2014 will be more exciting than 2013, for sure!
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2014 will be more exciting than 2013, for sure!
why ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
It doesn't require a lot from a driver to get a seat in Citroen, 2 rallies, 3 crashes and 11 rolls, spot on Colin Clark.
You missed out IRC champion and PSV contracted test driver - just why do people have such a down on Meeke? The day Colin Clark is held up as the arbiter of what's what in rallying we are all in big trouble!Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfun
Come on that line from Colin Clark is tongue in cheek, yet the fact you actually believe that is 'all' Meeke has done in his career is worrying..Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfun
Quote:
Originally Posted by adr17
Very true ^ :laugh: IMHO Mads is VERY VERY VERY lucky he gets a full season drive with a good team after a truly abysmal season. Not many drivers would get a chance like this after a terrible year- think tanak, duval etc, One bad year and they were out of WRC. Hope Mads repays Citroen in results and him and Kris have a great year to make the championship exciting.
He will be back for sure, wait.Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
It was obvious Citroën Racing really wanted two new fresh drivers, at least for the gravel/snow rally's. What i really don't understand is why Citroën didn't gave Meek the third car in Wales. I understand Meeke was already at that time on the hotseat in the team. Missed opportunity for extra experience for British driver, experience what he really needs. But his speed, specially showing in Finland (the most difficult rally of the season) was very good and i think he will shine this year for sure. But i also think he will have his crashes too, you can't blame him too much for that, it's part of the game.
Ostberg, well, his last chance i asume. It's his final breakthrough or it's more or the less over for him to becoming part of a factory-team. Maybe the DS3 WRC will suit him right from the beginning and he finds that last 10% to fight with the best.
For the tarmac rounds i think Citroën will (and must) take another driver (extra or instead of Ostberg). Sordo was the best option but now the must take Bryan Bouffier (think he lost his place to Sordo at Hyundai) or Duval. Give the, only still 33years young, specialist 6-7 testdays, give him some rally's to drive (in the ERC example, rounds in Ireland and Belgium) with the new R5, a good co-driver and he will be up at the front especially in Germany.
All the forum-members asking for new young drivers; well dear people: it could be Citroën's last real season in the WRC, everything is pointing for that direction. So to build up young drivers is sort of a wasted investment. Think of all the options they had, Citroën have taken two good drivers (i only prefered Solberg instead of Ostberg), solid but the combi Meeke-Ostberg can be fast and fighting for the podium for sure on some rally's and that's what's the aim is of the team this season: daily successes.
How do you know what I believe in? I just quoted Colin Clark.Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
With all respect Colin is far more better arbiter than you are.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mintexmemory
Well I have been wrong before. According to my calculations Meeke has started 39 WRC events and only finished in 20.
No athlete wants their major statistic to read: Did Not Finish.
I must protest. It´s obvious you have Meeke in the sky. I hope he´ll do a good 2014 but bashing Ostberg without mention Meeke´s 100% retirement in three(?) rallies doesn´t it say something to you?Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
Ostberg on the other hand was 6th overall in WRD 2013. :kiss:
Because there´s one more factory team and new interesting drivers making up who´s going to be on the podium besides Ogier... :pQuote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbHU8WjIIAA-cSe.jpg
Neuville, Hänninen, Sordo and Atko.
That is a statistic of 50% DNF and that in years that the cars are more and more reliable. Even Duval finished more...Quote:
Originally Posted by litifeta
I really don't understand why Meeke is a full factory driver in 2014. He crashed so much in all his years, even this year, and he is already 34 years old. Citroën could better give this seat to a real young talented driver. This young driver won't crash as much as Meeke will do next year.
I don't see why people are thinking for years that a new WRC season will be very exciting. It is all about to win and Volkswagen and Ogier will be even more dominating in 2014 than they did this year. It is so long ago that we had a real fight for the title between more than 1 or 2 drivers. :(
Which new interesting drivers?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
[/quote]
Because there´s one more factory team and new interesting drivers making up who´s going to be on the podium besides Ogier... :p[/quote]
Which new interesting drivers?[/quote]
If you don´t count it out yourself, please you couldn´t even be a WRC-lover.
I don't see a new interesting driver in the WRC next year really. Ogier, Latvala, Hirvonen, Novikov, Sordo, Meeke, Ostberg: all have a lot of experience in the World Rally Championship. Neuville isn't new anymore, just as Hänninen and Bouffier. Who do you see than as a new driver in the WRC?
maybe for 1-2 rallies then the normal routine will continue.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
The only thing that will make the championship interesting is if Hyundai have a great car to challenge the VW, or if Ogier starts retiring which again will not be good for the championship.
Kubica? But I'm biased TBH.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wim_Impreza
I am assuming that Mikko can only go to Ford now.
Call me an optimist but if that does play out I can see a return to form for Mikko. Mad's will struggle in the Citroen just as Mikko did.
Ford need someone in the other seat who can consistently pull points. Sordo would have been good for that, but no more with him going to Hyundai.
Does anyone have any solid leads on who will end up at Ford?
The positive thing about the 2014 season is that at least nine drivers are getting paid for their job: Ogier, Latvala, Mikkelsen, Meeke, Ostberg, Neuville, Hanninen, Sordo, Atkinson. And if Hirvonen signs with M-Sport, he ought to get paid too, thus rounding the number to ten - that's a major improvement over 2013.
Does anyone know what mean "maybe" in Ari Vatanen peacenotes?
video
http://youtu.be/-R7ws741KpE
Kubica as mentioned, Meeke in factory car, Hanninen in factory car. They are all playing on other levels than they ever did before.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wim_Impreza
From interview in redbull.com - "Mads will have his first test of the Citroen DS3 WRC later this week, ahead of Citroen’s official press conference in Paris on December 16th."
You're talking bollix. Hanninen- like 3-4 wrc rallies in wrc car, Meeke 10 wrc rallies in wrc car, Bouffier - very few maybe even just 1 wrc ralliy in wrc car, and Kubica so i fail to see what you're hoping for?? Do you want these teams to pick some random driver in the first year of his rallying career lol? Besides, Novikov and Ostberg should still improve too so the only really deadbeat driver is sordo- but he won't even being doing whole season. You and N.O.T take your doom and gloom elsewhere if WRC is 'soooo boring' for you :laugh:Quote:
Originally Posted by Wim_Impreza
You said that CC was "spot on"...like that was all Meeke has done ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfun
i never said it is boring... but you are all acting like we are going to see something different... fast drivers will remain fast and slow ones slow.... I cannot see any of the new names doing something spectacular.Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
the champion is almost certain under normal conditions. It is good to see some new names getting full time drives but they will only spice up the fight for the podium places which was always exciting no matter what in last few years.
At least four teams means more competitive crews to follow and spectate. That is definitely good news.
As Harryman says, a maybe. Might be a 3 or a 4 or whatever on the road. Hard to know when you are in a 50kph recce doing the notes and then drive at competition speed.Quote:
Originally Posted by megadrive
I haven't any idea what Colin means with this tweet - " Hearing a wee whisper that we might still be seeing Bryan Bouffier on the Monte in a competitive car. More news in the next few days".
But it will be nice to see Bryan at Monte 2014
Is the third car of Citroen occupied for Monte?Quote:
Originally Posted by rage82
No it is free i think :)Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Hope Brian gets a DS3 WRC drive and some 208 R5 events or Fiesta WRC season.
I thought the same but maybe Bryan is Hyundai test driver for their 2015 car or they were able to arrange some kind of deal?Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Maybe he rents a DS3 WRC like this year. Xavier Panseri writes on his facebook-account something like "no deal with Citroen nor Hyundai"Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
If he should really stay at Hyundai (which I don´t really believe by now), he´s not forbidden to do rallies with other cars, like this year in ERC. He would be stupid to agree to such a contract.
According to Xavier Panseri they will do selected rallies in 2014, but he doesn´t write anything about in which series.
I don't think Bouffier figures in Citroen plans any more. If the Al Qasimmi car is available for any events then it will most likely go to assess a younger talent. If he can get the cash together he can hire a Fiesta WRC (which I suspect for MC) or 208 R5 but it looks like he's not going to get a competition salary contract.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
Only 4 days to wait for the MC entries to be finalised, getting exciting isn't it!
The game of musical chairs is almost over and Mikko doesn't have a seat yet. Should he be worried?
Mikko back at M-Sport makes perfect sense to me, but Wilson was talking like Kubica could be their team leader the other day..
I guess we should expect an announcement from M-Sport very soon!
Malcolm will try everything he can do get Kubica and his sponsors on board :laugh: - albeit Kubica has huge potential aswell. Remember Malcolm saying end of last year that he would welcome Mikko back and doesn't like seeing him walking around the service park unhappy or something like that?- cant remember the exact quotes. But im sure Mikko will drive for Msport next year.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS