2011 IRC: rallies, drivers, teams, plans?

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Originally Posted by alleskids

Is Peugeot France providing the whole budget for Bouffier, or does Peugeot Polen have some sharing too? And does it mean Sarrazin will NOT have his championship try?

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Sarrazin really deserves a chance in the IRC - I honestly think he could win the championship. He was one of, if not the fastest driver in Monte this year and the past couple of years too. He could win tarmac rounds and he isn't exactly incompetent on gravel too. However his commitment to Le Mans seems to be (arguably) holding him back.

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Originally Posted by MJW

IRC rally radio with Olivier Quensel said that Petter will be back for Peugeot in another IRC round, possibly Corsica.

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Great news - maybe part of the deal Solberg negotiated to get a DS3. With it being just a simple tarmac round I can see him winning that if he has no issues.

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Originally Posted by cali

Petter hungry for revenge? Bring it on!! Nice to see him back in IRC for more rallyes.

Btw, IRC drivers are no pushovers if we can conclude anything from this years Monte

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IRC drivers aren't pushovers no, but I don't think Petter did much worse than I expected. He was 2nd before the snow chaos despite a rubbish first stage where he lost 30s, and had alternator issues and nothing to fight for this evening on the Turini. I think all this has shown is that Monte is a rally for specialists, and Petter is definately NOT a Monte specialist!

What for?! IRC is better..

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Originally Posted by Barreis

What for?! IRC is better..

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'What for' what? If aimed at my post, I don't understand the question!

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Originally Posted by pettersolberg29

Sarrazin really deserves a chance in the IRC - I honestly think he could win the championship. He was one of, if not the fastest driver in Monte this year and the past couple of years too. He could win tarmac rounds and he isn't exactly incompetent on gravel too. However his commitment to Le Mans seems to be (arguably) holding him back.
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You haven't been following his career much I guess. Check the profile http://www.ewrc-results.com/profile.php?profile=166

Truth is that he's really slow on gravel and on tarmac he only ever did well in Monte and then in Spain on Michelin tires (works subarus were on Pirelli).
Even if he did whole IRC he would have no chance to win the championship.
Mikkelsen, Kopecky and Wilks are much faster than him on gravel and 2 of these also about as fast on tarmac.

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Originally Posted by ridder

You haven't been following his career much I guess. Check the profile http://www.ewrc-results.com/profile.php?profile=166

Truth is that he's really slow on gravel and on tarmac he only ever did well in Monte and then in Spain on Michelin tires (works subarus were on Pirelli).
Even if he did whole IRC he would have no chance to win the championship.
Mikkelsen, Kopecky and Wilks are much faster than him on gravel and 2 of these also about as fast on tarmac.

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Well, I have followed his career for over 10 years but I suppose that doesn't matter ;)

He's not great on gravel, but he'd get 5-8th places I think - around Magalhaes pace. But tarmac events dominate this years IRC and his tarmac pace is great. He should have won the 2009 Monte, had the most stage wins this year and has come 4th twice, 6th and 8th in the WRC with an Impreza that wasn't a good tarmac car when his experience was low. I think he could challenge for wins in every tarmac event except Barum. Just my opinion.

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Originally Posted by pettersolberg29

Well, I have followed his career for over 10 years but I suppose that doesn't matter ;)

He's not great on gravel, but he'd get 5-8th places I think - around Magalhaes pace. But tarmac events dominate this years IRC and his tarmac pace is great. He should have won the 2009 Monte, had the most stage wins this year and has come 4th twice, 6th and 8th in the WRC with an Impreza that wasn't a good tarmac car when his experience was low. I think he could challenge for wins in every tarmac event except Barum. Just my opinion.

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His tarmac pace in the Rallye du Var 2010 was very poor and he is nowhere on gravel, just as as example Gilles Panizzi in the past. We all know that Panizzi was very fast on tarmac, but Sarrazin is only really fast in the Monte-Carlo. I am agree with the comment from ridder about Sarrazin.

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Originally Posted by pettersolberg29

IRC drivers aren't pushovers no, but I don't think Petter did much worse than I expected. He was 2nd before the snow chaos despite a rubbish first stage where he lost 30s, and had alternator issues and nothing to fight for this evening on the Turini. I think all this has shown is that Monte is a rally for specialists, and Petter is definately NOT a Monte specialist!

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My comment was aimed to guys who thought that WRC drivers should win their hands down against IRC "B-class" drivers. This was more of a praise towards IRC guys and I actually think that Petter did well until Friday's night stages. It's always nice to see him on stages and trying to give his best everytime. Waiting for Petter's return to IRC this year, he has a lot to prove and this adds excitement :)

Loix, Sarrazin, Vouilloz, Kopecky, Gardemeister, Delecour are all exWRC drivers so I never kinda got the IRC vs WRC drivers debate.
Think it comes from Hanninen+Meeke beating those exWRC drivers and some people claiming that they would beat Loeb etc. and then other people using the cheap argument of "B-drivers".

- Hanninen and Meeke are IMO on the same level as the top 6 WRC drivers (Latvala, Solberg, Ogier, Hirvonen, Sordo) Loeb is a bit different though.
- the mentioned exWRC drivers did drive quite a few rallies in WRC so there are plenty of opportunities to compare.
- Wilks is usually around 5-6th place in IRC if there's some competition
- Basso seems only fast on smooth tarmac/hairpins rallies, like most of Italian pilots
- Bouffier seems to be a bit behind Hanninen even on tarmac which is his best surface

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Originally Posted by ridder

Loix, Sarrazin, Vouilloz, Kopecky, Gardemeister, Delecour - the mentioned exWRC drivers did drive quite a few rallies in WRC so there are plenty of opportunities to compare.

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Loix IS A 2nd CLASS DRIVER, suspended by a works team and replaced by Robert or Rovanpera, at Mitsubishi totally outpaced by his colleague, at Hyundai not able to outpace Schwarz, another 2nd class driver. Currently serves Loix as a benchmark to me - who beats him regularly with a distance, is in my eyes "qualified to do WRC" (as Meeke or Hanninen) - who can´t, stays at his level... (Kopecky, Bouffier, Wilks). Just now I´m looking for the comparison with Mikkelsen, I´m quite sure he would join the first two...

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Originally Posted by Wim_Impreza

His tarmac pace in the Rallye du Var 2010 was very poor and he is nowhere on gravel, just as as example Gilles Panizzi in the past. We all know that Panizzi was very fast on tarmac, but Sarrazin is only really fast in the Monte-Carlo. I am agree with the comment from ridder about Sarrazin.

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It wasn't too bad - he had a lot of issues and a puncture, and yet still finished close to Bouffier who is French champion and has more experience in the car. Also, comparing him to Panizzi is a compliment...he could have won the WRC based on tarmac rallies alone. Sarrazin could do a similar thing in the IRC as the new points system heavily favours winners. Sarrazin could (not would necessarily) win Monte, Corsica, San Remo and possibly another round. This plus a couple of 4ths could win him the title.