Ta-Dah https://motorsport.hyundai.com/driver-line-up-adjusted/Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
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Ta-Dah https://motorsport.hyundai.com/driver-line-up-adjusted/Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
Correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by JAM
So this means no Ford Official Team and Ogier to Citroen in 2018 then?
ummm, how? Maybe Andreas was offered more money and definitely better car on gravel.
Seems that way unfortunately... but if we'll have a 4 car team next year...it will make things quite more interesting.Quote:
Originally Posted by smsgrafica
Yes smells a lot like Ogier to Citroen with Meeke as second.
Mikkelsen to Hyundai.
BUT it could be that both Meeke (at Citroen) and Mikkelsen (at Hyundai) have 1-2 rallies to prove if they will drive with their teams next team. I doubt this though.
Looks much more likely that both of them are signed for next year already but their results will decide who will drive all rallies next year.
From Hyundai it's totally logical last push effort to snap the manu championship from Ford.
- On a side note I really wonder how it is going to work between Mikkelsen and Neuville (who are supposedly friends) when they compete against each other in same car.
- Also wonder how much testing Mikkelsen will get before Spain.
According to WRC Mikklesen is to drive for Hyundai for last 3 2017 rounds.
Haha. I agree even more that Hyundai planted this story now given what has just happened.Quote:
Originally Posted by JAM
Almost seems as if Hayden out and Andreas in for the remainder of the season? Crazy!!Quote:
Originally Posted by tomhlord
I guess the Autosport article was a good tell. Maybe Hayden will do Australia since Tarmac is not a strong point and makes sense to drop him for Spain.
How do people think Hyundai will line up with the final two rounds then?
I'd pick Paddon over Sordo for both GB and Aus. Obviously zero chance Hayden isn't doing his local round.
Actually kind of hoping they can stretch to four cars on GB. It would mean they don't have to drop either driver twice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
All three of our existing crews will remain under contract but the specific driver line-up will differ in each of the remaining rounds of the season, details of which will be announced in due course.
Colin says Sordo ES and Paddon GB + AUS
I could see them adding a 4th car if they don't fair well in Spain or are close to getting good points.
I didn't see that the first time I read the article. Trying to read while walking.. hahaQuote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
M-Sport has a decent lead, this smells more of 2018 planning than 2017 title chasing.
A 4th car doesn't help at all for the Manu points. Just 2 out of 3 can score...Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
Agreed.. Ford is far ahead in points.Quote:
Originally Posted by tomhlord
Tanak to Toyota? I think so :)
Another hint at Ogier?Quote:
@Yves_Matton
Congratulations to @MikkelsenRally for his new drive. He was one of the options we considered for 2018, but we had to set priorities
Seems like done deal yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by smsgrafica
So the only remaining big question for me is whether Tanak will stay at M-Sport as main driver or go to Toyota.
For championship sake I hope he stays.
I have to say I really feel for Paddon. He is a very nice guy and his effort and commitment toward the sport has always been intense, and he's a nice guy. I understand Nandan's move of course, but I'm sorry for him.
I hope for them they are 100% sure to have a deal with him otherwise letting Mikkelsen go and don't take Ogier will let them again with Meeke going to trees and Lefebvre battling for 8th.Quote:
Originally Posted by smsgrafica
Said it numerous times, Mikkelsen is not rated by Matton and Tommi as much as some on here rate Andreas. It's been obvious since VW left the sport, otherwise he would have a long term deal with Toyota or Citroen by now.
Meeke was always going to kept on for next season despite his poor season and Breen has done a fantastic job, but Ogier has always been Citroen's main target. It's been effectively Ogier or nothing for them since VW left, which imo, is another very risky strategy from Matton (following on from the risks with the car in development and engineering). If Ogier was to shock them now and stay at Msport (been unlikely for a while now due to Ford's reluctance to come back), Citroen would be up shit creek again in terms of the driver line-up and Matton would have even more questions to answer for.
If Ogier stays at Msport, there will be a huge push from Citroen for Loeb to do more than just a handful of events, you can bet on that :o
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Yeah a shame for Hayden. But right now he's only missing one rally. I think going forward Sordo has the bigger problems.Quote:
Originally Posted by AL14
Sordo just replied to him in Spanish. The Twitter translate isn't the best, but it appeared as Sordo had a go at Colin, that that's not the case?Quote:
Originally Posted by smsgrafica
It`s not said, where Sordo will start or won`t start, only Paddon swapped for Mikkelsen this event.
While I agree that for some reason Tommi does not rate Mikkelsen high, I think it's just about impossible that Citroen didn't sign Mikkelsen without signing Ogier already.Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
The only option would be that Mikkelsen got more money from Hyundai but I don't think that's likely.
Isn't Sordo planning to do a bit of RallyX next season? May not see much of him on WRC rounds.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
yeah i know but the newspaper only now starting to write!Quote:
Originally Posted by bluuford
LOL Sordo just went in on Colin Clark. Again he's just rumouring and making assumptions.Quote:
Originally Posted by BigWorm
Badly google translates to this - @voiceofrally @AMikkelsenRally At the moment... Australia and GB you you are inventing! Or is it that you like to clear. A smartass tila come tomato!
Maybe someone who speaks Spanish can properly translate. Seems pretty funny.
From autosport article on Mikkelsen at Hyundai:
"Hyundai has remained tight-lipped on next season, but Autosport's sources have confirmed Mikkelsen is expected to tackle a full season along with Thierry Neuville next year"
I got this For now ... Australia and GB you're making it up !! Or is what you would like clear. Come, tomato, a smart guy!Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
I think the last is a spanish way of saying or something. Waiting to some fellow member to understand the meaning. It sounds quite rough actually. :D
https://www.rallye-magazin.de/wrc/ar...rsetzt-paddon/ and it mentions, well that Matton mentions that Mikkelsen is already confirmed for Hyundai next year, anyone here can confirm it? (although it does seem very likely by now).
Sordo's had another chip at Clark about Meeke. This is awesome:
Replying to @voiceofrally
Cuando bajaron a tu ídolo Meeke no estabas tan eufórico! ����
@voiceofrally When they fell to your Idol Meeke you were not so elated! ����
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Originally Posted by skarderud
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Originally Posted by AnttiL
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Originally Posted by EstWRC
:pQuote:
Originally Posted by logic
I'm with Sordo on this, Colin can do oneQuote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
This is the current Citroen managed by Matton we are talking about, anything is possible ;) . Mikkelsen didn't do anything in his starts this season that would've changed Mattons mind on him, if he wasn't already convinced (which seems to be the case). If Andreas had set rally leading stage times from the off, ran at the front of all the events and showed Meeke was the main problem and the car was good, he would've been signed up and Meeke would've been dropped for good I'm sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Mikkelsen served a purpose for Citroen but that was all in the end. He showed the team that he couldn't get near rally leading pace on gravel with the car (reaffirming it's very difficult to drive on that surface), showed (like Meeke) that the car is quick on tarmac, and reaffirmed what Meeke had been pushing for in terms of what changes needed to be made to the car.
Seems like Citroen wanted another opinion from a proven rally winner about where they needed to homologate new parts, before they trusted what Meeke had already been pushing for. This is probably another reason why Meeke felt he didnt have the full support of certain people within the team. It's almost like they didn't trust their main driver who has now openly admitted he wanted an experienced test driver alongside him in 2016, and pushed for the changes to the car long before they were finally implemented after Andreas' input. Just screams of bad management to me.
And yes, if Ogier isn't more of less signed up it's a baffling decision for Citroen to not offer Andreas a deal. Mikkelsen, Meeke and Breen is a lot better than what they could be left with if Ogier stays at Msport. I cannot see Loeb doing a full season unless it's for an obscene amount of money, and even then, Loeb isn't exactly motivated by money.
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Sooo Hyundai are re-jigging to fight M-Sport... too late boys !
Rovanperä is too young to do most of the WRC events next year and is anyway still better off collecting experience in WRC2. But I could see M-Sport going with Evans, Camilli, Suninen. Østberg in the fourth car? Or Tidemand?Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
Or having driven the Citroen, Mikelssen would rather sign with Hyundai.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Seems like a gamble for Ogier.. leaving a car he can win with for one which is, err, sub-optimal at best.
It would be pretty crazy wouldn't it. Moving to the assumed worst car for 2017 and then doing the same thing again in 2018.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Of course with hindsight we know the Fiesta wasn't the worst car. I'm sure with a good winter of hard work and Ogier lighting a few rockets under Citroen they can get the C3 right.