Rallye France Alsace 2013

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Originally Posted by Mirek

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Originally Posted by drive

you must be joking - Ogier has dominated all year... if to take him out of this year competition, then your remarks has some sence as no other clear winner has emerged from the rest. But anyhow - rally NOT FINNISHED YET! ;)

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I'm not joking. Loeb and Ogier competed 3x this season against each other and Loeb although retired won twice. Now it's fourth time and everything looks like Loeb will win again. Maybe now You understand what I or NOT mean. It's not about the others being beaten in the championship by either one of the two but about the fights of the two.

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In any duel the challenger cedes choice of ground to the challenged. Loeb however has chosen the ground for the 4 duels so this was bound to be in his favour. As for being 'retired' , he hasn't exactly been sitting in his mansion gorging on foie gras and pinot noir while making a ship in a bottle!! He was always going to win MC against a team doing its first rally, I count Mexico and Sweden as the 2 real competitions - 1 apiece. Alsace and Loeb is like Loix and Ypres or Ucci and Sanremo. While Ogier has hit a problem this morning it is very interesting that Latvala has maintained the speed he revealed in Germany. This has a long way to go but I congratulate the new (and worthy) champ and hope that If Loeb wins he is doing it against close competition - a memorable way to bow out - Chapeau l'artitste

edit: Of course I meant Argentina not Mexico - doh!

Funny how some people always feel the need to minimize the performance of Loeb. People should do that in every sport... "Usain Bolt made another world record? That's not so special, there were only few people to compete against... And he probably had the best shoes!"

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

Funny how some people always feel the need to minimize the performance of Loeb. People should do that in every sport... "Usain Bolt made another world record? That's not so special, there were only few people to compete against... And he probably had the best shoes!"

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I completely agree, though Loeb hasn`t been just sitting around it`s still 5months away from rallying and close to a year away from a proper tarmac rally. I like to see anybody else manage this!
And don`t forget how many mileages he hasn`t done rally testing compared to others. As well as Hirvonens comments that Citroen is behind VW in development. That`s just blown out of the window at the moment.
All credit to Ogier who`s a worthy champion but there`s still along way before we can even compare him to Loeb in my opinion..

Suaréz out?

All i can say is. Loeb used to win cleaning the road for all. That i call a pro

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

Maybe the Loeb and Ogier issue should be handled in another topic, I dont know.

So back to Rallye de France Alsace:

What about the performance of Evans, Kubica, Tidemand?

Suarez rolled at the very beginning of the last stage

2.5 days of pain still... just be patient everything will be over soon...

still long way to go though, i would like Neuville to win here... It would be a disaster for the championship for Loeb to make the girls cry once more...maybe.

Anybody can say what they want. Loeb is one of the fastest drivers on tarmac. Last week hr won a fia gt race on a mclaren. Perfect training for rally de france.

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

What about the performance of Evans, Kubica, Tidemand?

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Shame about Evans problem, because Kubica doesn't need to push anymore.

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Originally Posted by AMSS

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Originally Posted by tommeke_B

Funny how some people always feel the need to minimize the performance of Loeb. People should do that in every sport... "Usain Bolt made another world record? That's not so special, there were only few people to compete against... And he probably had the best shoes!"

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I completely agree, though Loeb hasn`t been just sitting around it`s still 5months away from rallying and close to a year away from a proper tarmac rally. I like to see anybody else manage this!
And don`t forget how many mileages he hasn`t done rally testing compared to others. As well as Hirvonens comments that Citroen is behind VW in development. That`s just blown out of the window at the moment.
All credit to Ogier who`s a worthy champion but there`s still along way before we can even compare him to Loeb in my opinion..

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agree 100% Loeb has 1/10 of test/rally km this year,5 months from wrc,1 year from wrc asphalt.
its strange how Ogier has always problems when Loeb competes.
Ogier before 2 years wanted to be No1 at citroen while was behind in points from Loeb.......

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Originally Posted by Mintexmemory

. While Ogier has hit a problem this morning

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what problem Mintexmemory?

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Originally Posted by dimviii

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Originally Posted by Mintexmemory

. While Ogier has hit a problem this morning

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what problem Mintexmemory?

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the problem called Sebastien Loeb... it is the same obstacle drivers face for 9 years now... it is a nightmare.

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Originally Posted by polo10

Why are you talking so much that Loeb is beating Ogier???? Ogier is making a bad rally, Loeb must beat the others too, and so far he is not that much faster than Latvala for exemple that is not a tarmac specialist...Take it easy, but a bad performance for Ogier today, the worst since the beggining of the Championship

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its not the worst.Acropolis Monte,Argentina...

thats why Loeb is best.Always for fight for 1st place,any rally,any year,any circumstances.There is no excuses about setup,handbrakes,didnt sleep well even for 1 rally in 10 years.

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Originally Posted by NxOxT

the problem called Sebastien Loeb... it is the same obstacle drivers face for 9 years now... it is a nightmare.

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thats Loebphobia.

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Originally Posted by Francis44

I like how everyone forgets Rally Sweden, Ogier beat Loeb with a margin over 40 seconds.

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so little? look the gap at Monte,Argentina.

Why bother replying to people who suffered for 9 years ??? don't you have a heart ???

2.5 days guys... you endured 9 years of constant beating and humiliation... 2.5 days is nothing... i believe in you.

Long way to go but Ogier shuoldn't have pumped up this ultimate fight against Loeb bubble. Now it's frustraiting for all Ogier fans and Loeb haters.

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Originally Posted by wrc1600

Now it's frustraiting for all Ogier fans and Loeb haters.

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they are used to it...

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Originally Posted by rallyfun

Looks like you are looking for excuses with road condition and Loeb not being fast enough for you....

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same story,plenty of years.

He was at the best team with big budget.
evolution of car was by him
no strong competition.
Now Ogier has the team with bigger budget by far,evolution of polo by him,other competitiors are no way near McRae,Sainz,Gronholm,Solberg.
but nobody mention all this for Ogier.Only for Loeb.
As you can see even with all these(budget.evolution of car,not big drivers competition) is not easy to dominate for so many years.
Actually is difficult to be fast at EVERY rally you compete for 9 years in a row.
Ogier for sure is the best of the rest with big gap.But like Loeb NOT yet.

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Originally Posted by dimviii

Actually is difficult to be fast at EVERY rally you compete for 9 years in a row.

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That's very true

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Originally Posted by dimviii

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Originally Posted by rallyfun

Looks like you are looking for excuses with road condition and Loeb not being fast enough for you....

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same story,plenty of years.

He was at the best team with big budget.
evolution of car was by him
no strong competition.
Now Ogier has the team with bigger budget by far,evolution of polo by him,other competitiors are no way near McRae,Sainz,Gronholm,Solberg.
but nobody mention all this for Ogier.Only for Loeb.
As you can see even with all these(budget.evolution of car,not big drivers competition) is not easy to dominate for so many years.
Actually is difficult to be fast at EVERY rally you compete for 9 years in a row.
Ogier for sure is the best of the rest with big gap.But like Loeb NOT yet.

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Agree, the truth is we have to wait at least eight years to compare anyone or anything in WRC. Before then it doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

I'm kind of dissapointed of Ogier's pace today. Latvala shows what Polo obviously can do here, for sure Ogier can be faster than him

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Originally Posted by jonkka

I don't know but never in WRC history has anyone scored points after retiring. In Monte Carlo they have classified last leg retirees as finishers in final overall classification but I don't recall if any of those scored points.

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Actually in 1999 there was a power stage in Tour de Corse and in Thousand Lakes rally (Finland). The official name was not Power Stage but the 3 fastest pilots in the stage scored 3, 2 and 1 points like they do nowadays. In both rallyes that stage was not the last one. In Finland Tommi Mäkinen and Didier Auriol scored points in that stage but did not finish the rally (both had mechanical problems I believe). But the points were added to their world rally championship total.

there are 3 photos

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... permPage=1

So what was the 'reason' for Ogier's poor time on SS4, what did he say, I didnt understand as heard him only in French ?

Tyres ? :rolleyes:

Go Loeb!

I´m suprised about his speed after long brake!

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Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

So what was the 'reason' for Ogier's poor time on SS4, what did he say, I didnt understand as heard him only in French ?

Tyres ? :rolleyes:

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Loeb Latvala and Ogier were on hard tyres.Worst start position for Loeb.More rain for Loeb.

http://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/h ... 6076_n.jpg
http://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/h ... 8867_n.jpg

hey guys, somebody has a link to share to watch this afternoon's stages? Cheers.

http://www.sport-team.org/site/chaine12.html ;)

Ogier 5 sec slower from morning pass

Neuville was 3,4 sec slower from Ogier at morning pass
now is 3,3 faster from Ogier at second pass.

Neuville quick again as on the right tyres for the dry roads.. :)

some new photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bestofrallylive/

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Originally Posted by dimviii

Neuville was 3,4 sec slower from Ogier at morning pass
now is 3,3 faster from Ogier at second pass.

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Neuville had different tyre choice in the morning if I recall.

Anyway what is really huge is the difference between Nevuille and other Ford drivers. The question is if they are so slow or the car is slower than competitors and Neuville is so extraordinary driver. I tend to believe in first option.

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Originally Posted by dimviii

Worst start position for Loeb.More rain for Loeb.

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Actually the stage was drying for him, so he was lucky again :D :D :D

Nice to see Neuville and Sordo setting times faster than the Sebs !!

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Originally Posted by Mirek

The question is if they are so slow or the car is slower than competitors and Neuville is so extraordinary driver. I tend to believe in first option.

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I think Ostberg & Novikov has lost quite motivation. But that's not excuse of course

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Originally Posted by Mirek

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Originally Posted by dimviii

Neuville was 3,4 sec slower from Ogier at morning pass
now is 3,3 faster from Ogier at second pass.

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Anyway what is really huge is the difference between Nevuille and other Ford drivers. The question is if they are so slow or the car is slower than competitors and Neuville is so extraordinary driver. I tend to believe in first option.

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Novikov much better run on SS5 ... :eek: