Huttunen! Though he doesn't need to be send, he's quite nearby already.
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Huttunen! Though he doesn't need to be send, he's quite nearby already.
Imo (and the wording of the release and Adamo's comments seem to confirm) it's not so much about how Mikkelsen did in the two rallies but how the whole Hyundai as a team did. 0 wins, 2 podiums (out of 6 "chances") and 2nd in manu.
Somebody higher up lost patience and demands something done immediately.
Sordo+Loeb looks right now more likely to give better results for Corsica. I'd expect that no matter how the contract is written there are only some economic penalties for Hyundai if Mikkelsen doesn't drive, so they were just willing to take the cost. If you follow that route "best point chance no matter the cost" then Neuville-Loeb-Sordo is off course likely in Germany and/or Spain (more in Spain than Germany, cause Sordo has a crashing tendency there the last 2 years), not much anywhere else.
Extending this to other drivers and other rallies then the only drivers that could be somehow expected to get better results and are available are Paddon or Østberg in Finland (where Hyundai has a seat free already). Huttunen is an extra risk, not a "safe" choice for points, so it's less likely that calling Østberg or even Breen.
On other rallies Paddon had same or lower speed than Mikkelsen last year and no other (available) driver really did better.
Simple reason gor dropping Mikkelsen at TDC: Hyundai realise the Manufacturer's title is their best chance and are going to play their strongest team rally by rally.
You can`t say Paddon had slower speed than Mikkelsen after six finished events out of seven and he only lost 11 points or something in the end to Mikkelsen, who did a full season. Yes, Mikkelsen had some issues and restarts (not a single retirement then again), but numbers are numbers.
Numbers show he was slower, points show he scored better.
Sweden - slower 2 places behind
Portugal - just first few stages, Paddon with roadposition advantage and a few secs ahead when he crashed, Mikkelsen with broken powersteering and then engine, call it draw
Sardinia - slower, when Mikkelsen's gearbox broke he was first, Paddon 8. +36s behind
Finland - Paddon clearly faster and fastest Hyundai
Turkey - slower, Mikkelsen was first 40s ahead of Tanak and 1:12 ahead of Paddon when mechanics forgot to put in all screws out of service
GB - slower though only by a few secs, can call it draw
AUS - same pace, 3s difference when Mikkelsen met tractor, same speed on Saturday (except SSS where it rained for Mikkelsen and not Paddon), same speed Sunday morning again before Hyundai ordered cruise
That's Paddon 1 : Mikkelsen 3, if calling all of GB, Portugal and Australia a draw. If you put GB for Mikkelsen (he finished ahead) and Australia for Paddon it goes to 2:4.
Note the number of crashes 1:1 (with tractor on stage)
Number of technical retirements 0:3 (these do have rather big impact on scored points)
As usual your over-analysis makes no allowance for the orders or the role each is playing. Having been demoted Paddon's role was not to go for victories but to bring the car home undamaged and in the points. I imagine that his fate should he have failed would have been fairly well explained.
Pound for pound Paddon would wipe the floor with Mikkelsen.
I thought the third car being discussed was who would replace Sordo and Loeb. Second car will be Mikkelsen. Or have I missed something.
And I also thought Paddon released a video at the start of the season, saying he had only been offered one rally (presumably Finland) and declined. Or did I get that one wrong.
Third car, if Gronholm says Huttenen is still on hyundais books, will likely go to Huttenen if Loeb and Sordo aren't prepared to do Finland surely?