Official Young Guns (updated)

Rantanen.

First of all I would like to say that he is really good.

But on the other hand, if you are not able to match the times of the fastest drivers nationally, how could you match or beat the fastest drivers internationally.

In World Championship rallying you have to be amazingly good in order to succeed, you have to be able to destroy your opposition on national level in order to go further. And that is not Rantanen.

If Ogier is now number one of the list of potential drivers, Östberg and Novikov are there right behind, Rantanen is somewhere outside of top ten.

Jocke Nyman (25y) was very fast this week-end on the roads of the Swedish rally, called Värmland Runt this year. http://www.swedishrally.com/varmlandrunt
OK, the level of the championship is not the same as their scandinavian neighbours, but I think he has a good potential. Don't know if he has money though.

I saw Nyman on Rally Bohemia last year and was pretty much impressed by his driving :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 'Mirek Fric [Cze

]I saw Nyman on Rally Bohemia last year and was pretty much impressed by his driving :)

---

On the Fiesta?
With no or few experience of 4wd, this week-end's performance is impressive.

Yes, with Fiesta.

Marko Jeram from Slovenia,winner of Italian Fiesta Trophy 2007 and 2008

2003: Yugo Cup winner
2004 and 2005:Very fast with a GrN Clio,fastest 2WD,regulary mixing with N4s
2006: Front runner with Evo VIII,although 4WD (back then) didnt suit his style

2007:Fiesta Sporting Trophy Italy winner,was one of the fastest at the Shootout at M-Sport (lost on some interviews or somethig?)

2008:Fiesta Sporting Trophy Italy winner,testing with Focus WRC 08

2009:rumors are that he will drive Italian Clio R3 cup

Almost end of 2009 season in most championships.
Any new names to follow next year?
I mentioned Neuville as a young gun to follow 1,5 year ago and he's on the right track although still a long way to go.
Boon from Belgium as well needs to step up to level 2 in 2010. Then we can have a better idea of his potential.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fly

Almost end of 2009 season in most championships.
Any new names to follow next year?
I mentioned Neuville as a young gun to follow 1,5 year ago and he's on the right track although still a long way to go.
Boon from Belgium as well needs to step up to level 2 in 2010. Then we can have a better idea of his potential.

---

I think you should follow Ott Tänak who will be one of the Pirelli Star drivers next year. He plans to do some additional events as well, so probably he might be registered to PCWRC. He is now double Estonian GrN champion. He took part only in four rallies (due to the different reason) but won them all and became champion again.
He took part in NORF (With Subaru) where he was fourth in GrN behind 3 S2000 cars and in front of Flodin after 6 stages but on stage 7 he went of because after the jump something in steering broke and he went straight on into the trees on the next corner.
He also took part in Rally Portugal (his first ever WRC rally) During the penultimate stage of the first day he caught a car in front but while driving in the dust he damaged the steering a little and decided not to start for the last stage and got bit over 11 minutes penalty for that. He won also one stage in GrN and without that penalty he would have been fighting for the third place.

In Norway the top talent that has been out in the world is still Mikkelsen and Østberg. Right behind them is Brynildsen.
All of them are planning to be in WRC, WC or IRC in 2010.

Still at the national level we have mr Grøndal A8, Bieltvedt N4, Hennings stepson Pontus Tiedemand,Subaru Cup (Swed but driving in Norway...), Trond Svenkerud, Subaru Cup, and maybe Marius Aasen Renault Clio N3.

As far as I remember no peak talent came up in 2009.

But will be interessting to see the first 3 next year, and hopefully Østberg in a new Car...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sulland

As far as I remember no peak talent came up in 2009.

---

Mats Lysen, – for the ERC at least. With 17 years of age the youngest European champion ever in RX. He drove an ex-Rautenbach Clio S1600 and I understood some people want him to switch to Rallying…