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If we compare all finish talents which come into WRC in recent years. They didn't buy out the seat but deserve it purely. Everyone of them did show some progress, won titles and drove great, so at the end it was worth it. Kalle, Lappi, Suninen, Pajari... While all recent M-Sport drivers did buy out the seat, and didn't show anything before and probably will not in the future. Practicaly the underdog of them is Sesks, which does have flashes of great speed and obviously is the only one capable of bringing some good results.
What I'm trying to say is I don't understand why would anyone fund so much for a unproven ''talent'' for a season in top class of WRC, if they could simply fund them the 2/3 seasons in lower classes for the same amount of money or even less and would get away with better results, experience and proper development of driver.
That's why I compare them to finish.. They did deserve those seats while those seating at M-Sport just isn't ready yet. Sorry, but it's true, no matter how much money did they have.
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The guy funding the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, John Coyne, is helping the best of the current drivers from (the island) of Ireland. Maybe only William Creighton could've been too. But they're his choice and it's his money. He's not doing it expecting a return on investment.
Maybe the previous crop - Devine, Cronin, Moffett etc - were much stronger, but the funding wasnt around for them. Luckily Meeke and Breen made it with their own family money and connections.