Printable View
I think Hanninen would be ideal for citroen. I don't think that Petter Solberg will get another manufacturer drive. I think Ford's next drivers could be either Tanak or Prokop as they both have 5 yr deals. Stobart will stay the same for the next while. I am also not convinced that Sordo has the necessary drive to win a championship.
I don't think this is so 'tongue in cheek'. 40 years ago nobody would be seen driving Jap Crap, 20 years ago Koreans cars were laughed at... now look where they are today. Toyota is ranked at number 1 in sales, Hyundai-Kia @ 8, but also China for the 2nd year in a row is the world's biggest car manufacturer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Camelopard
What better way for an 'unknown' and basically untrusted Chinese manufacturer to get attention and also gain some from of respect as a car maker.
Glossy magazine ads and billboards at football stadiums only go as far as name recognition.
Great Wall and Chery have already had 2 attempts at Dakar. So who's to say the WRC isn't also on their minds.
A Quote from a Chinese motoring journalist...
"It has been said by many, that if Chinese cars want to have some prestige in the West then they must first enter into motorsport, once they have shown their mark to the world, then they will sell."
That's exactly the problem - there is no one to replace either of them. Maybe Latvala still has a bit of winning potential left but I'm afraid Hirvonen is done, he will never win the championship. He doesn't seem to have the edge he had in the 2005 season when he tried to prove something, in fact that was the only year he did
Trouble with all this rumour-starting is that there are very few good drivers not currently in the WRC. Tanak, Neuville and Mikkelsen have tremendous potential but aren't ready for a seat in a works team yet (except maybe VW when they come in), while drivers like Hanninen and Kopecky and guys like that are simply not consistently fast enough I don't think. The current top 7 of Loeb, Ogier, Mikko, JML, Petter, Sordo and Meeke are the top 7 drivers in the world at the moment, so it makes sense for them to be occupying the best seats.
Don't agree on Hanninen. He comfortably beat Meeke last year in a Peugeot that still seems to be reasonably competitive. I would say he is a far better long term prospect than Hirvonen. Maybe Malcolm could drop Mikko and replace him with Juho if he wants to keep up his Finn-fetish.Quote:
Originally Posted by pettersolberg29
Let's see how Neuville and Mikkelsen do in IRC this year, I expect them both to develop well this year and to challenge for the title, and both are very young still.
He did beat Meeke, but the Peugeot is widely agreed to be a worse car, and every now and then Juho goes missing completely. Also, despite a vast improvement recently, his tarmac skills are nowhere near good enough to challenge at the top. Mikko may not be the best driver in the world, but when he pushes he can compete at the top - even on tarmac he has half a dozen podiums. I don't see anyone outside the 7 I mentioned being better than Mikko for a good 3 years, by which time the drivers aforementioned may have the experience and skills to reach the very top.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Well hopefully we will get a chance to see in the next few years if the rumoured manufacturers do come true...Quote:
Originally Posted by pettersolberg29
I still think you are underestimating Juho's abilities though and over estimating the tarmac abilities of the WRC drivers (outside of the 2 Sebs)
Mikko has very good consistency and a smooth driving style, both of which are very important in the current wrc environment. He will get a title but as we all know any change in driver standings will only really happen when Loeb leaves. Furthermore I don't think that Ford has provided either of their top drivers with cars that could mount an effective challenge. I imagine that Mikko's title will be similar to Button's in F1 where consistency was its own reward.
How yes no. :D
You say the 2 Seb's, but Ogier isn't exactly polished on tarmac. Sordo is the only one to come close to Loeb on tarmac in recent years, and Hirvonen wasn't far off Sordo on tarmac a few years ago even though Dani had a much better car. Duval was the only one to really push Loeb (Germany 2008? in the Xsara). I have a feeling that the Fiesta will be a much better tarmac car than the Focus, and Latvavla has been getting better and better on the black stuff, so fingers crossed!! Solberg ain't that bad either!Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Why are there no 'specialist' surface drivers anymore? Is it because the top boys have tested and rallied on all surfaces so much that they are now masters of all trades (surfaces), and have to be to win the WRC?