Printable View
Fairish comment as he never really recovered from 2005. Though Ford has obviously thought this through as they need people to take points off the Citroens.Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Can you name 3 to 5 drivers who Ford should have got in front of Duval? As I really struggle to think of fast tarmac drivers in rallying at the moment apart from Panizzi
There aren't any faster tarmac drivers with recent WRC tarmac experience - although i'd say both Wilks and Meeke would be faster.
Pannizzi was just as error-prone as Duval.
Quote:
Originally Posted by I am evil Homer
I'm not sure about wilks being faster than duval on Tarmac.
I would love to see panizzi back, I think he's the only person who could really compete with loeb and sordo. He was the king in a 206 wrc.
That was long time a go. I heard that last year, when he was helping Skoda with testing Fabia S2000, he was reasonably slower than Kopecký.
In my opinion the best available driver besides current top WRC ones is Kris Meeke.
I think most of you are being a bit harsh on Duval, he was pretty fast even back when a 5th place was a good result, on tarmac he was easily on top 3 and I think that this time he spent without competition was enough to make him think a bit and perhaps with a experienced co-driver and testing he can get things sorted out and come back full time.
And he's not old and the weight problem can get sorted out with a physical adviser.
And I know sometimes it's hard to believe but standards are higher this time when it comes to drivers, so Panizzi would not be a great choice unless you're looking for a development driver.
Yeah I hope meeke gets a drive in the wrc next year, kopecky is one of the best Tarmac drivers at the moment, I would like to see him againt loeb in the same car, I bet there wouldn't be much between them.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Mirek Fric [Cze
Anyway the WRC is going 1.6T and what about IRC?! I heard they would go Turbo too but with limited manufacters on new car development I dont see here they are going.
They probably will go to 1.6T also but for not in 2011 as there would be no cars available for some half of season and very little (if some) for the rest. It will take time to spread new cars around.
I'm sure irc will continue using s2000 spec cars, it would be stupid to change I think. I'm not sure about the drivers not being as good today as 5-10 years ago...
Sébastien's Loeb & Ogier just signed for Citroën in 2011
Toyota executive spokesman, Mr Yamashina was quoted today in an online news service here in Japan as saying that Toyota would announce details of its return to international motor sport activities, next month. The author of the article believed that this would not be a return to F1, but is highly likely to be a WRC and WTCC programme.
Great news....hope they choose the WRC where i am sure they will not disappoint.
Fingers crossed for WRC.
Yep a good Corolla 1.6T would be great! This might be just the swung the WRC needs!
Grönholm might be interested coming back to WRC with Mini. :)
http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/ralli/uut...010/07/1158784
And they also have Jarkko Nikara on their list as a potential driver for Mini as well, says David Lapworth.
Gronholm only for some events and developing the car...It would be nice to see Nikara in the mini or Ketomaa, we need new arrivals in the top spec cars.
And as Toyota owns more then 40% of Subaru now, this could be project for Tommi Makinen Racing ? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Rally Hokkaido
Wish it could be. That particular racing company is really close of going out of business.Quote:
Originally Posted by ProRally
NOT you´re surprising me kind of every time you quote nowadays.Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Interseting you mention only finnish drivers being at Mini... :p
keep on N.O.T. that´s good!
Sounds reasonable, a little same like when Kankku was test driver at Hyundai.Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodeye
I almost screamed when I saw the headline of the news on Yahoo Japan because the article was titled "Toyota to Return to the Racing Scenes in WRC" although the article itself only say WRC is most likely :D Considering they own a large share of Subaru, I think a return in the name of Subaru is also possible. Impreza or Celica.... I will welcome back either way.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Hokkaido
That is why I said this, Tommi said IF no NEW project is found soon he would call it a day....Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodeye
Now I understand why some finns are so activly defending the replacement of WRC1.6T by a NEW category (R4)... :DQuote:
Originally Posted by ProRally
Yet this growing rumour of Toyota possible return on WRC would be great to came truth!
The FIA World Rally Commission is thinking of replacing the Junior WRC into a
1 brand Academy. Four companies have submitted their offers for the supply of cars . Observers assume that this is M -Sport, Ralliart Italy , Honda and Mazda. The vehicles will come in six European rallies used.
This newly created Academy is to replace the Star Driver program, which will end this year , as financier Pirelli no longer supports the series. The FIA hopes that Academy will costs 50 percent of the Junior World Cup.
http://www.rallye-magazin.de/r/pwrc-...mie/index.html
I made an interview to Marc De Jong, from North One, last week for my magazine Rally Emotion (www.rallyemotion.it) and they're thinking to make a proper one-make series like GP2 or F2. It will be available in next issue, at the end of this month.Quote:
Originally Posted by alleskids
I've also talked with Fiesta SportingTrophy 2006 winner Alessandro Bettega, former JWRC runner Stefano Albertini and Power Car Team owner, Fabio Munaretto (which gave Clio S1600 to Patrik Sandell and others).
monopolies never end well in WRC....or they attract useless competitors with nothing to offer...Fiestra trophy, the useless evo 10 pirelli thing ects are prime examples...Manufacturers need competition. the JWRC was an amazing series when it started and for some years but the cost of the cars went out of hand and then it became an attraction only for rich useless kiddies. same like the s2000 will end in 3-5 years time.Quote:
Originally Posted by alleskids
In my opinion the FIA needs to standarize car entries in WRC events...for example only WRCs, s2000, N4 are allowed all other cups and privateers keep their energy for their villages or get a car to comply with the regulations and run.
People need to realize that this is not the 80s 90s....the sport evolves and it needs to go with the flow....and if you are one of those romantic kind of rally guys get your girlfriend and go watch a sunset and leave WRC alone...or watch local village rally series.
According to some russian sources from the Baja Aragon (Spanish round of the FIA International Cup for Cross-Country Bajas), which is currently being held in Saragoza, the boss of X-Raid BMW Sven Quandt made an offer to Marcus Gronholm to drive for the team in the upcoming Dakar marathon...
PS: I know that Marcus has always said he's not interested in such a dangerous event as Dakar, but still...
... And Peterhansel said to portuguese press that Gronholm is not what X-Raid need! :s mokin:Quote:
Originally Posted by White Sauron
Thanks for the info, JAM!Quote:
Originally Posted by JAM
I think that in some way Peter is right - Marcus could be very good in Bajas or fast rally-raids, but in Dakar, when driving "by eyes", not by "ears", I'm not sure he'd be that good.
not my kind of sport.. Could'nt care less.. I think Marcus is still to young and quick for it.. ;)
Only people who've never been involved in this sport can say such things... And next year it's gonna be only better with merger of bajas and rally-raids. And presence of people such as Sainz and Al-Attiyah, only proves this point.Quote:
Originally Posted by JFL
TMG President Mr.Kinosita spoke to Autosports Japan about the recent rumors of Toyota's return to the WRC, and he says it is difficult for Toyota to enter WRC as a works team at the moment but it is more realistic for them to develop the car for the customers to run their WRC program.
Although Prodrive has gone with Mini, I think that's where the rumor about Toyota approching Prodrive came from. Prodrive is not an option for them, so who's there to run Toyota WRC program?
Tomi Makkinen racing?Quote:
Originally Posted by koko0703
Bozian (with a boatload of cash to expand?)?
Kronos (assuming they could be lured from PSA affiliation)?
Seems that TRD Australia did a decent job with their S2000, maybe a combination of smaller teams with a lot of engineering
assistance and some meaningful cash from Toyota?
Take the former RalliArt group and re-assemble that?
Who was it again that ran the Red Bull Skoda's? Same company but better team management?
Baumschlager racing run the Red Bull Skoda's
koko0703, did you see the article in the latest issue of Holiday Auto? In it they speculate that TMG Engineering (Toyota's F1 team operation) could do it.Quote:
Originally Posted by koko0703
There are also lots of details on the Toyota-Subaru FT-86 model - a test mule has been running at Nurburgring, apparently. Toyota's version now looks set to be launched late next year, not this year. There's also talk about Subaru tie-up with Cosworth for a WRC comeback with their version. I was unsure how much was the journalist's speculation and how much was news scoop!
If the project ever takes off, my guess is that its Mäkinen's job, many things speaks for that, long experience to work with Japanese people and the GrN Subaru project went well too, maybe in a few weeks we hear more, who knows maybe all involved are now in Jyväskylä :)
Please, do you have link? I can´t find it. :( Thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Hokkaido
http://www.worldrallyranking.com/ran...&Tipo=1&Home=1
The new rally drivers ranking list. also ranking among co drivers, rally cars, rally countries
quite amusing readingQuote:
Originally Posted by alleskids
I thought Tommi Makinen's business was close to folding? OR did I just imagine that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomi
I think it would be great to have Tommi head a WRC team. He certainly knows how to drive, from all accounts from other drivers he's a pretty decent bloke and obviously must still have the passion for the sport (by running a business).
Perhaps hes not the same as DR in terms of marketing, but still id love to see him back on the WRC circuit.