You mean Ogier instead of drivers, right?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jewy46
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You mean Ogier instead of drivers, right?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jewy46
And neuville prob saying he was picked out first on purpose
As I said at the time of Rally Spain, Loeb could have cost Ogier the Championship (points) by coming in and taking the win.
And with Budar saying in Australia how he wanted Ogier with the #1 on their car next year...
It's not about any 'use' for their points, it's about not writing in a record book that the person who really finished 5th or 6th in a rally scored points for coming 2nd.Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
It also takes away competition. There would have been no reason for anyone to even try catching Loeb in any of his events. Or Bouffier in Monte or Corsica. Or Paddon in the rounds he drove. Or Ostberg...
One thing I really like in WRC is that WRC2 and WRC3 cars all qualify for points. So when Tidemand or Kopecky finish 7th and Mikkelsen finishes 8th, those are the points they get. Don't change that please.
So if guest drivers had to open the road, teams could call in their "guest drivers" for sweeping the road for their championship contenders?
https://as.com/motor/2018/11/28/mas_...o_rsoc=comp_tw
Sordo to have 10 rallies next year at Hyundai. All except Sweden, Finland, Wales and Australia.
My speculation about rotating all four drivers...
Monte: Sordo, Mikkelsen
Sweden: Mikkelsen, Paddon
Mexico: Sordo, Paddon
Corsica: Sordo, Paddon
Argentina: Sordo, Mikkelsen
Chile: Sordo, Mikkelsen
Portugal: Sordo, Paddon
Sardegna: Sordo, Paddon
Finland: Mikkelsen, Paddon
Germany: Sordo, Mikkelsen
Turkey: Sordo, Mikkelsen
Wales: Mikkelsen, Paddon
Spain: Sordo, Paddon
Australia: Mikkelsen, Paddon
10 rounds for Sordo, 9 for Mikkelsen and Paddon. Tarmac rounds split between Mikkelsen and Paddon.
Or Paddon out and Huttunen to compete in 4 remaining rounds.
Why would they do that?Quote:
Originally Posted by dupanton
To give Huttunen, guy they've invested in, his first outings in the main class?Quote:
Originally Posted by GravelBen
And if they're trying to take the manufacturers championship, would it seem a smart move to replace a driver with Paddon's level of proven performance (rally winner, multiple podiums etc) with an unproven youngster who hasn't really been standing out in WRC2?Quote:
Originally Posted by Allez Andruet
I can see that this discussion between a person from New Zealand and another from Finland is not going anywhere. :)
Paddon could be out of the team for getting a full season elsewhere, thus Sordo having more rallies and skipping only the ones he doesn't like. Meanwhile, Huttunen recently tested the WRC car.
Still a lot of unknowns. Hopefully we know soon.
Maybe not purely from that point of view, but for example in a scenario where Hyundai is limited to run only three cars in all rallies, the decision to bring Huttunen in has to be done at some point. And at the cost of someone else (pending Hyundai still believes in its investment - recent news about Huttunen testing the car would make you think they still do).Quote:
Originally Posted by GravelBen
As much as I'd like to see Huttunen in WRC, I really hope it won't mean that Paddon's out.
What IF the big news about Tidemand out of Skoda means that he will be in Hyundai next year. I mean it is possible, he is way better than Huttunen for WRC seat if we compare these two.
Tidemand to M-Sport is also a possible move with him bringing some support.
Well, it would then be just the four rounds that Sordo skips, and maybe some R5 action. But I don’t see them picking him over Paddon, or letting go of Huttunen so soon after investing in him.Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
Like I wrote elsewhere, maybe Citroen with a season split between WRC2Pro and some WRC drives?
I agree with something like this but maybe because of the "Super Team" of Toyota in 2019 Hyundai may now be contemplating 4 cars at all events next year. I noticed Paddon was in Korea this week and surely if he was out of the team he wouldn't be there now? So perhaps Paddon and Mikkelsen will do complete seasons and Sordo will share with HuttunenQuote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Mikkelsen has struggled pretty much all year with the i20 set-up. Some driver's just dont get on with some car's.
It may do him good to try elsewhere.
What difference do they get from running 4 cars? Only 3 nominated cars collect manuf. points. OK, possibly more points for the WDC, but 1. it is very expensive 2. the season hasn`t even begun, nobody knows, where they could be next year, like Neuville had a downfall a few seasons ago 3. current top 3 is quite hard to match, and apart from Neuville, who himself is currently in the top3, his teammates are nowhere near, unless the first have issues.
Not entirely sure, but I guess the following may be behind it:Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarmop
They can run a driver who maybe in a learning phase still - gain experience.
Also they have the potential to fill positions that may take WDC points off another driver.
To me the latest announcement from Skoda regarding Tidemand not continuing and wishing him luck for next year seems to indicate that he is going somewhere specific next year not just out of Skoda, could be any of the 3 teams with free seats. Then there's Breen/Sordo/Ostberg/Paddon/Evans so that's potentially 6 drivers. I'm assuming Mikkelsen's contract assures him to drive all rounds but maybe not?
We only know for sure Hyundai will run 3 cars on all rallies. Maybe more but that's not certain. Citroen say they are thinking about it and MSport are saying nothing yet. Worst case is Citroen and MSport run just 2 full time cars and Hyundai 3 so that's just 2 full season seats available, I hope it won't be this, its much more interesting when the field has depth. Even if the worst case doesn't happen and there are more, some of those drivers will be left out and not all of them will have full season drives.
I think we may have to wait a bit to get a better picture, probably the budgets for next year aren't decided yet for the manufacturers and MSport i think depends a lot on what sponsors they get or budget of potential drivers who may themselves depend on sponsors and so on. So yeah it may drag on a bit. It may not even be clear by Monte who will drive what car for the full season. The thing is the main players have been decided already and of the drivers that are left there is no one who stands out enough either as an established star or a future prospect. Probably Sordo and/or Ostberg would be attractive for a manufacturer that wants to win the constructors championship as a "safe" 3rd driver.
Hyundai said that they would be happy if this lineup from current season would stay for the next too. So that means Paddon got an offer from them but probably only half a season. And if he is seeking for a full time drive then he is the one that he wants to go elsewhere, not that Hyundai would pick someone else over him. Sure they are talking to others too if Paddon will go and Sordo doesn't want full season. By my personal view first persons that can fill the spot is Breen or Ostberg but just 4 rounds for them two is simply just a joke... So then there is lower class and who is better. Pontus or Huttunen? And Huttunen got a few occasions and showed nothing really impressive. So put him in a 4 rounds which is a lot for a driver who is not ready even for a WRC2 wins or a regular podiums is a big no no. I'm not saying that they need to put Tidemand in all 4 remaining rounds but choosing Huttunen over him is a bit silly. Maybe each one 2 rounds and then they would see where they are.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Believing that’s Sordo real programme, those remaining 4 events aren’t Paddon favourites? I believe Nandan said he’d get something for Paddon and 4 WRC events alongside a WRC2 Pro campaign could be it, especially if Mikkelsen contract grants him a full season.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Btw, it’d be great having Huttunen driving the WRC car a couple of times, but if they're serious about manus title they should run him as a 4th driver.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Finland and Australia would be his favourite WRC rounds I think. He's often been the best Hyundai driver in Finland, and usually does well in Sweden too. Hasn't typically had great results in Wales though. I don't think they would only give him 4 rallies anyway, if he's there it should be for more than that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Well, if they would give Mikkelsen, Sordo and Paddon each 10 events, they would need two starts with the fourth car...
Paddon is also good in Argentina, Sardegna and Portugal. Conversely, I don't remember him ever being remarkably fast in Wales or Finland.Quote:
Originally Posted by GravelBen
Breen to Hyundai? At the end of Autosport piece about Loeb it was said Breen was in talks with MSport and Hyundai; some spanish sites are now telling he may share the 3rd i20 with Sordo…
http://www.revistascratch.com/wrc/no...ni-sordo-47591
On 3 events? Or taking away promised 3 rounds from a solid points scorer and once again maybe loose the championship?
[QUOTE=Tarmop;1201286]On 3 events? /QUOTE]
The piece doesn't confirm Sordo will make 10 events; it sugests it'll be an evely share, like this year.
Btw, Clark is also making a wild guess about Loeb in Hyundai on Twitter…
Loeb has some logic in it, they are a bit present in WRX...
I like Colin, he's amusing, but I think at this point we should disregard his predictions. Most of us here seem to be better at reasoned guess work than him!Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
He's entertaining and that's about it. Nothing else.Quote:
Originally Posted by the sniper
So Loeb Mikkelsen and Sordo?? The silly season is far from over. Loeb at Hyundai would be super cool. They can bring him in to piss off Ogier when they need someone to earn or deduct points.. lol
Heard a rumour out of the North Pole this week that Christmas has been cancelled. Apparently all of Santa's elves have been seconded to TGR to produce extra body panels ahead of Kris Meeke's debut drive with the team.
Maybe that Toyota needs crash test, so they can be even better for the future.
Sounds like a load of shit to me, but I guess if you really believe in Santa and his Elves, then anything might seem reasonable to you. Let's just see what Meeke can do, now he's in that car. A pixie told me he might just win the world championship next year...Quote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
Oh, when it's elfcraft no worries then.Quote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
No more shit than most of the outrageous unfounded speculation appearing throughout this thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
Actually I think it would made Ogier drive better. This year in Mexico it looked like his motivation levels went up 200% after Loeb started posting good times on friday.
I thought everyone knew he's going to Pikes Peak with an electric Peugeot Link :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power