Unless Ogier or Tanak become free i don't see a way in which Adamo can make a vast improvement to his driver lineup. Perhaps he should concentrate his wrath at the car/engineers.
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Unless Ogier or Tanak become free i don't see a way in which Adamo can make a vast improvement to his driver lineup. Perhaps he should concentrate his wrath at the car/engineers.
Did anyone else picked up phrase from Ostberg in ALL Live (rephrased as I remember them):
Molly: do you have changes next year for seat-time?
Ostberg: of course, let's say not all drivers have had the best season.
In Finland I picked up from interview something like "I can help manufacturers to help winning title" and then I linked him with Toyota (only by this phrase).
Yep, i wrote this already after Finland, maybe getting some partial outings with Citroen? and it wouldnt be surprise at all if Adamo would hire him to Hyundai. Time will tell.
Mäkinen says to estonian media that contract is ready for Tänak and the pen in Otts hands. Goes on saying that Ott wants to be sure that the Toyota is fast and reliable for winning titles. Everything was fine after Finland but after Turkey some mismatches were created.
Then these same questions about Rovanpera again, and same answers again. He thinks Rovanpera is ready and etc.
In the end he says his opinion about Meeke has changed a lot after the Finland. Saying that Meeke finally isnt thinking about winning rallies and title anymore, and understand his value as the second driver. Even goes on comparing him to Sordo.
and in the end reporter asks: "So the line up next year will be Tänak, Meeke and Rovanpera?
Mäkinen: "That would be the dream yes"
It will be interesting to see how many Toyotas there are in 2020. There will be a fourth car for Katsuta, but could they run a so-called junior team (Katsuta/Rovanperä?) alongside the main squad?
Meeke's position should be quite strong now - opposite to Latvala's. Even with the Jouhki connection, JML could very well be out. Tänak-Meeke-Mikkelsen anyone?
https://www.facebook.com/PostimeesSp...214310126/?t=3
check from 20:18+ how Tänak and Ogier are smiling when Mäkinen is talking about signing Tänak's contract. Any body-language experts here?
i believe the contract has been signed some time ago already, they are just bullshitting
E: watched it now, haha that was funny, Ogier even shaking his head and holding laugh back when Tommi is speaking :D
So where does Latvala go? I'm afraid another year at Toyota will drive him further into the ground with how little Tommi cares to keep him onboard. He's got arguably the best car, sure, but I think the time is right to hop on over to M-Sport, inject some funds into the private team and lead Evans and Suninen into 2020.
any more news?
https://twitter.com/planetemarcus/st...53903406174208
3 main options that I see:Quote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
1. It's nothing (very) important, either political issues related (current South Korea-Japan) or something else
2. Hyundai don't have a (tarmac) driver to send there, Loeb does not want to go and Sordo will likely do Australia shortly after so they don't want to send him there (could mean Breen is not going to drive in Australia)
3. Hyundai doesn't plan to run in 2020
Anyone out there is thinking that Hyundai may pull out at the end of 2019?
Rational would say : it depends if they can get a manufacturer / driver title.
However those decisions are made earlier and irrespective of the final result and / or irrationally to the common poeple (VW being an example in my opinion).
Anyway, I wouldn't be so confident in the future if I were Neuville.
If that theory will really happen about Hyundai leaving I think that Neuville will find a drive straight away. He is although the one of the best three drivers out there.
Find it very hard to predict anything about that as Korean culture is not really something I understand. VW was pretty much completely unrelated to rallying. Subaru at the end of 2008 was due to a long string of really bad results and no improvement with new car.
The decision does not necessarily have to be made earlier (ref. Subaru) though.
Anyway while Neuville is further away from the title this year than the two years before, in manu standings Hyundai are much better off than before. In 2017 two rallies before the end they were trailing by 83 points!, in 2018 by 20 and this year they are 8 points ahead.
So there is some progress in the right direction.
Hyundai pulling out after this year would be awful for the championship. There's not enough seats as is. I really hope it won't come to that yet
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Agree. We need at least one more manufacturer, not fewer, f.ex. Skoda + Subaru, to bring in 5-6 more seats. Imagine getting seats for todays squads + Rovanperä, Breen, Paddon, Tidemand, Loeb and Östberg. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Katvala
Tommi Mäkinen huolestui: Yksityiselämän kohut haittaavat Jari-Matti Latvalan ajoa – ”En itsekään olisi pystynyt keskittymään” https://www.is.fi/ralli/art-2000006265268.html
Mäkinen cooling down talks about Toyota's line-up for 2020. He says the story published yesterday by delfi.ee was "something they just wanted to write" and (jokingly) adds that his actual dream line-up would be Tänak-Ogier-Neuville (instead of Tänak-Meeke-Rovanperä like delfi's story claimed). No updates about Latvala or Meeke either. Tommi says all decisions will be made with Toyota HQ and discussions about the future are likely to start this week.
Tommi also goes to defend JML by saying that he would not have been able to focus on the driving part himself if his private life was in headlines (like JML's just before and during Wales).
edit. And Mäkinen once again states how pleased he's been with Meeke ever since rally Finland.
While I understand Mäkinens dilemma, specially lately when it's not so easy to pick one of them, it's only Tänaks by all means great results this season that are keeping Toyota in the fight for manu championship. (and the fact that Citroen and Ford don't regularly run 3rd cars which would take further points of Toyotas that loose lot of time or superrally).
Sordo with 5! rallies less has almost same points as Latvala. Evans with 3 less and Mikkelsen with 2 less have similar or more points than Meeke. Looking at team points by driver the differences are even bigger as both Toyota drivers have a lot of PS points.
man this Tommi cant make his mind up what he wants to say, lol
talking one thing to finnish media, another to estonian media
If you can not say the truth, then you just need to generate some BS. It could be boring for yourself if it is the same all the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Another point - it would be really stupid and dangerous in this state of championship situation and calendar to start criticize (and demotivate) Meeke and JML. It makes more sense to say some good words and keep the motivation up (and possibility to next year for their point of view).
I can’t see Toyota wanting to rely on Rovanpera next year for manufacturers points. My guess would be the lineup stays the same with Rovanpera in a 4th car. Katsuta to continue in R5 plus a handful of events in the WRCar.
What happened with JML's private life during and before GB in the news?
His fiance all over the tabloids shacking up with another bloke while he was away....Quote:
Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1
Any link?Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
Pick one.Quote:
Originally Posted by spyros
https://www.seiska.fi/Uutiset/Maisa-...n-Hanen-tulisi
https://www.seiska.fi/Uutiset/Salasu...kijoita-varoen
https://www.seiska.fi/Uutiset/Kuva-S...eissa-kaupassa
https://www.seiska.fi/Uutiset/Maisa-...stava-yhteisia
https://www.seiska.fi/Uutiset/Maisa-...kanssa-Laitoin
https://www.seiska.fi/Uutiset/Kuulin...-avopuolisolle
https://www.seiska.fi/Uutiset/Maisa-...Latvala-taysin
Personally, I completely refuse to click links to these crap magazines.Quote:
Originally Posted by Allez Andruet
You call that a magazine? No but in all seriousness, I should have added a disclaimer not to click on the links. The point was just to show the amount of s*** all parties involved have had to tolerate lately.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
To me it´s likely Ott already has contract with Toyota. Meeke stays. Makinen will hire new 3rd driver (not Katsuta).
Suninen, Ostberg could be possible 3rd driver at Toyota.
JML goes to Ford, where Evans stays and Kalle makes his first outings over the year.
Quite possible.Quote:
Originally Posted by spiderem
And maybe why Adamo is coming across as really desperate for the Manus title, if he knows they will pull out if he doesnt deliver it...
What a horrible weekend for the poor guy.Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
Quote:
Originally Posted by meh
Completely agree, even if he does not count with one or both of them he should not say anything until end of the season.
I can't seem them relying on Rovanpera for manu points either, but I can totally see them switching one of Latvala/Meeke for a reliable points scorer, with Evans being the most likely candidate.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Yeah. Could also be a swop between JML and Evans...
I'd be really curious to see how Latvala would fare in the Fiesta. Since Tänak joined the team he's been on a decline
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Latvala-Suninen-Rovanperä Buagsports Flying Finn M-Sport World Rally Team :D
Landscape will be different for Latvala now. He will probably need to bring some budget to Msport, but he no longer can bring a return on any investment like a younger driver with potential could, and Jouhki's other drivers are Kalle (who will be at Toyota), and Suninen entering another season with Msport. They are his future concerns.
Maybe he could find some sponsorship from somewhere, but I doubt Jouhki will be stumping up cash for him like if he was one of his up and coming drivers. Would love to see Jari back at Msport alongside Evans and Suninen in a 3 car team, but I can imagine Greensmith will be bringing budget to run more events in the wrc next year as well (and who knows what Paddon is going to do on top of that).
So things could look tough for Jari's fulltime WRC future if Toyota are running Kalle in the main 3 car team next year, and Tommi isn't extending his stay there.
JML is like crap relationship (sorry for that metaphore at the moment). On good days, he is really good and does not feel good idea to let him go. But results show, that you can not relay on him. If you ask - bring it home, as fast as you can but priority - bring it home, then speed drops a lot. Which means he drives over his limits and that's why all the mistakes and crashes. A lot of bad luck / technical problems haven't been helping him also.
What Jari can't deal with is being slower than his teammates. It doesn't matter if someone else in a different car beats him, but when he's in equal machinery with the guy trouncing over him he collapses.Quote:
Originally Posted by meh
In 2017 as the clear team leader he had his best season, arguably, ever, never putting a single foot wrong (save for his illness provoked roll in Portugal), but 2018 and Tanak's rise hurt him greatly. The first half of this season has also been pitiful. However, in Finland, in Turkey and for a hot minute in Wales, forgetting his status in the team, he was actually really quick.
I would struggle to see either as an improvement over Latvala personally.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
What about Mikelssen? He’s not had a great year but he’s still top of the pile of ‘tier 2’ drivers.
Depends on how many rallies he has with no pace. Would he be better on tarmac in another car?Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Since being dropped for Portugal he has been the definition of a reliable points scorer. I still think Tommi would prefer Evans over him but that's just a feeling. Clearly he should be the first choice after Evans.
Looking at Loeb's tarmac pace in Hyundai and comparatively Mikkelsen's in C3 and Fabia R5 there is no doubt he would have normal pace in a normal tarmac car.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Shut up.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight