I agree, but I think both Katsuta and Lappi will do full season, so maybe Suninen + Sordo? (if he wants to continue) for the 4th Hyundai.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny0405
M-Sport let's hope they will be there at all.
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I agree, but I think both Katsuta and Lappi will do full season, so maybe Suninen + Sordo? (if he wants to continue) for the 4th Hyundai.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny0405
M-Sport let's hope they will be there at all.
The struggle to continue will be real for M-Sport Ford without Tanak.
Breen in.2022 and Tanak in 2023 definitely gave them hopes of success. But with just Fourmaux and pay drivers the motivation just cant be there.
And even if they had money to splash, who of any quality could they tempt to join ?
How it seems to go based on the rumours so far
Toyota: Rovanperä, Evans, Katsuta, Ogier (part time)
Hyundai: Neuville, Tänak, Lappi, Suninen and Sordo sharing
M-sport: Fourmaux, Loubet and whoever else pays
How I wish it would go:
Toyota: Rovanperä, Tänak, Katsuta, Ogier (part time)
Hyundai: Neuville, Lappi, Suninen, Sordo (part time)
M-sport: Evans, Loubet, Fourmaux
last 10 years champions all together?Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
There is no way Abiteboul couldn't get Kalle, Ogier or Tanak for 2024.. okay, Evans is also top5 driver, but.. not the first one to call.
If Abi says that they have stronger team for next year.. it must be Neuville/Tanak again.
This time they have a proper team principal(after Adamo) and the car is ready. At the beginning of 2022 the car was crap and all team management was cr4p also.
Im wondering when the news will come, maybe this week?
why not?Quote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
Okay, you can take Ogier out from there if you wish.
But this wont happen anyway, its just my wish
just because this would be a unbeatable team.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
And its true https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/tanak...ndai-for-2024/
Tänak to return to Hyundai
Yees
Well it's official! Good that the news came soon I was getting tired of all the speculation to be honest :)
Should be a good fight between Toyota and Hyundai next year, I suppose we'll have to wait a lot longer to find out what happens with MSport.
Havent seen anything official yet, but I hope its true
well not "official", I didn't use the right word, but for me if Dirtfish published it it's as close to official as you can get.
Exactly. Dirtfish is basically officialQuote:
Originally Posted by seb_sh
I dont know what Hyundai is waiting for with anouncement
It's a bit awkward when Tanak is still at M-Sport and has two more events with them. All the contract details may not be finalised yet either, plus there's the other Hyundai drivers to consider.Quote:
Originally Posted by CeskyOndra
👀👀👀👀👀Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Thats normal in motorsport, it just rallying were announcements are usually so late that the public only learns of it after the season, but deals are surly done earlier than december.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
The Dirtfish Podcast about this was recorded on the 21st of September and they say they got it confirmed on the 20th. Apparently there was an agreement between the teams to not announce it at that time.
I don’t remember them being wrong. They were the first ones also last year to write that Tänak goes to Msport.
Same in 2019 when Ott went to Hyundai, although back then it was autosport but it was still David Evans who wrote it.
Also other numerous news. I mean Nowadays all these sites know it before all the official announcements. Like Autosport with F1 for example
For the sake of the sport, I sure do hope that M-Sport can get someone close to being an A-lister next year. Clearly there aren't many, but it would be a massive disappointment if we go back to a definite two team championship.
But maybe if M-Sport leaves, it would be finally wake up call for FIA.
maybe Wilson offers some rally1 deal for Solberg?
Hopefully. That would make it worth it atleast
The only way to M-Sport be in title run for 2024 is hire Neuville or Evans.
This would be a good deal for M-Sport for sure. They need someone like him now with Tanak gone.Quote:
Originally Posted by TypeR
But for Oliver will he really take the risk, it would be safer to stay in a Rally 2 car.
Maybe a mix of some Rally1 outings alongside a WRC2 Championship campaign might work for both parties.
Otherwise I don't see where M-Sport are going to find someone who can be competitive unless they tempt Loeb for a few events.
Not an ideal situation for either them or the WRC promoter in my view.
M-sport is in a difficult situasion.
Its eighter Evans or Lappi, or do some gambling with Mikkelsen, Solberg, Rossel, Gryazin, Fourmaux or Loubet.
Is Redbull following Tänak?
Solberg is monster, maybe not both in the same team?
Personal i think Solberg is driving Toyota Rally2 car next year in "PSWRT", as a pre-build for a potential subaru-comeback.
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Why would any top driver go to Msport? Neuville is signed up at Hyundai and Evans is at the best team/car combination. It would take Evans to make a Tanak esque cock up and silly career decision to see him back at msport.Quote:
Originally Posted by 240RS
The best msport can hope for is Loeb doing 3or4 rallies, with red bull still ploughing money in and Loubet/fourmaux taking an unexpected jump in performance.
I can't even see Lappi wanting to return to msport, after how he was managed last time he was there.
Punt on solberg? But then you maybe lose the red bull backing.....
If msport has no chance to win anything anyway, they might as wel go with something like solberg and pajari. That was the old business model of wilson, giving youngsters a chance and selling them off later in their carreer.
Still no news for Ogier stay in Toyota or leave to Hyundai, How I hope he can join for Hyundai
If Ogier wants a late-career challenge, he could go to M-Sport :D :D
2 weeks ago Ogier said that there is no reason why leave Toyota..
https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/...ours/10522465/
Ogier likes joking.. But yes, there is no reason to leave Toyota.. He just wants fun and fun will not come with unreliable car
Somehow I feel sad that Tanak is not staying with MSport. Together they could fix the reliability issues and develop the car to his liking, but probably that's a budget question.
For Tanak it's surely an improvement, but let's not forget the propshaft, turbo and suspension problems Hyundai has had this season, still clearly a weaker car than Toyota. They need to improve reliability, or even with Tanak it will be a return of "amazing quality"...
For M-Sport let's hope they can find someone. If nobody is willing to pay for a full season, it would spice up each single event to rent the car to specialized drivers who want a taste of Rally1 (for example Lindholm + Pajari for Sweden and Finland, Solberg in Estonia, Fourmaux on tarmac etc.)
If Tanak does leave MSport as seems likely, I do hope they can get a good driver even if it is not one of the ‘A’ category guys to lead the team, I know he has his detractors but I would think Mikkelsen would be a good safe pair of hands. I have said many times on here that I believe Fourmaux will become a good driver, he has good speed, a nice driving style and is very determined. Equally, MSport seem to be playing their usual playbook with him and giving him time to develop away from the top class and gain experience. It all got on top of him last year with the mistakes, but MSport I think did the right thing. I would like to see him back as a second driver if there is a budget to do so next year. For me he is a far better prospect than Loubet.
I’m pretty sure Fourmaux is one of the drivers for Msport.
Can’t see where else Loubet also would go besides renting the car from Hyundai or Toyota if it’s possible
I think Toyota stays as it is. Evans last year struggled due to the diffs, which have to be the same for all drivers but in the meantime I read that they did some changes and as we can see he's winning rallies again (even if sometimes benefitting from circumstances).
As for MSport I think it's too early to speculate, as my feeling is they themselves don't know what they can do yet. Regarding Loeb, it's not a question of convincing him, I think it's simply a question of paying him to drive the car, somehow I doubt anything he does he does for free. Solberg I don't see it happening because of things already mentioned, probably another year in Rally2. Also seing the issues the various customers had with the Puma if I was in the position with money in hand I might rather go for the spare Toyota as Bertelli did...
Many people will disagree with me, but I think, that duo Neuville-Tanak will work nice next year. On the podium last Sunday, they looked like best friends, congratulations from Thierry to Ott after finish looked really lovely! :D
I think you overthink too much how friendly Tänak and Neuville are or are not.
They are professionals. On that level, you respect your competitors, do you like them as person outside of competition or not, it's pure respect.
Another thing is just pragmatic - if you co-operate, you'll get benefits as well.