Ott Tänak - Future champion?

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Originally Posted by EstWRC

how things can change, i wrote those posts after Rally Portugal, when everything just seemed so miserable and the car and the team was just nowhere. we really believed with friends that he will get no win or only one win this season.

now 5 months later, we have 3 wins and he has been out of podium only on Rally Safari cause of technical/mechanical issues. Great consistency

Points since Sardegna:

Ott 136
Kalle 131
Thierry 84
Elfyn 80
Takamoto 62

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And he didn't even win Estonia ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EstWRC

how things can change, i wrote those posts after Rally Portugal, when everything just seemed so miserable and the car and the team was just nowhere. we really believed with friends that he will get no win or only one win this season.

now 5 months later, we have 3 wins and he has been out of podium only on Rally Safari cause of technical/mechanical issues. Great consistency

Points since Sardegna:

Ott 136
Kalle 131
Thierry 84
Elfyn 80
Takamoto 62

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Fair enough, but Kalle had the points on the board after Portugal so his approach may have been different if he was in Ott's position. And of course Ott had nothing to lose after that start to the year and could just go all-out for wins.

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Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

Fair enough, but Kalle had the points on the board after Portugal so his approach may have been different if he was in Ott's position. And of course Ott had nothing to lose after that start to the year and could just go all-out for wins.

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kalle has 3 wins, a second place and 2 crashes since sardegna. That surely looks like someone going all-out for wins.

Happy birthday, champ! :)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FfxwH-NX...jpg&name=large

Off to msport to help develop their Darak project and also WRC in Puma I would reckon

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Originally Posted by EstWRC

I don’t even know what to say

It’s like every decision he makes after 2019 is wrong, today the tyre choice again

When he is on it, then the car breaks down

Third year in a row 0 points from monte

Last year when there were rumors about him going to M-sport, I really wished so and after seeing the performance of Ford, I wish it even more it had happened

Okay, the season is still long and it’s just the first rally but as a fan it’s feels like the number of the year changes but the script every year is the same

I hope there’s a different script this year

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I think for sure 2023 will have a different script, hopefully, fingers crossed, one that says, title fight on his hands.

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Originally Posted by EstWRC

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...42873d1f97.jpg

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So, the caption is: "Tänak between Toyota and M-Sport cars analyzing the future options"

A lot of "what if-s", but really seems like wasted 3 years of prime-time. Remembered my own comment after Rally Sardinia:

https://www.motorsportforums.com/sho...=1#post1301041

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Originally Posted by meh

Watched the rally and got some hope that they have improved a lot.

Now watched that interview.. and I'm not that optimistic anymore.

I can imagine, how disappointed he actually can be. I remember from some interview, when he was asked for future perspective after winning the title - he said, that he is interested to be part of building new generation car, to be able to build the things like he sees the best.

For that exact reason he made the contract quite early last year. and then... Hyundai basically just blew it up with delaying every kind of decisions to start development, then lack of leadership with Adamo leaving and there is still Neuville's legacy with what they driving. He is master, he can adapt his driving, but it's not something like "being one with the car" effect. He is really good mechanic, he was in important role for building successful car for M-Sport for 2017. And now... Such a waste of talent and waste of time in a way.

From positive side - if they will get it working, it will taste good for sure :)

One more thing. It was Adamo personally who hired/convinced him to join. They seemed to match quite well, and we know how that developed - Adamo left. Another reason, why he joined, didn't realize or do not exists anymore.

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David Evans thoughts https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/tanak...es-he-do-next/

Sound like he won’t be driving next year