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It seems that Ford are losing patience with their drivers now, Gerard Quinn in Autosport: "I am getting concerned at the mistakes being made by our drivers. If we're not careful, they're going to cost us the championship. I can't understand how a run without a win goes on for so long when some of the competition doesn't have much experience (Ogier) yet they are able to pick off the wins."
Perhaps the drivers should be losing patience with their employers?
i do not think they have a safer choice at this time...there might be some drivers faster than hirvonen right now but not as reliable....so the ford guys should focus on providing their drivers with the best possible equipment and also try and spend more money on development rather than burning the cash they have from all the useless tourists that hire their cars on 15 year plans.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Ford have tried and perservered with the double Finn routine for so many years it may now be that the lack of results are starting to cause boardroom tensions. MSport needs to run commercially, but I wonder what would have happened if Ford MSport had a driver line up of Petter, Atko and Sordo? For whaterver reason they did not / could not bring themselves to find the money to run these guys. All 3 are hungry and keen to win. I can see Ford moving to global rallycross when Prodrive Mini and VW start winning.
i cannot see mini winning...but yes the lineup you mention could have worked better....but Ford prefered drivers who payed their way to the official team and had good managers....
You obviously haven't read the "How to win in the WRC" manual. On page one it says "If you want to win, take a Finn", it's just a pity that one of the Finn's is never going to win a title because he's not fast enough (Mikko) and the other has gone into a top team a little early and has had the pressure of being the number 2 driver who is having to carry the number 1 driver in terms of speed (Latvala).Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
Hmm, Global Rallycross?? I have seen and watched on ESPN - but that's even more of a niche sport than WRC. How big in the USA is it? It's not yet one of the great Motorsport series is it?Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
If Ford are really serious about the WRC - then spend £$£$£$£. The M-Sport operation do a good job, but have too many other things going on; customer WRC's, S2000's, WRC Academy cars.....etc
You wait, when WRC goes back to its traditional roots (routes even) some of the 3 stages and service plus repeat lot will go rallycross, factor in a bit of TV time and you will have a new home for a certain type of WRC driver / fan.
There's a new edition due out sometime soon, that one's been changed to "if you want to win, take a Frenchman (preferably called Sebastien)"Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
Agreed. Ford need to decide whether they're in, or not, and if they are, and want to win, spend the required cash. M-Sport having to subsidise the 'factory' programme with customer and other ancillary operations is not the way to win...Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC