Mikkelsen admits his first full WRC season with Hyundai has been a "nightmare" so far, but has reason to believe Italy this week will be his turning point:
https://t.co/gOBLIusTbS
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Mikkelsen admits his first full WRC season with Hyundai has been a "nightmare" so far, but has reason to believe Italy this week will be his turning point:
https://t.co/gOBLIusTbS
Well the contrast with the 3 rallies in Hyundai last year has been huge. In Spain he led after gravel first day, same in Australia before double-puncture, in GB he was 4th with best saturday leg after Evans.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
This year only Sweden was good. On gravel he has only shown speed in short sections here and there.
Really hard to see how the car has changed so much in those 2-3 months of break.
Anyway he has never done well in Italy, so I don't expect much.
He forgot to mention that his speed on tarmac is even worse than on gravel.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
You should be pissed when you see your teammate (who is not doing even full season) and a guy with first full season behind wrc car ahead of you in overall standings midway through the season.
Its the last moment for him to wake up, or he can already write off this season.
Much as I like Craig, a Breen/Ostberg lineup for Citroen is pretty underwhelming.
As 2nd and 3rd drivers ok..
Yes, they are good second drivers but not rally winners.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Exactly. That's why I dont see any point Citroen continuing in 2019 unless they go all out and sign Ogier.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
But if he's happy at M-Sport then ...
The weirdest rumor to come out of my circle is that Toyota is interested in Meeke for 2019.
I for one don’t know who he would replace or maybe he will run a 4th car like what Nasser was planning to do?
I’m surprised Toyota is interested...
Maybe the Polo flattered him, or he was so used to it that he's found it really hard to adapt with the i20.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
I think he will get better once he's comfortable.
The really weird thing for me is the difference between the 3 rallies in i20 in 2017 and start of 2018.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
If you meant only tarmac with your comment then, he also did well on tarmac in C3 in Germany. On the other hand I20 did well on tarmac only in Corsica last year (this year even Neuville struggled).
I'm quite surprised as well. I can't see whom he should replace? Obviously not Tanak. Compared with Latvala they are about the same, so don't see what's to gain. Lappi is not (yet) as fast on some events, but dropping him now when he is just going up would be insane.Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
4th car? With the current points system and nomination of only 3 cars there is mostly not much to gain from that (ex. Sordo in Portugal didn't really help Hyundai in any of the 2 championships).
Tommi Mäkinen has denied these rumors here https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-200000...6.html?ref=rssQuote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
Well, he also denied Tänak-related rumors last year...although that decision was logical, unlike this.
Hmm, I would need to check back some old articles but I remember him always giving a politician's answer like "of course we are interested in all fast drivers but we haven't decided anything yet" when asked about Tänak, and it was Tänak himself who denied it just weeks before announcing the deal on his blog. But here Mäkinen is more abruptly straight than usually saying that "Autosport's information is incorrect. Meeke is not coming to the team".Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarmop
EDIT: Here's an example of that https://www.is.fi/ralli/art-2000005303339.html--> "That kind of drivers are always on our candidate list. We must look into winners if we want to do well, said Mäkinen about Tänak"Quote:
"– Tuollaiset kuljettajat ovat aina meidän ehdokaslistallamme. Kyllä meidän täytyy katsella voittajia, jos haluamme pärjätä, Mäkinen sanoi Tänakista"
EDIT2: David Evans also wrote about Tänak rejecting Toyota, like he now wrote about Toyota being interested in Meeke https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...stay-at-msport
Well despite 'excessive amount of crashing' Meeke does have more points than Latvala this year in a car which is probably not as good as the Toyota.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
But I don't see Tommi dropping a Finn for Meeke either..
IF (strong if) Ogier is going to Citroen. Do you see any point of M-Sport continuing?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
M-Sport would also have only those "good second drivers but not rally winners" ;)
There is a difference though.Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
M-Sport is there to make money/living. Sure WRC is probably not where they make most, but they use knowledge/advertising from there to get money from other areas (R5 sales++).
Citroen sport is there to get publicity (which usually comes from good results, or from Loeb driving).
to me it sounds like it is exactly the point of M-Sport continuing. Haven't they always been there season after season despite lower lineup (Ostberg Camilli for exemple wasn't the dream team)?Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
somehow I don't see them stopping any time soon
M Sport didn't stop during 2014-2015, without sponsors and with minimal support from Ford. Do you really believe they will stop now?
Yep, M-Sport is a rally/racing business and WRC is the place to be to promote the other cars they run and SELL (R5, R2's etc).
And anyway I dont see Ogier moving.
I don't see Kris going to Toyota either. From what I have read, sordo is not so keen on doing full season anymore.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Paddon might be interested in Citroen, if they are interested in him that would free up a slot at Hyundai for a possible half season. Think that would be Kris' only real opportunity.
As for the whole Meeke excessive amount of crashes statement, given he has scored in 4 out of 6 rallies, crashed because of co driver error, it is only really the Portugal incident this year. Kinda feel Citroen have over reacted. Go to any race track, and there are notices on display, stating that Motorsport is dangerous and death or serious injury can happen. These notices are aimed at spectators, as well as competitors.
If Citroen are really that worried, they could pack in rally and go do the redbull soapbox series instead. May be a little safer :)
That's just excuse for the public. The real reason we'll never know. But considering his "record" this year isn't impressive is it? Ogier has same amount of crashes and still has 3 1st placesQuote:
Originally Posted by Norm75
It looks like it, but why can’t Toyota also try a shared 3rd car, between Latvala and Meeke? With Tanak as leading driver and Lappi getting more experienced, Latvala chances to become WDC are weakening, no matter how hard he tries. Maybe a shorter programme, providing less pressure and more time to prepare his favourite rallys (like Sordo is now doing) would be good for him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Norm75
Without Ogier they still can be competitive if they enter Paddon or Tidemand (or both!) alongside Breen and Ostberg. Above all let’s hope they resist to bring Lefebvre or Camilli…Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Yes, I know it is, pretty much everyone knows it is too which is why it is lame excuse. To be fair to Kris, he's had his share of bad luck, picking up punctures while leading or in podium positions. It's not all his fault, but bad luck does seem to follow him around.Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
Yes, I know it is, pretty much everyone knows it is too which is why it is lame excuse. To be fair to Kris, he's had his share of bad luck, picking up punctures while leading or in podium positions. It's not all his fault, but bad luck does seem to follow him around.Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
In Monte Meeke spun and reversed into a ditch and went into a snowbank. In Sweden again into a snowbank. In Mexico clipped a plant pot and put the car on its side in the ditch. Corsica was Paul's mistake, but then again he's a part of the team and they both were sacked. A bit more than Ogier's small mistake in Portugal. And obviously it's not just this year but all of last year's wrecks.
Yes Monte mistake but still a reasonable result and 17 points in the bag. Plant pot cost him what, half a second?
Pretty much half the field went into a snow bank in Sweden, yes Meeke has made a few mistakes but it's often the case that the punishment didn't fit the crime.
But yes, as a Meeke fan, often watching and waiting for something to happen!
https://www.rallye-magazin.de/wrc/ar...bastien-ogier/
Dream car thread recall...
https://s5.postimg.cc/9xzdcs32f/o_C.jpg
It's good to hear that Citroen's program for 2019 and 2020 is confirmed
Money is their issue. Wrecked cars are costing them too much. Safety is just an excuse for the public so they don't sound like cheapstakesQuote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
Yes could be. But also the Loeb outings has revealed the car has potential which Meeke didn't utilize. I believe they believe Meeke has reached his maximum and there is no more to require from him. Breen still has room for improvement.Quote:
Originally Posted by ESTR
Loeb had a 50% crash rate on his 2 rallys.Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
He was on a wing and a prayer to try and win each rally. Meeke was try to keep in championship hunt. 2 different mind sets and they were separted by a handful of seconds.. Both Loeb & Meeke maximum is the potential to win any rally they enter Breen, Otsberg and in reality, the car.. are soooo far off that position.. that the rest of this year is damage limitation..
Quote:
Originally Posted by ESTR
If I believe what I heared the pre event test for Citroen, without Meeke was a severe reality check. Confirmed by Breens comments.
Budier is trying to spin the situation with Ogier rumour and 2019/20 wishy washy comments to deflect what was a complete PR disaster.
In reality no-one is going to put the car where Meeke or Loeb between now and end of the year.. so why will Ogier risk his career stepping into a car that is fundamentally flawed, and team that isn't fully commitmented, with a car that will likely only get a fluke of a podium between now and year end. In fact why would any other driver do so?
I wouldnt like to be in Breens shoes... He hasn't exactly had an exemilary damage record that last 3 or 4 events... How will Citroen react is Breen put it on its roof?
Yes, totally forgot about that. But he is like "100" years old, his reactions are getting slower, and it's not like Meeke is coming to his prime either, soon he'll be as old as Loeb in 2013.Quote:
Originally Posted by wrc2017
There's a lot of talk here about money, image, the cost of repairing cars etc... But there's been no talk of the wider implications of allowing Meeke to continue to compete and to continue to risk lives.Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
Yes, there is risk inherent in rallying. But it's managed and calculated risk. When you stop managing risk, and allow known dangers to go unchecked, surely you are culpable when things go wrong?
However high the esteem in which we regard Meeke as a sportsman, he is still an employee of a company and they surely have both legal and moral responsibilities to ensure his safety and that of others who may be affected by his actions.
If you had a forklift driver working in your warehouse who had a propensity to run into things, knock things over and endanger life and limb, would you continue to employ them in that role?
If you had a builder who was always dropping their tools and materials or falling off scaffolding, would you keep sending them up the ladder?
It's been suggested already on this forum that the decree to dismiss Meeke came from higher up than team management.
Is it not possible, or even likely, that the parent company management have seen the results of the Portugal crash, which could very easily have involved fatalities, and determined that there is strong evidence of a pattern which is heading for disaster and that the risk is too great ... both to life and the company chequebook?
As You said there is always risk in Rally, at any point the things can go terribly wrong. We're all aware of that, and it's not like the Group B days will return with those fatalities. As for the image, they already had the maximum of the situation, like "look how strong and safe our cars are, the crew escaped uninjured from this heavy crash". Costly, yes certainly, but no matter the costs and risks, there is no reason to continue like this for what gain - 1-2 victories for the whole season, and that with all the advantage the rally can give like road position, etc. It's simply not worthy.Quote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
Seems that I've missed something. Could you elaborate?Quote:
Originally Posted by wrc2017
That Meeke has the best experience on setuping C3 and without him as a reference it's supposedly difficult. It's a place of growing for Breen.Quote:
Originally Posted by Franky
Could be difficult or it can turn out that it may be better when the team is setting up the car based on comments by Breen and Ostberg. Although I remember Loeb saying his set up was not much different than Meeke, so it would seem that Meeke had good knowledge of setting up the C3.
Meeke's setup for the DS3 was very similar to Loeb's, as supposedly they have similar styles, so this could be the case with the C3 as well. And maybe you are right, in Sweden Breen went by what Ostberg said, and they both were much faster than Meeke. We will see.Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
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