost everyone else in a manufacturer drive.Quote:
Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1
If Citroen (or whoever) are looking for a driver who has the potential to be a champion in the quite near future there is simply nobody else available.
I would even go as far as to say if Citroen can't get him they may as well give up on next year now.
I think they should try something radical with drivers (starting already now). Maybe it is good try with Meeke? However, I am not 100% sure on Meeke. We will see with next few rallies.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Maybe give more chanches for Kubica and see how good he actually is against real competition?
Maybe Hänninen.. Not sure as well.. he tends to make too many mistakes with his WRC appearances (mistakes on his every appearence).
Maybe Tänak? Give him 100% support and testing.. he won several stages against Loeb and was often on pair with Neuville without testing in 2012.
Maybe Ostberg? Well.. this year he has all testing. he is one of the most experienced young drivers.. but still misses the final bit... Many mistakes while driving fast.
Andersson? He has more than 10 years experience but currently misses that final bit.
Atkinson? He has a lot WRC experience but also misses something.
Novikov? Too much will. Too much trying. Seems like he has lost his confidence..
Neuville? I am sure he is overbooked already.
Nikkara? fast in Nordic rallies. Maybe worth trying?
Solberg? Sorry for his fans. His time is passed.
Others. Too young and inexperienced.
So, my final shortlist is: Kubica Meeke, Nikkara, Tänak (in alphabetical order).
I think he hasn't lost it. He is very confident in every event, before he crashes... It should be an extra question on Pickems: On which stage is Novikov going to crash? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by bluuford
Next season top 8 JWRC drivers into works teams and current wrc guys into retirement... :D
More than can be said for poor Ilka!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by tommeke_B
Ok addition to the support category thread - predict which stage Novikov has his. 1st crash. I'll do the editing later this evening ;)
I think these guys need to have more testing and do several rallies in a row to be judged in a fair way. Until then they can´t prove themselves right.Quote:
Originally Posted by bluuford
Solberg did not perform well in 2012 only please check results for 2009-2012 once again.
In 2012 he won quite a lot stages in fact, he can perform given the right support and conditions.
He deserves a chance and he can perform for sure.
OMG;-)
My first choice would be a lineup of Neuville/Meeke, but if that can't happen then your idea is probably my second preference. I don't think there is any point in continuing with the current lineup if they have any ambitions beyond turning up.Quote:
Originally Posted by bluuford
Regarding your shortlist I would probably put Hanninen in instead of Nikkara or Tanak. I still believe once he gets in the groove with a car he can fight at the front.
Good sumup by bluuford - .....no Paddon on the list, wow :)
Out of Neuville for me the quick ones are Ostberg, Novikov, Tanak, Buffier, maybe Lappi in some years.
But risky choice all of them to nr.1.
Malcom Wilson expressed his interest for Lukyanuk :D I'd like to see him in a WRC car for once
Honestly now, can someone please tell me what Bouffier has done to impress so much? Hyundai test driver and all this talk of him taking a Citroen seat, but has he actually ever been quick?Quote:
Originally Posted by amilk
What's that about?Quote:
Originally Posted by Doon
To your question: yes, he's quick enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by Doon
Enough only possibly on tarmac.
for testing he is ok... for more.... he needs a lot of time he does not have....
He is always interested in drivers with deep enough pockets to rent a WRC :DQuote:
Originally Posted by miniwintz
... Who?
Brave words from Sordo, I hope he delivers.
Who is Lukyanuk and why is Wilson interested in him?
Alexey Lukyanuk, perhaps currently the world's fastest Gr.N. driver. This season driving Baltic events and was also in NORF, 16th O/A, would have been somewhere around 11th-12th without a puncture in Ouninpohja... Incredible handling skills, impossible to go faster with GrN car.Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
Have a look: Alexey Lukyanuk - YouTube
I really hope that he'll get access to R5 or S2000 car next season...