WTF??Quote:
Originally Posted by ictus
and where this proposal would help?
it's just a "remix" of the first 3 drivers. will not affect slower drivers/underdeveloped cars anyway.
Printable View
WTF??Quote:
Originally Posted by ictus
and where this proposal would help?
it's just a "remix" of the first 3 drivers. will not affect slower drivers/underdeveloped cars anyway.
There are allways surprises on the shakedown stage, so quali is not a slam dunk. And drivers can make mistakes, so it would add to the showQuote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
So as things stands we could get 2025 WRC season with major changes:
-New tire supplier
-Drop of Hybrid unit
-Shakedown stage become qualify stage
-Point system tweaked
-3 completely new events
-Ex champion coming back (so having Neuville, Tanak, Ogier and Rovanpera fight for title with addition of Evans and just ''maybe'' Fourmaux)
-Having detailed live data on events
-Remote service reintroduced
Considering that only few of those things is confirmed for upcoming season yet.
What they really need to do is to fix that RallyTV site/app. Just today it crashed/log me out around 10 times, very slow and unfriendly to user (still).
But bring it on upcoming season. Bring it on 2025 World Rally Championship.
In the future when the older generation drivers (Thierry, Ott and Elfyn) retires, who can we see to promote to the top level. Obviously we would have KR (?), Sami, Sesks, Oliver. Who else ?
HOT TAKE:
What are your opinions about Ali Turkkan and the recent Rally1 news about him in dirtfish. I believe he is the fastest in WRC 3 but still needs to be more consistent but I like that guy's potential to be at the top level. In Turkish championship he is smoking everyone who is driving a Rally2 car by driving only Rally3 on both Gravel and Tarmac.
Too early to put him into Rally1...Quote:
Originally Posted by AE1WRC
Another rally1 entry would be cool, but...Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
Yes, he has pace, but.. 3 stages and off, 3 stages and off.. etc
Japan was the last rally for Malkonen with Pajari...
Maybe a sign he will drive full time with Toyota next year which might be too much for Enni?
Related article from DF: https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/pajar...r-partnership/Quote:
Originally Posted by dupanton
Makes me a bit sad, I can speculate every kind of reasons, but as those are just random ideas, I don't even throw them out. I'm glad that they got the title.
hmmmmmmm dirt fish asked taka about 2025, he said he is not signed yet, but "I'll try to do my best if I can drive something". he said he dont know what happens yet but they will have an announcement soon.
just me or that sounded like a return to rally2?
https://www.facebook.com/DirtFishRal...st=4GainGcR2Pg
around 4 min
hmm later Martjin saying he sacrified a lot, hes been away from home a lot.
idk, maybe its just because its the end of the season, but this also felt like "Oh, im quitting WRC for 25" haha maybe just me
ps: THIS PICTURE!
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=...23696733119916
F* cyril! F* hyundai!! cry babies
Pajari promoted to full seat https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/toyot...ime-2025-seat/
So that means we have 4 Toyotas every rally and even five when Ogier is participating on his rallies
Yeah, and hopefully Hyundai commits to the 4 cars as well. It will at least bulk out the field a bit.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
c'mon man... what the hell do you expect from the first minute of losing the manus title? Celebrate? Give them a break...Quote:
Originally Posted by saco0o
That's quite a surprise.. didn't expect full time him, but nice christmas present :D
Solberg (rally1+r5) sharing car with Ogier then?
Budget. Toyota has it.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
I reckon they're throwing money at the problem of "How do we develop Pajari while Ogier ages out, and simultaneously carry Katsuta for the marketing department?"
Edit: also, wow. That is not what I guessed yesterday. I thought they'd run four cars, and Pajari would do WRC1 when Ogier didn't. Toyota is doubling down.
Which is a great news I think. The more Rally1 cars we have, the better. There are some discussions that Hyundai will run 4 cars instead of 3. https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/h...2025/10674980/Quote:
Originally Posted by Morte66
I will be very interested to see who replaces Pajari's co-driver.
Are they putting in a mentor, like M-Sport did with Jarmo Lehtinen (Mika Hirvonen's former co-driver) for Teemu Suninen? Or do they have a problem with Enni Mälkönen?
Salminen maybe
Is Ville Mannisenmäki available? Co-driver for Asunmaa & did the Acropolis with Joona.
Wow what a great news to get up on Monday morning! Imagine that Toyota's are running 5 cars, Hyundai 4 and Ford maybe 3 sometimes! Having 11-12 Rally1 cars on some events would be very very nice.
Katsuta is full time for next year @CeskyOndra
Now Toyota just needs to fix their ugly livery.
Glad to see Evans continue too, shame that Pajari and Enni spilt up, I hope it wasn’t Pajari’s decision. That would be (even more) cruel after their success together.
It would surprise me much if it was Pajaris choice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eli
Toyota muscles up and you have to go with their planning.
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking too, shame, they were a great pairing and it feels harsh to rob Enni from stepping up too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
Happy for Pajari, definitely well deserved.
I guess there really isn't a good Japanese substitute for Katsuta. I like the guy but he has been underwhelming...
I just would like to add some oil to the fire here: I like that young guys like Pajari get all their chances from R3 to R2 to R1. Good. Even great. Another fast Finn in the pipeline of championship capable drivers. But I think today car brands are not the ones that attract people to rallying - it is people, personalities and national heroes. Popularity of rally would grow regionally if we would have strong drivers from Italy, England, Germany, Spain, South America, Eastern Europe. How adding another Finn or Japanese driver would rise awareness and popularity of the WRC in Italy or Germany, for example, or even England? Please understand me correctly, Pajari fully deserves his place in WRC, he has potential to become the champion one day, clearly. It is like automatic - if you are a fast Finn, you will get your chance. But if you are fast Italian, Spaniard, Englishman, Pole or even Argentinian - would you have equal opportunities?
I think we have been looking to the wrong direction with how to rise the popularity of rally - everyone thinks that bringing rally to new territories or having 1 more manufacturer is the key to success. I would start to doubt it. We need local heroes, stars, national heroes, potential national billboard figures. Smth like Sesks became in LAT this summer. Imagine rise of the rally-fever in ITA if Lancia gets fast Italian driver with championship potential? Golden. Or if M-Sport would have English driver or some fast young man from Poland. (By the way, McErlearn from Ireland is very interesting prospect. He is fast on all surfaces, keep an eye on him) . In the end, Pajari promotion is good for Toyota and Finns, but WRC is not gaining from it in the long run.
I would like to use a very popular word - we need Diversity!
I’m sure that the teams would be happy to get a driver from a country that doesn’t have a WRC driver yet, but the thing is they want the best, not the most suitable (some exeptions of course). But I rather have all the fastest there, than half the field of Munsters.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndersX
The simple answer is NO!! It's 2024 and the sport can't let go of the Finnish obsession......Another reason the sport is never going to be big; even countries with motorsport history can't supply drivers to the WRC. We've seen countless Finns get opportunities, even when they didn't deserve them - whereas other drivers never get a sniff. The passport is still a major obstacle in the sport - and the Finns look out for each other, so there'll always be chances for a seat.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndersX
Imagine the WRC without a Finn.....that would tell you the sport was in a strong place.......
Look in WorldRX championship and find diversity there. It could be called WSRX (World Scandinavian Rallycross Championship).
If I would choose I would rather pick many finns than any new french driver. I mean they are so arrogant and egoistic, full of themselves and the world spins arount them (I mean they think it does). Even Fourmaux is getting like that, I'm more and more towards hating him.
But it's true of diversity. It should be many flags on the grid, but sadly even WRC is running by money and connections. I can name one driver at least who shouldn't be here today or tomorrow. I may be wrong but I have a feeling it will be the same story next year, but what can we do if the money is playing major role here and the real talents don't even get a real shot to shine on stages. (And that's how one always dominate stages and the other ones have 2 or 3 minutes differences.)
Latvala confirms 2025 Historic Championship entry with Janni Hussi...
https://rallyjournal.com/jari-matti-...r-janni-hussi/
Correct..Quote:
Originally Posted by COD
if you're good enough you will make it.
Ok, additional argument: do you think a good Finn needs the same budget to impress the world as an Englishman?
Dig deeper, look what track record of success has the mastermind agent behind all those champion-Finns.
I say, this sport needs not only diversity in drivers, but more tallent in "agent" layer as well. Timo "owns" WRC for some time. But he is not young any more, he might retire one day. It might make to decline of finnish national dominance.
This feels like reading Jon Ingram's twitter accountQuote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
Well that guy always comes and only bashes. Never a good word from himQuote:
Originally Posted by Walach
hehe i'm just happy latvala won over cyril on this title fight, mate :PQuote:
Originally Posted by flat_right
So, at least 10 R1s in each round for 2025. Probably 12+ in rounds Ogier participates and M-Sport fields 4 Pumas. It's progress.
It’s a shame for Enni to not be part of Sami’s R1 future, seems it was his decision according to her instagram account I saw posted somewhere.
I can’t help but feel a little sad about it, but on the other hand, it shows a ruthless streak in him that maybe is a good sign of his mentality to win.
Feels like Pajari wants an experienced codriver for Rally1. What is Jarmo Lehtinen doing these days?Shame for Malkonen, though.
Imagine her in a few years from now, being beside some other driver and winning the title before Pajari :P
What if he decide to get a male co-driver for a fact, that he could depend on him (repairs on roads since many times this things do co-drivers and drivers are on phone :P), but I bet Enni could be able to do that job also and I bet she did it before as she is already long in that position.
WRC.com is quite ambitions with it's post. It shows at least 4 drivers for each team.
https://www.upload.ee/image/17433984/upload.png
Don't think its ambitious. Let's say Hyundai keeps its current lineup and M-Sport adds Sesks and gives more rounds to Serderidis. Very probable scenario with costs coming down now.