Please Mikko, something different this time!! (an open letter)

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Originally Posted by COD

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Originally Posted by N.O.T

what more would someone else achieve ? who could have stopped the greatest of all times ? NONE

Hirvonen just lost his spirit after 2009... it was the end of him as a competitive driver... the only thing i do not like about him is that he quit trying after 2009... maybe he was afraid that he would end up like Gronholm, always trying to beat Loeb and always FAILED.

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You missed my point and probably many others. Most of you probably wore diapers back in 2004.

Look back at the results back then and you will understand why he should have never become a regular works driver. He had a few good years thanks to not much cmpetition and lots of testing and time in the car on events. But he has never been blindingy fast and never will be. A good no2 for any team and that is it. Now event that is questionable

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Well you probably wear diapers for the second time in life then mate. Old age sucks! What's the point in being so aggressive? :)

Maybe the Subaru days were a sign of things to come as you say. But I still believe that it comes down to not having a least bit fun and enjoing it when he drives. So maybe it would be time for a break. Let's see...

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Originally Posted by A.F.F.

I have said it many times and I 100% agree with Franky. Mikko got cautious after that crash, was it 2010? And I still think Tommi had the same thing at Argentina. It's understandable if you say; Fcuk this I'm done, when you roll about ten times with your car. Some bonesheads never learnt that like Ari, Colin or Marcus. But we are all different.

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Was just about to say Colin and Ari after reading Mcraes biography. You guys really have a point.

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Originally Posted by dimviii

for few years was fast and reliable.I mean the years who was close with Master.

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he was faster than the rest! jari matti was crashing too much, dani was really bad in gravel and petter in a privateer car. who else was there?? (henning, wilson, rautenback, vilagra and a young ogier) so with an average controlled pace he easily collected a lot of points

and as RS mentioned above most of these years Seb L was cleaning the road for him

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Originally Posted by A.F.F.

I have said it many times and I 100% agree with Franky.

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Yes, possible, but the question really is - "why I'm still doing it, it might happen again any time, pushing hard or not".

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Originally Posted by makinen_fan

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Originally Posted by dimviii

for few years was fast and reliable.I mean the years who was close with Master.

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he was faster than the rest! jari matti was crashing too much, dani was really bad in gravel and petter in a privateer car. who else was there?? (henning, wilson, rautenback, vilagra and a young ogier) so with an average controlled pace he easily collected a lot of points

and as RS mentioned above most of these years Seb L was cleaning the road for him

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+1

@ stefanvv
Well, if Mikko dropped the from 100% to 90%, the level of recent WRC has been so low that it has been enough to steadily collect podiums and manufacturerpoints. Until couple of last years. I might be wrong, I've known to be wrong a few times ;) But just look at the date this thread started and read the open letter I made.... Suddenly the hunger was gone!!!

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Originally Posted by makinen_fan

he was faster than the rest!

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yes.The rest was Solberg,Gronholm,Latvala,Ogier,Sordo,Atkinson.

at 2007 13 points less than Gronholm
http://www.ewrc-results.com/season.php?s=2007&nat=

at 2008 19 points less from Loeb
http://www.ewrc-results.com/season.php?s=2008&nat=

at 2009 1 point from Loeb
http://www.ewrc-results.com/season.php?s=2009&nat=

at 2011 8 points less from Loeb and 18 points more from Ogier
http://www.ewrc-results.com/season.php?s=2011&nat=

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Originally Posted by makinen_fan

jari matti was crashing too much, dani was really bad in gravel and petter in a privateer car. who else was there?? (henning, wilson, rautenback, vilagra and a young ogier) so with an average controlled pace he easily collected a lot of points

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that was the competition these days,and thats not Mikkos fault.
example...
Ogier last year had competition from who? There weren t any champions,even there wasn t enough,just simple rally winners.Can we say that he was best of the rest for Ogier?
compare with whom was fighting Mikko,and with whom fighting Ogier.
Its not Ogiers fault that there are not so many good drivers.

Mikko wasn t slow at his days.

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Originally Posted by makinen_fan

and as RS mentioned above most of these years Seb L was cleaning the road for him

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yes thats right.

Mikko´s speed compared to other drivers during the years is very hard to judge. Statistics is not enough. he was fast in the recent Ford years, he is one of 5 fastest guys at the moment. So what are we crying about. Whom should replace him? Evans? Tanak?

True is, I would say his mind is older and wiser. The Urria-crash and the fact he has a family makes him maybe more careful out there. There are explanation for everything.

But crying he´s finished and should be replaced is not a solution at the time being.

Hypothetically Tanak would be an excellent choice.

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Originally Posted by noel157

Hypothetically Tanak would be an excellent choice.

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But needs to show he's matured enough on other events - Maybe we'll see that in WRC 2 but other WRC rides is the only real yardstick. Too soon to say imo. BTW It will be interesting to see how Elfyn comes back from what I believe is his first major crash - though sadly, he's had major shocks before and not lost his resolve.