yep. my niece calls it "broom broom"Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
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yep. my niece calls it "broom broom"Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
wilson jr will be first again, then someone will show up. ostberg made a good job with c3 bringing r5 towards rally2. maybe camilli will take a shoot also. I guess they'll be cautious on this matter, they get burned with the mkII fiesta r5, who sorted it out in the end?Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Until we go electric :)Quote:
Originally Posted by wyler
Lappi could've been a good one to choose having previously driven the Yaris WRC, C3 WRC and Fiesta WRC.
But I guess he's an extra wage when the M-Sport 2021 Drivers will do it as part of their duties.
Did Mikkelsen have anything to do with 'deweloping' the Polo?
If you mean 2017 one, he was driving it a lot in 2016 tests. Basically VW used all test days on driving the 2017 car for like 2/3 of the season. So he has driven 2017 Polo, C3 both before all changes and after (in 2020) and i20 over 2,5 years.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
Anyway MSport do not need much of a development feedback from drivers before something like summer this year.
If there is a will (and funds) there should be numerous drivers with experience available for tests at that point - Lappi, Mikkelsen, Meeke, Paddon++
Meeke is a great shout actually. Hope they can put their differences aside.
Yes because that worked wonders with the C3 😬.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
Well.... that project is called ,,Matton f0rk up''.. as well 22'' car regulations.Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
Meeke has told couple of times, that he was not heard/listened by the enginers etc..
Biggest problem with that Citroen fiasco was Matton. Meeke was even pushing for Loeb to have early tests of the car but Matton was having none of it.
Changes only started being made after Meeke offered to sit out tests/ a rally for Mikkelsen to reaffirm the same problems.
However Meeke won't be driving or testing the Msport car at all. Ideally they should get Mikkelsen involved and then sign him up for 2022. Mikkelsen + Suninen/Lappi + one other current driver or top prospect would be decent.
If it would be up to me, it would let as many drivers as possible test it. You can never have too many opinions.
Ford Performance and Ken Block no more together. How will affect the WRC program?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErOqDRGW...jpg&name=large
Why should it at all. KB hasn`t used many M-Sport cars lately, after the WRX Project (if we even count it) a few outings.
It's actually not a bad question at all, depending on why the relationship ended.
The basic option range:
1. He got dropped so they save money and use it for 2022 WRC support of MSport or even entering with own bran again - very good for WRC (and likely unrealistic)
2. He got dropped cause they got angry about his latest "Pastrana vids" with Subaru or something like that - somewhat neutral, but might be positive it if helps with WRC funding (most likely option)
3. They dropped it cause they want to reduce motorsport support - very bad for WRC (second least more likely than 1. but less than 2.)
Block probably wants to do Extreme E or Dakar and then call it a day, as he is now well into his 50s.
is going back to his first love (or already gone): Subaru. Hope this is a good news from that side...
Just been thinking this weekend, Castrol/BP mustn't be an insignificant sponsor/financial contributor to the team, as Gus' dad's (presumably) millions weren't enough to displace Castrol stickers with Crown Oil ones. Though of course, it could just be a long term deal that had to be honoured or it's part of the deal with Ford's contribution.
The first thing that came to my mind after Suninen crash and Millener interview was that they might have a real motivation problem and maybe a sponsor problem on the way.
Previously it might have been "fun" to work for the team and travel to rallies. Nowadays the mechanics and technicians sit in service park, can't talk to anyone can't go anywhere then straight to hotel where they are again isolated and eat alone. (ref. what Sordo says). In between they have quarantine when they come home... and they do all the work to see no pace and/or crash in first stage.
Similarly the few remaining sponsors pay money to see their fastest car getting beaten by Rally2s...
Crown Oil are suppliers of domestic and industrial Heating Oil.Quote:
Originally Posted by the sniper
There is no conflict with Castrol Lubricants.
I'm aware that in practice there isn't. Yet Crown Oil always previously appeared in place of Castrol on Greensmith's car and no longer seems to appear at all...Quote:
Originally Posted by Got Mail
So are you suggesting the family no longer want the brand to be associated with the WRC or is it a voluntary sacrifice to make it less obvious that the Greensmith family paid for the drive?
I wondered that too but I guess you’re right about it being a long term deal with Castrol and/or tied in with some Ford partnership. That deal could be for the main two M-Sport cars and of course Gus is one of those now rather than the third driver.Quote:
Originally Posted by the sniper
Someone reported that Malcolm wants a lot of money for those seats, so somewhat surprising the Greensmith family wouldn’t want something in return for their cash.
My interpretation is that this is to enable Greensmith to do the full season more cheaply by only paying for the drive and for not sponsorship as well.
Castrol has had a very long-term deal with M-Sport and is an important source of money not to be pushed away for a short-term deal.
It's also doubtful that Crown Oil would get much payback by sponsoring the WRC team. They already sponsor local football teams and stadiums. I'm sure this brings in more sales of domestic/industrial oil for heating than the more niche sport of rallying.
There is also a link between Castrol and Ford. They supply the lubricants used in new Ford cars and for dealer service. The Castrol sponsorship for MSport might have come from some persuasion by Ford and be part of the hidden support from Ford to MSport.
Crown Oil history
https://www.crownoil.co.uk/about-us/
Maybe Suninen will drive Arctic, but after that I would put Fourmaux for the rest of the season with Gus in the two Fords.
He has a very good ability to learn and adjust his drive with the conditions. Talented driver!
Re sponsorship - you may also now notice 'Rockdoor' on the Fiesta WRC for 2021.
Rockdoor were a sponsor on Greensmith's Fiesta R5 a few years ago, so he may have brought them as a sponsor to M-Sport.
It's another of their family businesses. As is GAP plastics.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Right, so getting this on the car instead of Crown Oil so as not to clash with Castrol.Quote:
Originally Posted by Got Mail
You believe that Formaux with zero WRC experience is faster than Suninen ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sulland
Rest of season means Summer Rally Finland also ? Rally Estonia ?
Yes Fourmeaux is doing great considering his lack of experience. But don't rush him too fast. He needs to learn the rallies and be a constant contender in WRC2 before moving up. He did a great job in Monte Carlo (his first Monte !) but ther is still a long road to go.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sulland
Agreed but he need a couple of tests, to get the WRCar under his skin. He has a good brain, and need to start prosessing.Quote:
Originally Posted by djip
He has put his medical studies on halt to focus fully on rally. So maybe this driver works a bit different than most others.
Actually his third Monte... ;) But indeed, great event from him and it looks like he has more to show. Let's just hope they don't skip steps like they did with Camilli.Quote:
Originally Posted by djip
Guys, don't forget that Gus won Monte Carlo in WRC2...
Gus needs coaching both mental and driving. It is not fare to expect the same from him as other team leaders.
Gus winning the RC2 class in Monte 2019 was his finest drive, but the entry list that year wasn’t that special. No works Skodas or ex-WRC drivers. Rovanperä, Veiby, Ciamin, Bonato, Sarrazin, Katsuta...and Fourmaux.
This situation is frustrating for all us fans, especially when there are only two other manufacturers in the WRC class but there is little point in attacking Gus or even M-Sport (which I have probably been guilty of too). Thinking things through there is no logical reason why M-Sport should or would want to spend too much of their own money other than for Malcolm’s personal enjoyment or vanity, when:
- The project is not paid for by a manufacturer and they have no incentive to give the best performance to retain that backing
- As far as i’m aware there are no cash prizes for manufacturers in WRC (as there are in F1 for example)
- There is no real market for selling or renting these vehicles to privateers
- There seems to be very little in the way of external sponsorship coming into WRC other than from subsidiaries or partners of manufacturers.
Fingers crossed things change for the hybrid era. Perhaps Ford can be persuaded to open their wallet if they can get some marketing mileage out of the hybrid technology or maybe Mikelssen can get Red Bull to offer some backing to the team in the same way they did to get Ogier in a Fiesta when VW pulled out.
Why M-Sport wants to stay in WRC:
- They can get money in from paydrivers
- They want to stay relevant in the sport in order to sell lower class cars.
- Maybe the 2022 cars will be more privateer-friendly?
This is actuall a real problem imo, in F1 there is money for each manu point earned. Surely the promoter sells TV "product" to TV providers, sells Allive etc. I get that it's likely not huge sums but how is that in any way channeled back to teams/drivers?Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
-----
Anyway back to MSport
I am not so sure about this. In one way or another Ford does "give" them money/support. Will this continue endlessly if they are not only after the first 3 cars from each of the other manus but even after "extra drivers" (Katsuta, Loubet..)Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Here is the main danger imo. If those drivers that have money and ambition see that they will be at a significant performance disadvantage with MSport they will go elsewhere. At least those that have a realistic ambition of making it towards the top.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
So you get Veiby, Loubet and in a way also Solberg going to Hyundai rather than MSport which would have been the typical go-to just 2-3 years ago. If they can't attract those they end up with only guys like Bertelli.
For this specific reason they should have at minimum 1 "Top" driver performance-wise to at least on occasions show what the car can do. IMO it should be somewhat reliable driver (in terms of performance), not necessarily finishing rallies.
This year Suninen kind of has that role. So far he has done terrible, but it's only one rally. My issue is that he is not really considered reliable (and neither is Lappi), meaning considered as a proven driver that is regularly fast over the season. Meeke, Paddon, Mikkelsen, Østberg, (and Latvala) fit that much better. But Meeke, Paddon and similar drivers who have won rallies also don't want to pay a lot of money just to "promote" MSport product.
So we get to the dilemma, keep on "risking" with "unreliable"/young drivers or use a bit more money for some regularly fast one? So far MSport almost always goes for the cheaper and risky option. Worked in 2019 (Evans had real pace in Corsica and GB and got "sold" to Toyota, getting money to MSport), did not work at all in 2020 (only a tiny glimpse at Monza).
Unless there are special rules in the WRC you need at least one trained mechanic to work on the high voltage system, not a huge deal but needs to be done i guessQuote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Just for the record, Bertelli owns his car and has his own team.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
But why people are going to Hyundai, I can only think of two things: 1) the performance of Fiesta WRC and 2) the performance of Fiesta Rally2 (although Hyundai R5 hasn't been much better)