VW News 2012 & WRC 2013

Finally someone on here who actually knows what they're talking about!

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Originally Posted by OldF

When Finnish TV-channel MTV3 interviewed Kris Nissen he said that in 2013 there will be a 3 car team and from 2014 a 4 car team.

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Ok, thanks. As I understood it in 2013 there will be an official works team with 2 cars and a "Junior" team with 1 car (I expect that "Junior" mens talented driver who also brings sponsors). And I guess that for 2014 that Junior Team will expand to a two car team.

Don't you think the setup will be something like that?

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Originally Posted by Antony Warmbold

This is an interesting thread and I can't resist jumping in...

It seems like you all are basically saying that a newly developed car needs to beat the DS3 and the driver must feel the car well so he can really push it.

The thing that is difficult to get in terms of development is that fo a given rally car, if it is perfect on paper it does not mean that for sure the driver will feel comfortable to push it to the limit. Therefore at some point the engineers need to make "sacrifices" and think of what or how to do so the driver feels extremely confident in the car.

Example: on paper basically if want traction you need very soft suspension on slippery surfaces, with lots of travel. The problem is the super softness takes away from the feeling of the car and for the grip to the driver.

So the development driver needs to know: how a good car is supposed to behave. how to tell his engineer about it.
The engineer needs to know: how to make a good car on paper. then listen to his driver. and know how to interpret and act to what the driver says.

Loeb and his engineers are in perfect osmosis on that domain. For him the car is like his toy. he can do what he wants with it.

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+1. Work between driver and his engineer/mechanics to adjust diffs.suspension/ecu/antilag etc..Not specific builds for a driver,just fine tuning.

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Originally Posted by Mirek

I think that the basic developer in Citroën is still the good old Bugalski. The best thing is to have top drivers and wise engineers in one person though not many of those are living on this planet. Anyway I'm not skeptic about VW abilities. So far they showed really serious approach and the latest informations saying they even plan hi-altitude test sessions in Mexico is just encouraging my feeling.

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Loix was pretty good doing that at TTE.

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Originally Posted by mousti

Loix was pretty good doing that at TTE.

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Very good. Still remember second place at Acropolis 1998.

VW will have a Team 1 Ogier and Mikkelsen and Team 2 will be junior team for 2013 :)

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Originally Posted by MikeD

Ok, thanks. As I understood it in 2013 there will be an official works team with 2 cars and a "Junior" team with 1 car (I expect that "Junior" mens talented driver who also brings sponsors). And I guess that for 2014 that Junior Team will expand to a two car team.

Don't you think the setup will be something like that?

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That’s how I interpret it. In 2013 1 junior driver, in 2014 2 junior drivers.

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Originally Posted by Mirek

It is not R4 as we know them now but the new formula - like an R3T with 4WD and larger restrictor. I believe that development of this car already started in Škoda.

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Skoda should have lot of parts already developed by Impromat for the Fabia R2.

Maybe a team with two good drivers who are able to score points and fight for victories (Ogier and Mikkelsen) and a third car for a German talent who might be successful in the future (Wiegand).

As a dutch guy u should better hope on one of your Dutch Young Guns :D