Silly Season 2026

A perfect reminder for everyone, nobody inside the team is going to confirm anything before it's time to confirm it.

Quote from post Nov 5th:

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Originally Posted by flat_right

Latvala says that he hasn't talked with Tänak: https://www.iltalehti.fi/ralli/a/286...2-ebd9c947beb9

"I can honestly say that I have not been in any way with Tänak", Latvala says to Iltalehti. "Of course, there are other members of the team's management team, and I can't comment on what they're doing.

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And quote from post five days later:

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Originally Posted by EstWRC

Latvala to Delfi Estonia: "I think every driver, when their contract is about to expire, starts to look around and ask the teams what the options are. Ott also contacted us and asked about the situation, but we had the lineup together by then," Latvala commented.

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Originally Posted by rallyfiend

This salary took a very big reduction hit when he both left to go to M-Sport, and then again when he returned to Hyundai.

He had no leverage so had to take a hit when returning to Hyundai. So maybe they did offer him an increase to stay, but it was starting from a much, much lower base. The win bonus was high, but you need to be winning to get that benefit....

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I don't know if there has ever been published how much WRC drivers earn but at least in Estonia, we do some proxy analysis. And for 2023 season, Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti wrote that it has been one of the most paid seasons for Tänak https://www.kauppalehti.fi/uutiset/a...6-35786a3ce1cb

This news was also cited in Estonian media, where they say it was about 4.9M €. Which is as close what he earned in Hyundai. One thing I’ve learned about Tänak is that he’s just as fierce a businessman as he is a driver. He got this trait from his mentor, Markko Märtin, who was even more intense in that regard. Just look at Ott’s contract negotiations with Adamo when Adamo tried to bring him over from Toyota. I don't remember how many Excel revisions he had to make... something close to 100 if I recall correctly. So there was no chance that he accepted to go to M-Sport for pennies.

Adamo

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I think I exchanged 168 Excel files with Markko about the contract.

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Just sending blank pdf files would have taken hours haha.. :D Adamo really was on a mission

I believe Jari-Matti is still honest 5 days later, because Ott had contacted "us", don't mean contacted him personally, because he is not a contact person for such decisions in the team.

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Originally Posted by jonkka

A perfect reminder for everyone, nobody inside the team is going to confirm anything before it's time to confirm it.

Quote from post Nov 5th:



And quote from post five days later:

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I believe Jari-Matti is still honest 5 days later, because Ott had contacted "us", don't mean contacted him personally, because he is not a contact person for such decisions in the team

Munster not sure about his future, might drive a Rally2 next year.
https://www.rtbf.be/article/gregoire...chain-11629408

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Originally Posted by spark13

I believe Jari-Matti is still honest 5 days later, because Ott had contacted "us", don't mean contacted him personally, because he is not a contact person for such decisions in the team

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Semantics. Claiming not to know anything when he most certainly knew if potential hire contacted someone in the team. The lesson is, do not trust anything team members say until official word is out, they will call black white and not blink an eye.

What would M-Sport do if Munster is out, then? Sesks and Mcelrean? Armstrong isn't there yet. Doubtful they pay for anyone else, especially if RB/Ford don't greenlight a new car for 2027. Guess we will know more in January,when Ford and RB begin their partnership officially.

I suggest Romet for the M-Sport seat.

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Originally Posted by WRCStan

I suggest Romet for the M-Sport seat.

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IMO seems a bit early, WRC2 championship should be his target in 2026.