Good final ! Pity for Solberg but Loeb had a real good go at Ekström but was just held off.
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Good final ! Pity for Solberg but Loeb had a real good go at Ekström but was just held off.
It was quite noticeable during today's race that Petter and Johan K have a much wider racing line/style compared
to drivers like Ekström and Loeb who drive a very tight inside line.
Does Peugeot looks less competitive this year, or it's only me? I know, 2nd today is not bad, but they didn't shine in the Qualifying sessions.
Oliver S had a couple of impressive contra saves, that shows he has the right reflexes already!Quote:
Originally Posted by SubaruNorway
Impressive debut! And a new father/ son combo is born.
They weren't that competitive last year either, at least not compared to 2015. Hansen won at Trois Rivieres but had actually missed out on the final and only got through because Timur was wrongly DQ'd. Then in the final Timmy made the right call with tyres and took the win.Quote:
Originally Posted by jparker
I would say they ARE competitive again. Last year they have been rather weak, but in Montalegre last weekend they were pretty strong. I just think that Solberg, Kristoffersson, Ekström and maybe even Bakkerud are better drivers.Quote:
Originally Posted by jparker
Dan Rooke announced for at least 5 rounds in RX2 this season. He's local to me so have a bit of an interest to how he gets on. He was competing at an autocross that I marshalled at the weekend (he borrowed/co-drove someone elses car) and he's definitely a quick driver, if a little wild at times. Will be good to see some British drivers coming through though....just a shame that I'll stop attending the UK round once it moves to Silverstone.
Little bit OOT, but I think ERX should have a standalone event alongside the joint event with WRX.
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What is Rooke doing this season, just the RX2 ? He was great in the British RX last season.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrJan
Just RX2 announced at the minute. Not sure that the budget is there to have the Supercar for another year so he announced a few months back that he wouldn't be defending his title. Plus I guess the odd bit of club motorsport too given that he was battering around an East Devon field at the weekend :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Ekstrom wins again and nobody cares...
yet this is the sport that will dethrone the WRC...
Lel...
Nobody cares?
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Don't you hear the whispering wind and dust rolls rolling around here?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpha
Final was just boring.
...
It wasn't the last stage in Argentina to put it like that!
Unfortunately all the action was in the first few corners of the first laps on that circuit, which isnt always the case.
WRX is still a good watch but that's all its supposed to be. It cant and doesnt have anything like the depth of WRC to create lengthy debate and discussion.
According Swedish television, Ekström is currently looking at missing Höljes round as the Audi bosses doesn't seem to grant him leave for that round.
This was said before the final though and perhaps Ekström's 3rd straight win might have unlocked things though, atleast one can hope.
He got a leave last year, but Audi decides.
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I agree. In the end WRX is just like Folkrace but with expensively cars -> Folkrace plus as Swedish Rally radio reporter Per Johansson once said.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
It's not touring car racing and it's not rallying. It is just some mediocre hybrid of those. Then there is too much crashing into each other, like JKS pushing Loeb out of the way.
There is also the factor of factory teams. This round 6 out 6 cars were factory team cars. WRX is also very predictable and you know before hand that three of the finalist
likely will be Ekström, Kristoffersson and Solberg unless they get taken out by someone else.
I still watch it and mainly because Ekström is participating and doing well. I usually watch it afterwards so that I can skip the heats that doesn't interest me.
Rallying is, in the end, man and machine vs nature and clock. There isn't much a driver can do about his competitors if they are driving well.
In Rally, you have to stay focused for much longer stints, while in RX it's just 1.5-2 minutes at the time.
I totally agree, WRC is the only place with real action, excitement and surprises.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e4876e38da.jpg
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In the first 5 WRC rallies this season, we have had 4 different drivers winning the rally, Ogier, Latvala, Meeke and 2x Neuville.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpha
In WRX ME have won all three and Johan K have been second in the two latest.
This year in the WRC the competition has been incredible - but although I prefer rallying, the last few WRC seasons have not been as exciting as World RX has been! I agree that World RX has limited potential, but to right (write - mod edit) it off is foolish. Drivers like Ekstrom, Loeb and Solberg are no joke, and any sport they respect is a sport I respect.
Well WRX is only at it's 4th season so far but I disagree that WRX have been that exiting in 2014-2015.Quote:
Originally Posted by pettersolberg29
In 2014 Petter had almost no real opposition but it was a bit better in 2015.
IMO, 2016 was the first proper year of WRX. It had 5 different event winners and it was pretty tight finish to the season.
I think WRX will suffer from the same problem that plagues WRC for many years and that is that if you are not in a factory
team (full factory team or a team with manufacturer backing) you probably won't have a chance of winning the title.
I think the more the season progresses, the more it will show that the factory team cars/drivers are those will be most successful.
Outside of them I think Bakkerud are the probably only one who might be able to challenge the factory drivers.
I also don't think anyone have said that the WRX is joke and most certainly no one said that
Loeb, Ekström, Kristoffersson and Solberg are a joke because they are certainly not.
My personal opinion is that WRC is more exiting then WRX, despite Ogier's dominance.
I wouldn't consider Hoonigan Racing as less of a factory team than any of the 3 other top teams though. MJP and Stard is a notch under the others i guess.Quote:
Originally Posted by BleAivano
Hoonigan Racing is factory backed by Ford Performance, Detroit US.The car is made by the M Sport guys as most of the technical stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by SubaruNorway
I just don't get the people that have point out how they feel that WRX is boring, doesn't take much skill etc. While WRC is much better. And I don't get the people who have the opposite reaction either. It presents different challenges, it is different kind of competition, and neither are for everyone.
You're right. There is no room for comparison.Quote:
Originally Posted by Myrvold
Hoonigan Racing get the most money and support of any teams alongside Audi! Ford have invested a lot into Hoonigan and are getting rather fed up at the lack of results - Block has proven he can't compete at this level, and Bakkerud has already been named Crasherud by the Scandinavian press!Quote:
Originally Posted by SubaruNorway
Peugeot get a little less factory support, but still a fair lump due to the Loeb factor. VW is by no means a factory team yet - they have a little bit of support technically, but they fund themselves and the old PSRX team are still in charge there. The whole team deserve a hell of a lot of credit to be leading the team's championship in a brand new car with far less support than their main rivals!
Is there anything written to indicate Ford being unhappy? I'd have thought the guy they need to keep happy is Ken Block! He's their marketing cashcow. Feels to me when you back a guy like Block it's about way more than simply results on track.Quote:
Originally Posted by pettersolberg29
If anyone at Ford expected any different from Block then they should be fired. As for Bakkerud, he's a quick driver and, let's be honest, probably doesn't do that much more damage to cars than Solberg. But mainly if Ford consider Bakkerud to have had a poor 2016, in a new car, then they are possibly expecting too much. Especially as he took a significant points hit when the car failed at Mettet that would at least have seen him clinch 2nd in the championship.Quote:
Originally Posted by pettersolberg29
I'm not close to the paddock but would be surprised if the net input from Ford is that much once you consider what they get from Block in return. In terms of exposure alone they are getting way more than VW or Peugeot get from their teams (over 21 million views on his Focus Gymkhana video, over 23 million on the previous one that he used the Fiesta for). Plus I'd be amazed if Hansen, PSRX or even Ekstrom are putting up the kind of money that Hoonigan is.
Nothing written, but the paddock is buzzing with rumours about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
As both you and Jan say, the net spend possibly isn't too much due to the incredible reach Ken Block has. However the Ford bosses want that reach to be combined with good results, and they haven't had enough of them. DSTM, but Bakkerud may be driving to save his factory seat in the next few rounds... it's not just his results but the whole thing - he ruins too many cars, and gets a lot of negative press around his driving even when he wins. Agreed he has great talent, and he's a super nice guy, but in an ideal world Ford want a nice, clean winner that they can market using Block's reach.
So that gives them a choice of Ekstrom or Kristofferson, both of whom are tied to manufacturers. Other than that I'm not sure that any of the other drivers have a decent enough combination of quick, nice & careful.Quote:
Originally Posted by pettersolberg29
Edit: Plus I'm not sure in what world it's bad form to have 3 wins & 2 seconds, including being the first driver to dominate an event. Seems to me that Ford what a unicorn to driver their car.
I don't disagree Jan!!
Ekstrom only 8th after Q2 in Mettet... some work to do today to get a good SF place.
Kristopherson & Solberg looking good in 1-2.
Great pic of the Mettet track ! :cool:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_xJcTXXkAAsSBY.jpg:large
Hansen Q3 roll
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_xuNjWXcAAklak.jpg:large
He's out. :(
Well no one can accuse that final of not being action packed. Great racing. A bit gutted for Timmy but the luck finally fell VW's way.
Nice to see EKS not winning !
Bit too much contact going on in the races but that does make it dramatic.
Bakkerud was really unlucky getting taken out by Solberg.
Petter Solberg.
That was lame and silly. To squeeze on the straight and unsafe rejoin.