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I prefer full days on friday and saturday and a shorter sunday rather than Wales having a useless first leg already. They do 2x3 stages. Only 1 (!) hour between the first and the third stage of each loop, so even if you watch only WRC cars it's nearly impossible to see 4 stages that day. Last stage of the day at 14:30... Why make a longer sunday leg when organizers don't even use the full potential of the other days?
Totally agree! I would like to go again in the beautiful Wales....but watch just 2 stages on Friday and again on Sunday it's not enough! 3X2 format it's awful for spectators, organizer should copy Sardinia's format, or at least propose a 4x2 format, with a refuelling to break the loop...Quote:
Originally Posted by tommeke_B
Having the last stage at 14:30 is a complete joke. It's meant to be a tough sport. You could fit in another 3-4 stages. It's a combination of the rules/regs, lack of imagination from organizers that we have this. I wasn't a fan of the 'cloverleaf' format when they brought it in nearly 20 years ago; and I'm still not. It has added nothing to the sport, and hasn't brought all the TV/ media coverage they thought it would.Quote:
Originally Posted by tommeke_B
News... and end off (Toyota link) rumour.
https://www.andreasmikkelsen.no/news...en-in-the-wrc/
Latvala will be Toyota leader.Quote:
Originally Posted by Viking
I think now is too early for speculation bit since it is fun to predict line ups I think Neuville could be their top driver after new hyundai will not be fast enough to catch VWs in 2016.
is Neuville fast enough to catch the VW ? so far this season is the most useless driver by far.Quote:
Originally Posted by AL14
Sordo and Paddon have beaten Neuville this year, and NOT favourite, Mr Manager Timo Juohki is very very influential in the new Toyota set upQuote:
Originally Posted by AL14
Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
I've said that Neuville could be their driver, not their right choice :)
Local news is reporting that Rally Australia is confirmed until 2017 and that they are trying to be the last round of the season.
https://au.prime7.yahoo.com/n1/video...e-coffs-coast/
Do we know when to expect the itinerary for Catalunya? They're already later than last year.
Next tuesday.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119693 seems like Ogier's consistency is having some effect about the road sweeping issue...
If I were Todt I would take a decision like this:
In order to "assess the situation" the championship leader will open the road for all the 3 days only for the first half of the season. The second half will be reversed.
new NR4 Subaru "for" WRC2 and ERC2..
http://rallysportmag.com.au/home/oth...y-car-unveiled
should we start dreaming about a WRC return in a few years?
Private effort, so no.
http://www.rallye-magazin.de/wm/nach...r-die-zukunft/ the importance of China & Citroen's participation in WRC or WTCC
wrc rally Ireland could make a return..i see it on this weeks motorsport news
Citroen DS in FE... What will be with wrc?!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119713
well it's not like they're gonna use any of the DS cars for that..Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
By YLE (like BBC in England) strong rumours says that Toyota WRC rally operation could be run by Tommi Mäkinen Racing. They say that it would be run from Puuppola (near Jyväskylä) but at least for me it’s difficult to believe. Far away from everywhere. Mikko Hirvonen is also involved in the operation of TMR.
Finnish to English Google translation is shit as usually.
https://translate.google.com/transla...8870&edit-text=
Original
http://yle.fi/urheilu/toyotan_rallit...kanssa/8108870
But why not? Strong know-how and fast gravelroads everywhere around helps develop car. So let´s hope rumours are true.
I find it slightly bizarre. An unproven team at International level, why on earth would you give it to them? Seems strange, and very un-Toyota like.
krismeeke#Repost @kblock43
The marshalls at #Goodwood made a "No Donut" sign for the warm up area.. It would have been a crime to show this to @kblock43.. so I had to intervene! And he delivered on my instruction in abundance!
#DonutsAreGood ������
https://instagram.com/p/4e-T4ELN-H/
Becs Williams @Becsywecsy
Great to hear that @CitroenRacing have committed to the #WRC in 2016 as confirmed by brand CEO Linda Jackson
What about TTE? Wasn´t it a private team, at least from the begginning? I might be wrong however.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
Citroen Racing will withdraw from either the WRC or WTCC at the end of 2016...
Citroen will withdraw from either the World Rally Championship or World Touring Car Championship in 2017.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
The French firm has won 17 driver and manufacturer titles since entering the WRC in 2000, has dominated the WTCC for the last 18 months, and will continue in both championships until the end of 2016.
Citroen CEO Linda Jackson insists no decision has been taken yet about which will continue beyond that.
"For 2016 we have our two disciplines: world rally and world touring," Jackson told AUTOSPORT.
"I can safely say to you that we are reviewing the decisions and for 2017 nothing has been decided.
"But, we have made the decision that Citroen will only be officially involved in one discipline for 2017."
Its DS brand will enter Formula E later this year as a manufacturer with Virgin Racing, ending speculation that the WTCC programme would be rebranded.
Citroen, WTCC
That leaves the WRC and WTCC to fight for the Citroen name.
While its current WTCC customer Sebastien Loeb Racing could take over the primary programme in a semi-works capacity, with or without Loeb himself competing, that wouldn't necessarily be considered an 'official' involvement.
The geographical location of rallies and races is set to play pivotal role in the decision, along with technical regulations and budgetary requirements.
"In terms of the segment of vehicle, it's important which segment of cars the FIA decides to go with [in the 2017 WRC]," Jackson said,
"And secondly we're looking for something with the same number of races - 12 or 13 - including China.
"We would want a presence in China, that's our first market and obviously it's important for us.
"Whichever discipline we go to, we need to make sure we can work on the same budget or less.
"Yes, Citroen Racing and sport is important for us, but it would have to be within the budgets we have already got."
China has hosted a WRC round once before, in 1999, and a 2016 return was flagged earlier this year, while the WTCC has raced in the nation since 2011.
Asked if the absence of a WRC round in China would mean the end of Citroen in world rallying, Jackson said: "Nothing is ever definitive.
"We haven't made our decision yet, but clearly China and - having a race there - is very important for us because China is our first market in terms of sales.
"We've still got a long way to go in terms of improving not only our market share there, but also our image, and having a race there is becoming mandatory for manufacturers.
"Everybody is trying to increase exposure in China, it's a very important market."
http://www.autosport.com/news/report...medium=twitter
it is better to go out of the WRC... their effort is not serious since Loebs retirement... plus their last sentence about china shows they move towards that decision.
Very much can change until we reach decision. I´m not speculating but for sure there´re so many ways things could turn out, which can´t be predicted yet.
Don´t think they would stay with their actual drivers.
If they've made the final choice for rally and therefore canalized the budget, concentration is back, why not. And with some lobbying there could be a WRC China soon. It's known that Citroen is not happy with WTCC.Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
A great part from Citroen WRC budget comes from Abu Dhabi partnership. Does anyone know when Abu Dhabi contract expires?
So DS goes to FE and Citroen will probably stay in WTCC, then Peugeot could have an excellent opportunity to come back to WRC, avoiding to maintain their uncompetitive Dakar program (that probably is even less popular in China than WRC).
With very little competition in the WTCC, and no VW Group team to outspend them, it would make sense to stay in the WTCC.
I don't see any alternative for Citroen unless Latvala gets the boot from VW.Quote:
Originally Posted by WUff1
Meeke is still too accident prone but did win this year and whilst Mads is clearly slower than Meeke and a bit whingey he does collect the points.
JML will be available after this season ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Can you elaborate?
No one would be surprised if VW would let Latvala go at the end of the season. Mikkelsen is proving to be a reliable nº2 and they could pick up Latti from Skoda to their 3rd car.Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
On the other hand if Citroen intends to leave WRC they probably won't change drivers in their last season.
Ford has Tanak that's as fast (and as inconsistent) for a fraction of JML cost and Hyundai balanced group of drivers just need to get a faster car to get closer to VW.
It would be great to see Latvala associated with Toyota, using 2016 as an intensive development year in order to return as Toy nº1 driver in 2017...
I don't think Latvala will be happy at his age to have a 1 year break. I think he would do it only if it would be his only option.
Btw, I could say a stupid thing but I suspect he needs a car like Citroen, maybe a bit faster than it is now but still a car that would force him to change his driving style like Ostberg did.
Tommi Makinen is expected to be announced as team principal of Toyota's new-look World Rally Championship effort on Tuesday.
The four-time WRC champion has been linked to Toyota since building a private GT86 rally car for Toyota Motor Corporation president and CEO Akio Toyoda last year.
Makinen has remained close to Toyoda since and sources in Japan say the Finn's new deal will be inked in Nagoya this week.
He has run Tommi Makinen Racing, building and selling Group N Subarus, for a number of years.
Toyota Motorsport GmbH - TMC's wholly owned motorsport subsidiary - is understood to have been sidelined in the new deal.
Nobody from TMG was available for comment when AUTOSPORT contacted Cologne, but sources within TMG say the company will continue with its development programme of its own Yaris WRC.
The news of Makinen's new position is expected to come from Gazoo Racing - TMC's motorsport arm in Japan - but the programme is still set to have a European base.
A source in Japan said: "There is no indication the programme will be based from Japan, this is not the best way for the logistics. It must be Europe."
Toyoda confirmed Toyota's 2017 return to the WRC at the start of the season, ending a 17-year absence from a series the firm once dominated.
http://m.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119871