http://www.autosport.com/news/report...e-bid--latvala
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Not sure JML is qualified to be giving advice on title bids. "Yeah Esapekka it will take you at least 14 years..."Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli
JML probably feeling a little threatened or maybe just being hard on Lappi in a positive way. I actually think Lappi will be close to Latvala's times in Germany. Not for every stage, but I bet he puts in some good stage times as the rally progresses.
Or maybe he's trying to help remove some of the pressure from Lappi's shoulders heading into next year. Kind of an interesting dynamic though given they are both Finns and team-mates. Fresh new influx of flying Finns is great for the country and the sport, but Latvala is no longer the only top Finn.Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
Last year I would have agreed. This year I'm sure he's a proper title contender, for the first time since 2014. It's a shame the Yaris' reliability wasn't the best in the last two rounds; I don't have a doubt in my mind that he'd be under 10 points behind Ogier and Neuville right now had it not been for Poland and Finland.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
Sisu 2018 hype train begins!
Also, I think its constructive criticism from JML. It seemed that Esapekka took it well too, maybe EP has Latvala as a sort of mentor going into next year.
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Now imagine that Ott goes to Toyota as rumoured.
My question is:
16 rounds... approved by the FIA
What's stopping teams like M-Sport or Citroen who will complain there are too many rounds and they don't compete in 4 of them?
I see no problem with that!
did you have an accident lately ? or you were like that from birth ?Quote:
Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1
name a driver aiming for the title that is going to accept to drive for them....
That's what the said about Rally NZ a few years ago tooQuote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
the rules:Quote:
Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1
unless they do not register as a manufacturer of course.Quote:
A Manufacturer:
7.2.1 Undertakes to take part in all the rallies of the Championship with a minimum of two (2) World
Rally Cars complying with the 2017 Appendix J, Article 255A.
http://www.rallit.fi/kalle-rovanpera...nen-kommentti/
Harri Rovanperä says about Kalle negotiating with M-Sport and being in the Hyundai program "it's too early to think about [next year]. We'll turn all the cards during the autumn. There could be other things going on [than M-Sport and Hyundai] and actually there is."
In this other article http://www.rallit.fi/rovanpera-ja-ka...armasti-hyvin/ he talks about the Hyundai program, basically confirming Kalle being there and believing Kalle will go to the final round.
Vatanen about Meeke
http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/20...p-ari-vatanen/
Jimmy McRae in that article:
"If Kris is on the game and he’s happy, Kris will beat Loeb."
Think he's missing the point a bit. I don't think Citroen's goal is to show he can beat Meeke, or to show that Loeb is still fastest. The main reasons for any drive (or even testing) by Loeb is:
a) PR, which they get from a few rallies no matter how Loeb finishes
b) to make sure a Citroen driver can drive for WDC and Citroen team can challenge for manu champ. by either making the car faster/better handling and/or getting points. If you turn it around you could even say that Loeb's goal is to make their n1 driver doing the full season (Meeke atm) happy.
Just had to straighten out this storyQuote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
In 1984, 205 T16 wasn't introduced until Tour De Corse. Vatanen had two retirements in the two first events: In Corsica he crashed out after the intercom had gone out and in Acropolis the engine failed. That's really not half a season of mistakes...Quote:
The 1981 champion pointed to an example set by his former team boss Jean Todt, whom he drove under whilst at Peugeot Talbot Sport between 1984 and 1985. He had failed to finish a rally at the mid-point of his debut season with the French team, but won his next five rallies in a row immediately after securing a one year contract extension into ’85.
ewrc results proves that ari exaggerates A LOT.he just wants something to say.
About Ari comment. As always, everything that is excessive becomes insignificant. Is it really useful to add Oil on the fire? Let them work quietly and solve concrete problems which temporarily affect C3. Tomorrow will be another day....
Not news or even a rumour but interested to see what others think.
With the surprise ending of VW from the WRC, and the withdrawal of Audi and now Porsche from WEC, don't you think the VAG Group should stop playing around with Skoda in the WRC2 category and move back to the top tier? Skoda has won almost everything they can with the R5, surely they must be thinking of the next step.
Seems like VAG were burnt by the whole diesel scandal and had to do something to redeem themselves. It feels like VW's WRC withdrawal and both Audi and Porsche now focused on Formula E is part of this process.
With the Polo WRC 17 sitting collecting dust somewhere, it now seems the perfect opportunity to launch the Fabia WRC 17. With all the ground work and testing been done with the Polo, it almost seems like a Skoda WRC programme is potentially so easily achievable.
With the Polo R5 being being launched next year as a customer car, is it time must to switch rolls between these marques?
With 116 years of motor sport history, and over 50 in rallying, surely it's time for Skoda's big push to win something of significance. A best result of 3rd in the Safari in 2001 doesn't really reflect their long time presence in the sport.
Anyway just a thought.
Imo it's extremely unlikely that VAG would led Skoda run in the top category while simultaneously selling lower category car.
Then again right now Skoda is still developing Fabia R5 for next season while VW is developing polo R5. Might be that this is the last iteration of the Fabia R5 Skoda is allowed to produce.
My impression from Skoda R5 program was that it gives lot of PR with tons of Fabias running and winning in just about all national championships for relatively low cost, so why stop it. But it's not like the decision to drop VW after they spend all the money on making the 2017 Polo was based on cost/benefit thinking.
If VAG are pulling out Porsche from WEC already, thats quite a straight change in direction course. It means they are determined to go electric no matter what. And that seem to exclude WRC from the picture from the time being..... for all VAG brands. I guess their venue will be Formula-E & possibly WRX for the moment.
But VW Polo R5 will be in same league of Skoda Fabia R5. Why contest in same level two makes of same group?
THIS! i have always wondered the sameQuote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
for the same reason there is a 208 R5 and a Ds3 R5Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
The VAG group saw something in privateer racing. Being with the GT3 Audi's, the TCR Seat or the R5 Fabia. They discovered that pushing good privateer cars, can be more significant than spending millions on official efforts. Being German, they're very rational in doing things, that's why they're so good and suceed. If you can make money and be able to have your brand recognized specialy at a local level, for them it's better than spending 200 m€ in a WEC project for not that big of an audience. By having a costumer option in the National/privateer level they can do the same brand recognition and still make money by selling cars, parts and updates. It's a smart way to do business. At the same time, they're focusing on releasing new and improved product for those costumers. In TCR you have Seat, VW and Audi, in GT Racing you have Lamborghini, Porsche and Audi and in rallying they have Skoda and VW again in a near future. Don't be surprise to see a Skoda Rapid TCR or a Seat Ibiza R5... that's just they're new way!Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
(Sorry if I cannot make my point completly understandable, I'm just too sleepy!!)
ok thanks for explaining it to my dumb brain.
Hey, I was not trying to make you look dumb! Just my opinion on the matter ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Another reason is brand loyalty. If you have always competed in a VW you don't want to buy a Škoda (if you are a car dealer for example). Both might be VAG cars, but they are still different manufacturers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
For sure the main reason is that they have VW Motorsport in Hannover that is just sitting around doing nothing - and with all staff with their jobs guaranteed by the Board - that they need to keep occupied. An R5 project is good for this.Quote:
Originally Posted by JUF
Ferdinand Piëch perfected this business model for VAG in road cars. He was quoted as saying: "Many rods catch more fish".
Now we see this in their motorsport activities.
The Seat Leon TCR, VW Golf TCR and Audi RS 3 LMS TCR are all exactly the same car underneath, all developed and built by the same people at Seat Sport.
It doesn't make much sense on the face of it, but it seems brand loyalty even exists within motorsport customers too and it does at least provide another body style on the grid/on the stages for a bit of visual variety.
Few weeks a go I met VW Motorsport customer service truck. There were all VAG brand logos on the truck except two. The two missing were Porsche and Škoda. Maybe it means nothing maybe it does. Add to that that since 1st November 2015 Škoda CEO is one of the top Porsche managers Bernhard Meier instead of VW man Winfried Vahland. Porsche position in VAG is very specific (their years long fight with Piech's people over VAG leadership or their frequent rifts with Audi are well known). If Škoda inclines more to Porsche which is currently the strongest player in VAG it may also mean that Škoda could stay somewhat aside of the named VW-Audi-Seat combo.
Small story in MN today about the FIA clamping down on drivers filming themselves with their phones while in the drivers seat of their rally/reccy cars. Mahonen not happy. I think a few forumers have mentioned this before. Chief offenders: Neuville and Mikkelsen.
I think Paddon is okay with a mounted GoPro - but this was a great little video from yesterday in Germany - https://twitter.com/HaydenPaddon/sta...22982834319360
http://m.postimees.ee/section/3337/4212207
Basically at first the journo writes that TMR is moving his headquarters from Puuppola to Estonia. They are even using quote from Tommi Mäkinen. Then at the end of the article they are mentioning that TMR is opening a new base located in Estonia for logistical and tax reasons. Headquarters still stays at Puuppola. Quite strange and confusing article I must say.
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look in the toyota thread, there is the original article...they are just expanding their base here not moving its headquarters here.
Is there any word on whether Ingrassia has a official medical clearance?
Probably a translation from the Ilta-Sanomat (yellow press) article with a clickbait title saying they move headquarters and then quote form Mäkinen that they keep the headquarters in Puuppola. It's not mentioned in the article, but keeping the headquarters secures them unlimited testing in the Rally Finland area.Quote:
Originally Posted by cali
Also keep in mind that Tommi Mäkinen Racing is not Toyota Gazoo Racing.
In some countries there are separate companies who are dealers of different brands of the same factory. That's why PSA builds the same cargo vans for example. If you have been partnering with Peugeot importer for many years and PSA enters a new model only under Citroen branding, you have to go negotiate from scratch with local Citroen importer and it can fail and then you will go to Ford or Fiat and ultimately PSA factory loses you. So you can now understand that in private motorsport at regional level some people arrange sponsorship from local brand dealer and more options = better for VAG, I mean they already have the car developed and they can only change the emblem and front/rear lights and this gives them opportunity for new customers.Quote:
Originally Posted by JUF
What would that mean in practical terms?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Doesn't this go somewhat against the assumption that the Polo and Fabia R5 will share a lot of parts?
I have no idea if it means anything. We have to wait and see how it is in the future. The thing is that VW is no longer the main driving body in VAG and IMO it's not good to automatically count with something similar like VW-Audi-Seat partnership on circuits.
Totally agree on Porsche having a special status inside VW group, but that’s hardly the case for Skoda. It's pretty reasonable to believe that Skoda is now sharing R5 knowledge just like Seat did with TCR and it wouldn’t even be a total surprise to see an Ibiza R5 coming out after the Polo.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Hopefully, the current e-mobility bubble is going to burst (an all electrical future is not viable) and then VW, Audi and Porsche will be able to return to the motorsport lead; meanwhile, they’re using FE as a marketing tool and keeping contact with major series through 2nd level categories (R5, GT3, GTE, etc).Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
Btw, here’s a sharp view on FE: http://www.automobilemag.com/news/re...formula-e-yet/
You did not get the point. Currently the whole VAG is driven by Porsche people. The process was accelerated by the dieselgate. Porsche now holds 52% of VAG and controls the most important decisive places in the management - Pötsch, chairman of the supervisory board, is Porsche man and Müller, CEO, is also Porsche man. Both replaced the old Piech's people in their role. As a result VAG is no longer driven by VW.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Aside of that Porsche thanks to the dieselgate took CEO post in Škoda from VW, i.e. simple logic tells me that Škoda probably lost a bit of its dependancy on VW. I don't say there is no sharing of technologies between Škoda and VW Motorspor departments. For sure there is but it's not on the level of rebranding or repacking a totally same car or even building it in the same facility by the same people (like PSA cars). Anyway only time will tell how it evolves.
He didn't need medical clearance. He couldn't compete for 2 weeks but was than allowed to compete again without any test.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeakiwi