i really hope that Miko wont win the title. Seb is way more worth it then MH. :P
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i really hope that Miko wont win the title. Seb is way more worth it then MH. :P
Well, for me the real champion is the one who can combine speed and reliability. Mikko's done both so far. I believe he will be a worthy champion in any case, even judging only by the first 9 races. I wish both men good luck, however want Mikko to take the title. It's like when Alonso beat Schumacher...Quote:
Originally Posted by jimakos
For what I've seen in Finland with my eyes Mikko (2k) ;) he's as worth as Sebastien if not more :p :Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghostwalker
I hope Loeb's Cit-crap fell apart.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghostwalker
What is wrong with some people. The champion is the one with the most points, they all get the same oppotunities as each other so if one driver loses thanks to a crash (or two) they have nobody to blame but themselves.
Mikko has been very consistent this year & sometimes thats what wins a championship, Loeb has lost sight of the prize in the 2nd half of the season & it's cost him.
Does anyone else think that Loeb stuggles on new events/stages, is it possible his pace notes are too complex so when he writes new ones they don't have all the info that he needs to drive flat out.
Agreed. Three victories and being on the podium every rally so far except for one (which was only due to a technical failure) with no major errors is more impressive than five victories and three crashes.Quote:
Originally Posted by macksrallye
Still, Mikko doesn't really have much of an advantage in the championship yet; although he's 3 points ahead, it's pretty much a given that Seb will win in Spain and Dani will surely be fast there too. It'll be an excellent second half of the season!
Αgreed there too..!Quote:
Originally Posted by macksrallye
Mikko is definately in trouble in Spain. Not only Loeb and Sordo but he'll haveto watch Ogier too. And I wouldn't be surprised if Citroen hire another specialists to that rally.Quote:
Originally Posted by serial jeff
And from his own camp, Mikko doesn't get any help on tarmac :mark:
Those three points melt like butter in Spanish sun. Mikko has to win yet another rally on gravel. The better if he'll win both, Oz and UK.
Don't be sure for the sun...I hope for changing weather and then everything can happen... :D And Latvala must help!!Ford have to concentrate on one of the championships.Driver's is by far the most reachable goal,so Latvala must contest against Loeb.I know that this is too dangerous,but Sordo will do the same(against Mikko) at least in Spain...Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
Mikko will struggle in spain but Loeb will struggle in Aus, new event, hasn't had much luck on new events lately and at very least going into it his confidence will be down because he has struggled on new events. Add to that driving flat out he couldn't quite match Mikko in Finland (and the new Aus course is meant to be something between Fin & NZ) and I think this title is slowly heading in Mikko's direction.
Of course being rallying, anything can happen.
Absolutely right opinionA.F.F.But don't forget that remain 1 tarmac and 2 gravel events and also Mikko has 3 points difference!!
With the appropriate plan he can take the gravel rallies and go to Spain only for vacation :D
Rally nice job Mikko,well done!!!
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/9cecfcbf12.jpg
Agree. If Mikko can finish third in Spain behind Loeb and Sordo, that is not that bad. Mikko must win both gravel rallies to have a real chance for the title. Still I think Loeb his luck will be at the Frenchman's side and will help him to win another WRC title. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
I f Mikko wants to send a loud message against those who defy him,
he 'd better try to win Loeb In Spain! :D
But I guess he will use all the tactics there are,
In order to get to the point, which Is the title of course..! ;)
I don't care who wins the title, the importing this is that this time around we have a proper fight going on for the honours.
Loeb is out of reach in Spain no matter what odd happens...Mikko's target is Sordo and I would be veeeeeeeery proud of him if he could challenge the Spaniard...Australia will play an important role though....And as I said before it's time for Jari-Matti to deliver....
The problem here is that Hirvonen have to win both gravel rallies that are left. In Catalunya Seb will take four points from Mikko, that's almost guaranteed. I don't remember that Mikko would have won Sordo ever in straight fight on asphalt. And also Spain is Sordo's home rally. If Mikko can't beat Dani in Spain then I think it's too difficult to beat Seb in two gravel rallies in a row, especially in Australia where Seb has road-position advantage.
Maybe the biggest chance for Mikko is if Seb continues to make mistakes.
I don't particularly like current point-system because there is too big emphasis on reliability over speed. But under current standards it have to be said that Mikko has done superb job. He is little Burns-like driver, always finnishing and sometimes also really fast. We have to remember that Mikko has lost eight points due to engine problem in Argentina. Without this point-loss Mikko would be uncatchable already. It's annoying that Seb's package is also so perfect. Perfect driver should be balanced with less perfect car, I think :)
On wrc.com it describes the surface as ''hard packed gravel'' which means it has nothing to do with the previous pea gravel roads...Quote:
Originally Posted by Finni
I agree with you about Seb's package!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Finni
He is really a very good driver but his car and his team is from another planet!
Nobody else has so much support from his team or make mistake??
you make mistake...Quote:
Originally Posted by jimakos
The Frenchman's luck has deserted him of late, hopefully that will continue in Australia, now he can only rely on his obviously superior driving ability (of which there is no doubt) and of course Citroen's help in the form of the bailout from the French taxpayer, rumoured to be in the vicinity of 2 billion euro, glad I don't pay tax in France! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Wim_Impreza
Yes, I too am inclined to believe that the "new" Rally Australia has nothing in commong with the "old" one in Western Australia - except bunch of organisers. This is just my hunch, I do not know for sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Psycho!
Me neither as long as it's Mikko who wins the title :p :Quote:
Originally Posted by jonkka
That is correct. The surface, the nature of the roads, the countryside all have no similarity with those around Perth. When you consider that to drive from where the old Rally Australia took place, to where the new event will take place would take around 3 days and 4500kms it is not hard to understand why.Quote:
Originally Posted by jonkka
Western Australia is a very dry part of the country. Northern New South Wales is anything but dry. Very green and lush countryside. Apparently the majority of the route is through farming country (see Google Maps - Street View for a closer look).
It seems speeds will be somewhere between Finland and NZ. It should be a very picturesque event, good for TV and Media.
There are others on this forum with more experience of the roads than I have, but I can definately confirm that previous experience of Rally Australia is of absolutely no use for 2009.
Sounds brilliant :up:
Quote:
Originally Posted by jonkka
Exactly, if you have a look a a map of Australia Perth is many thousand kms away from where the rally is now located. Perth was mainly forestry roads on a bauxite base which gave it the roller bearing surface, the new event is meant to be on shire roads, i.e. public roads, I have a friend that lives in Palmvale right slap in the middle of the event and he told me that since moving up there in 2002 all his vehicles have had lots of punctures, could be interesting.
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-28.366631...4&z=13&l=0&m=m
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-28.362061...15&l=0&m=b&v=8
He also told me that there is a lot of 'anti-rally' feeling around this area, how far these people are prepared to take their anti-rally feeling could be interesting as well.
Very useful informations mate!Quote:
Originally Posted by bda
It seems Australia would be a completely different rally from these we have seen last years!!
I'm happy for the gravel mode because I want new stages to come up ;)
Heh, depending on his driving style and type of tyres it could either be prelude to disaster or mean nothing at all. Given that current WRC tyres w/o mousse can take the beating that Acropolis and Cyprus throw at them I am hopeful and really hope that punctures won't be the decider in title race.Quote:
Originally Posted by Camelopard
Ah, that explains why Rally Australia web site has a special section dedicated for the residents of the area. Something I've not seen anywhere else.Quote:
Originally Posted by Camelopard
For those who don't know, the rally is situated very close to the hippie capital of Australia. They appear to have been surprised and severely offended at the thought of anyone using motor cars for fun/sport. Regardless of the fact that rallies have been conducted under their very noses for many years now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Camelopard
Some of the local residents have justified complaints. Mainly around access to their properties, noise, dust etc. during the event. Nothing new for a major event I would think.
I think the biggest issue revolves around the state government introducing legislation just for this event, that effectively removes the local councils from the approval process. ie the community's elected representatives effectively have no say in whether the event runs or not. Probably very aggravating if you are not a rally fan.
However, the small number of locals I have spoken to are ecstatic about the rally being in town. Most of the anti rally talk on the internet is nothing short of hysteria with very little basis in fact.
Whatever happens I will be there with highly polished brass knobs on, camera in hand.
GO MIKKO - GO YOU GOOD THING.
Sorry for the long post. Got carried away.
tree huggers are always a fun adition to every rally.....
I wonder if Malcolm would still have let JML win in Italy if he'd known how close the championship would be now?
If he knew how the championship go on maybe JML had slow down a little for helping Mikko,but nothing is sure!Quote:
Originally Posted by serial jeff
Hope Mikko and JML will make the 1-2 in Australia :p
(First Hirvonen of course) :D
Malcolm has never shown much interest in promoting one of his drivers for drivers' title - he lets them fight fairly. His only action related to this is to freeze positions when both cars are in commanding lead and fight between team's driver would jeopardize that. Examples of this are plenty from McRae-Sainz -era when two big egos were in same team.Quote:
Originally Posted by serial jeff
Oh damn I am in France currently and payed some taxes.. ;-)
Well I was in Australia in 2007 and visited Mount Warning district and Tweed district and drove the same roads they are going to rally. I must say that those roads were very similar to Finland but narrower and much, much more stones on the road. and on that time of the year it is still very humid as well. So, I expect the sweeping effect to be near zero. Anyway, who has the possibility to go there, must use the possibility. Even the nature without rally is worth watching.
Greetings from France!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Camelopard
this thread is going well i approve it....
What about a new point system in WRC?
I can see that the difference between drivers is extremely big!
Something must be done for that,hey?
Any suggestions or information??
2004 Monte? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by jonkka
I think it's time to start talking again about WRC!
Hirvonen has the chances with his place this year but will he take the championship?
Loeb seems a little bored and not concetrated for first time last years.
And for the battle of 3-4 Latvala can make it and take the 3rd position but needs at least 3 pondiums in a row...
We have to wait until next weekend to take a look of what will be done in the one of the most unpredictable championships of last years ;)
If Mikko would have had that same killer attitude he had in Finland and really risked for win at OZ, I would have cheered for his title this year. But unfortunately he played it safe and took the second best points from Australia and basicly let Sebastien to take the win. Now he has one point lead which after Catalonya will be lost. There's a risk Mikko will have to struggle for podium. When Rally GB is at hand, if Mikko is behind Loeb more than one point, and one point only, he has lost the title.
Well, thre's always a next year.... :dozey:
The main think for Spain is to beat Sordo.Loeb is for sure out of reach,we all know that...Bear in mind though that Spanish roads are exactly the same as last year,so that's a little help for Mikko.He knows what he will face and this will help the team to adjust better to the event's requirements,because last year they had screwd up in the first loop...If Sordo beats him then he will need help from Jari or Petter...As for his attitude in Australia,during the pre-event interviews he seemed rather afraid for a possible retirement and talked more for second rather than first place...Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
PS:Since 2004 we say ''next year''.This curse must be solved somehow,because we will reach 2020 saying ''next year''... :eek: