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Hmmm... I'm hearing they (Jouhki and crew) want Kalle to head to MSport for a 1 yr only deal.
I would think this mainly because Toyota is trying to groom Katsuta. Bringing Kalle onboard will make Katsuta look bad to be honest.
I actually think Kalle is fairly mature for his age and experience. He can be a 3-5th place finisher and bring strong points while building his skill. I would pick Kalle over Taka-San, but tell that to Mr. Toyoda.
Depends a lot on the rally. Just take Suninen and Lappi, in Poland and Finland they had stage wins right off and win / fight for podium. Then in rallies like Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Turkey they were minutes behind everyone last year and sometimes also this year.Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
Katsuta will be disaster in a WRC machinery and this comes with no disrespect at all. He just is not ready at all. Even Meeke is less accident prone than Taka-sanQuote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
I agree.. he pushes a lot and makes a lot of mistakes. Lets see how he does in Germany. My guess is he gets beat by a few WRC 2 guys.Quote:
Originally Posted by cali
My guess would be Greensmith level on gravel. Difficult to say about tarmac though.Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
Some guys just isn't great and he is one of those guys. Great that they see potential in him, but eventually no one will be interested in him except japanese-finish. And out there are many young drivers with far more proven potential than him. I would say Bergvist, Solans, Gryazin and Ingram.
Listening to rumors in various estonian sources - it seems that Meeke is as good as gone from TGR after this season and JML has "last warning". If either of them make stupid mistakes and ignore team strategy again, then they may get sacked mid-season.
No doubt about it that Katsuta has pace, but he is so inconsistent with a lot of crazy mistakesQuote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
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Maybe, but who can replace them on short notice?Quote:
Originally Posted by Indreq
Lets say after germany for one of them?
Tiedemann, paddon, breen? Østberg?
Rovenpära or katsuta is too early.
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Well, I will agree that Katsuta in a WRC car will be a disappointment in some rounds. However, given his background, he should do reasonably well in Germany and, despite the pressure, very well in 2020 Rally Japan which is the main objective of drafting him into the team this season! For those unfamiliar, he was a leading driver in Japan F3 before following in his father's footsteps by competing in the Japan Rally Championship rallies, which is mainly narrow tarmac.Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
I would go with Paddon. IMHO he was quite solid last year, even on part-time schedule. Toyota needs his support drivers to keep cool head and deliver top6 results, i believe Paddon can do that.Quote:
Originally Posted by skarderud
Yes, he crashed before the event started.Quote:
Originally Posted by Indreq
Get some perspective... he hit an unavoidable rock in the middle of the road on a blind 6th gear corner. I'm pretty sure it was his first testing crash ever.Quote:
Originally Posted by wrc2017
Makinen isn't sacking anyone mid season. No wayQuote:
Originally Posted by Indreq
Lets hope he doesnt have to. But if Meeke (or JML) screws up again, it might not be his decision. IMHO in Toyota it is not just another PR project, we have seen that Mr Toyoda himself takes great pride in their successes. That means it is personally important to Mr Toyoda. In Japanese culture showing proper respect is much more important than in western culture. He shows great respect toward Ott and other drivers if they perform well representing his brand. But make no mistake, if any of them disobeys direct orders and fails - this is not just some minor issue between subordinate and manager, this is also personal disrespect, disrespect towards brand and a slap in the face. He may overlook it once or twice but he will not forget and he will not tolerate it for long. You dont get to be boss of one of leading car manufacturers by turning other cheek.Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
I also don't see them sacking anyone mid-season, but for sure this is the time when they make decisions about next year.
Honestly, Meekes issue at Finland while JML secured 2nd is a big one.
Secondly, Toyoda-San is extremely grateful to JML for the development help he provided in 2017. I think that will be the only thing that keeps JML on the squad for another year. BTW the Japanese love love love JML. This also may have something to do with it. A friend in Sapporo once told me he was a huge Makinen fan because Mitsu was a Japanese brand and Makinen was a champ. This started the love affair for Japan and Finnish drivers. Latvala is that guy now, except he has not won any championships, but he reminds them of the good old days. Maybe this is why Tommi-San is not too pumped about JML.. lol.
From what I can read it seems pretty much confirmed that Corsica and Germany are booted out in favor for Japan and Kenya.
I can understand Corsica, but Germany?
It's well visited, liked by teams and fans, short haul for the teams and really well organized. I truly do not understand the reasoning here.
We have shit rounds like Australia that means sending everything on a ship half around the world to a crap rally on crap stages in the middle of nowhere, visited by maybe 20 drunk morons every year that lie down right next to the stage and risk getting run over.
Can someone understand the reasoning at the promoter and the FIA?
Yeah, Rally Deutschland is one of my favorite events, very central and practical for the teams, a big country that has a great influence over Europe, especially as far as car maunufactorer goes. As well as being a unique tarmac rally. I'm disappointed that it's getting dropped, and I wouldn't be surprised if the maunufactorers in the championship would be disappointed as well
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The name of the series. World Rally Championship. Also, money talks. But this is an endless discussion.Quote:
Originally Posted by itix
It's quite funny to say "money talks" when speaking about Germany being replaced by Kenya :D
You'd have to think it's down to money, as it's otherwise pretty incomprehensible for 2020. To exclude the ONLY event you have in Central Europe and near the Benelux/Northern France region, surely the core market for rallying, seems like madness! But maybe there is a plan here? Maybe they're doing this to give the FFSA a kick up the arse, hoping it'll instigate Rally France moving back up to the North, with Germany being sacrificed to achieve that end goal in 2021. Todt has talked about wanting cross border events...Quote:
Originally Posted by itix
It is ironic, but we all know there's more money to be made from the Kenyan Government than the ADAC.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
Doesn't Turkey need to be decided yet if they're in the calendar for next year and if they're not then Germany stays no?
Yes. I'm talking about money from the event organizers to the promoter doing the talking, not the money coming from spectators to the organizers.Quote:
Originally Posted by the sniper
Plus Germany is huge car marketQuote:
Originally Posted by itix
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FIA issues rear wing clarification after WRC Rally Finland anomalies
The FIA has instructed World Rally Championship manufacturers to comply with a clarification document concerning the rear wings on their World Rally Cars after anomalies were discovered during Rally Finland.
The governing body emphasised no parts were being run illegally - all manufacturer World Rally Cars comply with the homologation documents - but that the regulation concerning aerodynamics needed clarification.
The FIA has given the teams until next month's Rally Turkey to comply. Autosport understands Toyota's rear wing was at the heart of the debate, with clarification required to confirm its specification and measurements.
The suggestion to Autosport was that Toyota's rear wing sat outside the regulations, although the aerodynamic specification of the Yaris' rear wing has not changed since it was homologated at the start of 2017.
Asked specifically about Toyota, FIA rally director Yves Matton told Autosport: "There is no story about the Toyota rear wing. There has been a clarification concerning the rear wings from the World Rally Cars.
"We have asked all the manufacturers to do the work, and put them in conformity for Turkey. There is an action plan that we have asked all the manufacturers [to comply with]."
Following two late-night meetings on Friday, the teams put together a combined statement: "There is some problem on the homologation on the rear wing.
"All together we have to settle this because things are not very clear, and we have to settle all of this for Rally Turkey. Something has to be done to settle the homologation for all of the teams [regarding the rear wing]."
Toyota declined to comment beyond the statement, but a source told Autosport: "What caused this confusion?
"The car was presented to the FIA for homologation at the start of 2017. The FIA passed the car for homologation. These are the facts. Since then, the car has passed scrutineering every time, because the rear wing complies with the homologation document."
Matton accepted the FIA was at fault in the original homologation process, adding: "I would say, if there is a fault, it's the FIA.
"This is not Toyota, I told you all the cars are part of this action plan [for Turkey]."
Yves Matton Q&A
Why was this clarification needed?
When you make a homologation process, there are different interpretations between manufacturers, and this was the case here. That's why the clarification has been asked.
If you're given dimensions to work with, how can that be interpreted differently?
It's not so easy like that. It's not [that] you give a dimension... it's an aero regulation which is quite complicated, based on different figures, and different measurements and conditions. It's not just, [for example], 'this dimension from there to there'.
You have to take in all of these conditions, and there could be some different interpretations. That's the reason we had to check this, and this is why this clarification has been asked.
But the regulations don't allow the 30mm of overhang the Toyota has?
If you check the regulation, it's more difficult than this.
But no other car has an issue with the rear wing?
It's not the reality. We asked all the manufacturers to adapt their homologation. So does that mean none of the four manufacturers complies with the rules? No. All four manufacturers are complying with their homologation papers.
So they are in contravention of regulations, but homologated by the FIA?
No. Then whose fault is it that we need this clarification? I would say if there is a fault, it's the FIA, then. This is not Toyota [at fault], I told you all the cars are part of this action plan.
What's in the action plan?
That's between us and the manufacturers.
But there's no room here for different interpretation in the clarification?
We clarified how the text needs to be read. Why was that regulation not written tightly enough in the first place? The regulation will not change.
OK, why was there need for the clarification...
Before [now], nobody asked about this regulation. Maybe it's our fault that we have not seen this regulation could be interpreted differently. But now it's clear.
https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...land-anomalies
So Toyota was homomogated with 3cm bigger rear wing than others and running it for 1,5 years?
That's certainly interesting as 3cm can make quite some difference.
EDIT:This article has much more details than the Autosport one: https://www.rallye-magazin.de/wrc/ar...sbedarf-41593/
It says Citroen found that out when they were trying to copy Toyota wing for their aero upgrade and that it is 30 mm longer than it should be.
EDIT2: Btw. if you remember Yaris did not comply with the rules when homologated and got a deadline by FIA to change at least 2 things on the car within 2 rallies as far as I remember. Don't remember the other thing, but one was illegal materials used in engine (think it was valves).
Maybe the officials doing the homologation were so busy with these issues and wondering what to do about them that they didn't pay enough attention to aero?
i read it like 3 times but still so confusing and messy for me
Like, "they did wrong but actually they didnt because its our fault but still they did wrong"
It seems that those fia french's are in panic,because this time isnt world champ from french. Very intresting to read that they almost say that we accept homoligation because thats our fault.
Toyota wing is NOT actually bigger than others but their base car is smaller so wing/car is up to 3cm more than others have.
It´s true that they had to change some aerodynamics during homologation.
Sorry that I can´t explain it better.
Try the german article that I linked.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Sounds clear, it's 30 mm longer, but it was homologated like that so it's FIA's fault and they can't penalize them. When trying to write a clarification they found some minor details also for other competitors, but 3 cm is massive if you ask me.
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@reff92 Compared to previous years there has not been a single exclusion of a manu team for a few years now. People will remember Focus (in Monte around 2000), 206 in Argentina with water pump or Focus 06 in Portugal getting punished for 3 vs 4mm thick rear windows. Compare that with 30 mm longer rear wing!
okey understood now.
so they have to make it 3cms smaller now?
Seems so.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
In Turkey it won't matter but for the tarmac part in Spain that is a huge difference. See how (small) changes on the Hyundai ruined the car on tarmac before Spain 2017 and now before Finland again relatively small changes made it behave differently. Heck the changes to the front of the Yaris at end of 2017 were also relatively small.
Quite some testing will be needed to balance things out imo. Which is why FIA didn't dare to force them to change before Germany but first for Turkey where it doesn't matter much so they have almost 2 months time.
Could smell some french influence in these news, but very interesting indeed how things start to turn out from now onwards
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If the fia homologated that illegal rear wing its their fault. They should have noticed and told them to change it.
What do the french have to do with this?Quote:
Originally Posted by cali
Ogier - >Citroën - >Matton - > title fight slipping out of hands.... Need I go on about this?Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
The timeline about these news after these cars have been run for more than 2,5 years is very interesting
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The timeline is extremely logical as Citroen is right now working on changing their rear aero.Quote:
Originally Posted by cali
If you want to run conspiracy theories you can turn it around saying that Toyota deliberately send the car to the homologation with multiple "on the edge" issues late so that FIA had little time to check properly and not keep them from starting in Monte 2017. At that time VW just left and they certainly couldn't discourage Toyota much.
As mentioned Toyota had to rework multiple things on the car during the first rallies to comply with the homologation including things like materials inside the engine.
Usually things happen right from the start. You just do not "accidentally" discover new things after 2,5 years. Specially when this is not some thing which is hidden inside the car but seen to everyone for a quite a long time. I call this BS as this has some parisian scent in it.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
And the timeline is extremely logical indeed :D
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