Not bad idea :DQuote:
Originally Posted by EightGear
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Not bad idea :DQuote:
Originally Posted by EightGear
If I would be in charge of Hyundai WRC project, I'd choose Hirvonen for second car. His job would be development and drive secure points for the team. In the first seat I'd choose someone quick and young.
Forget Ekstrom. If I was Mikko I wouldn´t go in as second man behind Juho, if not payed much more.Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
In my opinion an ideal driver pairing would be a combination of two drivers who have different timing for their expected career peaks. Having a 80M€/year budget rules automatically out the need to use very unproven drivers some here are suggesting. Why would you waste your money when it's obvious that you want to do well from the beginning (not saying they are meaning January 2014 as they seem to have more iterative approach to car development than VW but anyways pretty soon after that).
For 2014-2016 an ideal driver pairing (based on just driving) could be Hänninen and Neuville. After two years we can see is Juho going up or down and is Neuville potential to become number one. In a situation where Ogier, Latvala and Loeb are not available you have to get the best of the rest. Hänninen is likely very close to his career peak and can deliver straight away. Neuville is a rising star with already some proven record and is regularly showing that he may have what it takes to be a future champion. Hänninen has also quite long experience working with successful factory team which sure helps a new team. If you get some top (experienced) development drivers on board (like Panizzi, Mäkinen...) you have about the best combinantion (of drivers) you can get from the market at the moment. Engineers then are a different story... :)
For Hirvonen, Sordo & Petter I can't see very bright future as new stars like Neuville are getting as fast and have much more potential whereas they are unfortunately going downhill. Meeke is some kind of wildcard for me but in comparison with Hänninen he looses in my books. Same is with Östberg & Novikov vs. Neuville. If there would be three cars instead of two then there is of course more possibilities...
Talking about results - what results have Hanninen done in a WRC-car? Now he´s officially Hyundai developer, but in my opinion like vkangas say, there´s needed a faast young driver already in a steady position in WRC. Unless they can´t buy ot JML or Ogier, Neuville should be the man.
As vkangas says most of the current fast drivers have already peaked or haven´t show the consistency needed.
Remains to hire a coming man as second or third driver, and now we´re back on step one - who should that one be? Young estonian, finn, frenchman or swede?
So far Hänninen hasn't done a single thing to convince me he has what it takes. I hope he'll prove me wrong but I don't understand why folks here keep him such a high value?
EDIT: Apparently Rallyper was thinking the very same at the very same moment :D
Hehe, we said same thing about Hanninen anknown of each other...
Some of us have a kind of soft spot for him ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
I don't want to say Hänninen would be the messiah in WRC but I base my opinion on the lack of better alternatives. His recent results are in line that what a currently 4th best WRC driver needs to do. Remember that in Sweden and Monte Carlo Juho had very little testing with no engineering power available etc. Juho is also proven winner in IRC/ERC/SWRC. Ok, the level of competition is not so high but many times winners from lower series turn out to be winners sooner than those who do their learning in the high level.Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
Clearly obvious choises for Hyundai would be Loeb, Ogier and Latvala. After them? Mikko/Ostberg/Novikov? See the results...
No one of us knows in what purpose Hyundai are thought to use Juho. Of course as testdriver, but then? We don´t know if they plan to hire him as first driver when the competition starts up. So in the meantime this discission will bring many alternatives whom are to be examined by us - "the experts" - resulting in drivers from Loeb-level to national young upcomers without experience at all.
I´m sure we´ll mention some of the names that will be signed in the end - in the meantime let´s have an open mind. There are som many ways you can use a different driver for developing the car in best way.
That´s why I came up with Mattias for example, knowing that there are tenths of men with abilities to give advices to Hyundai team.