Time's Up for Latvala...

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Originally Posted by bluuford

Have you thought about the possibility that Latvala payed xxxxxx EUR for his first years in Ford and if the results were above level x then he gets free place in Ford team from the date xx.xx.20xx? And if not then team has to pay something for him:-) And Wilson does not want to pay and he hopes that Latvala still improves.

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A bit complicated, but you never know about contracts, how they are built.

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Originally Posted by Buzz Lightyear

Put Latvala in Super 2000 Cup, and teach him how to drive properly.
Sign Solberg for next year, and then bring him back in 2011.
Don't see much wrong with that, other than damaged pride.

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i dont see your point, do you seriously belive that a driver with contract in WRC, voluntarely would swap to boulevard rally, nobody would be that thick.

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Originally Posted by bluuford

Have you thought about the possibility that Latvala payed xxxxxx EUR for his first years in Ford and if the results were above level x then he gets free place in Ford team from the date xx.xx.20xx? And if not then team has to pay something for him:-) And Wilson does not want to pay and he hopes that Latvala still improves.

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Thats exactly the way I think it would work, and for that reason, he is paying to drive for Ford.

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Originally Posted by Tomi

i dont see your point, do you seriously belive that a driver with contract in WRC, voluntarely would swap to boulevard rally, nobody would be that thick.

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You dont see my point?

The two guys that are thumping your guys, have learnt how to driver S1600's, and a particular driving styling, and now have a car that is build/adapted to drive, brake and accelerate the quickest way possilbe... in a straight line. The Fin's (wheather they admit it or not) have not learn't to drive this way, and until they do, they will not beat Loeb/Sordo/Citreon combo

Super 2000 driving style is the exact same as S1600, and for that reason, he will need to learn very quickly.

In the meantime, Solberg helps Ford win the manufacturers title.

Who says it would be voluntary? Your making it sound as if Latvala is calling the shots.

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Originally Posted by Buzz Lightyear

You dont see my point?

The two guys that are thumping your guys, have learnt how to driver S1600's, and a particular driving styling, and now have a car that it adapted to drive, brake and accelerate the quickest way possilbe... in a straight line. The Fin's (wheather they admit it or not) have not learn't to drive this way, and until they do, they will not beat Loeb/Sordo/Citreon

Super 2000 driving style is the exact same as S1600, and for that reason, he will need to learn very quickly.

In the meantime, Solberg helps Ford win the manufacturers title.

Who says it would be voluntary? Your making it sound as if Latvala is calling the shots.

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Latvala has contract to drive WRC for M-Sport for next year, that i know.

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Originally Posted by Tomi

Latvala has contract to drive WRC for M-Sport for next year, that i know.

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Good. It's fun with spread betting, guessing what stage he is going off on.

I'm starting to lose patience with JML as well. Whereas Hirvonen has managed to improve a lot after a difficult beginning, this guy has shown no improvement whatsoever.

As for the question, who could be given the second works Ford drive, I'd personally nominate PGA - a rather overlooked driver IMO. Was faster than Garde in his first full WRC season and was going well in outdated Škoda. Who knows, he may even be championship material.

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Originally Posted by Tomi

Also better to wait until he has a works seat, then the talks about how he beats who ever or is even with who ever becomes relevant, until that, its normally right after the start the cars fault if he cant keep in pace, or even more funny, he is not used to the car, ok there is drivers and DRIVERS, the DRIVERS does result even with limited testing.

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OK Petter is poor-piss driver nowadays. However on stages he has been consistently faster than Latvala in both C4 rallies. Consider also that Petter had never been driving C4 in muddy conditions before rally GB.

Everyone who says that Petter wouldn't beat Latvala and Sordo in a works car has dropped the ball badly IMO.

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Originally Posted by Buzz Lightyear

Put Latvala in Super 2000 Cup, and teach him how to drive properly.
Sign Solberg for next year, and then bring him back in 2011.
Don't see much wrong with that, other than damaged pride.

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Might have worked if they'd done it back in February, temporarily moving JML to Stobart (if they had, I suspect Ford could have the manufacturer's title) or even a couple months ago when Petter was deciding between the 08 spec C4/Focus. But now that Petter owns a C4, I doubt he'd be interested anymore.

I'm a J-M L admirer so have my own bias. I also think Petter is still capable of winning WRC ralies. Prokop and Evind are ,as yet, unproven in WRC and Meeke is a winner who needs a chance, BUT J-M L is capable of winning rallies and for a guy whose first podium was less than 2 years ago (November 2007) I think that he's made an enormous amount of progress. He still needs to learn when not to exceed his limit, but the alternative approach of looking to finish without ever getting near the limit (Wilson) is never going to be competitive. Clearly he also needs to concentrate better but I believe that he can still improve. So what do 'shoestring operation' Ford do? Try to employ a much more expensive Petter. Employ a guy who is unproven in WRC or stick with a guy who has won a WRC event and is still capable of improvement if given the right equipment.