The beers coming holidays tastes even better after we know and then what to expect from 2017.
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The beers coming holidays tastes even better after we know and then what to expect from 2017.
My own prediction: Suninen is VW driver with both 2016 and 2017 models.Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
Dakar ends on 14th of January, Nasser takes his private plane, sleeps in the plane and he is in Monte on Sunday afternoon :) If he finishes Dakar ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
But probably quite some testing before Monte is also needed. Not so easy with tight schedule before and during Dakar. So maybe someone else in Monte.Quote:
Originally Posted by bluuford
ok since its getting ridiculous, maybe dmack will buy the team? Dmack VW Rally Team, drivers Ogier and Tänak :laugh:
This is Red Bulls opportunity to buy the VW team, and run it like they do with their F1 team. It's a good opportunity for them, and they could easily offer Ogier the money and secure future for a number of years.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
Lets get ridiculous... Proper silly season stuff, I'll call it now: VW test driver Marcus Gronholm to make a competitive come back, doing a limited schedule, covering the rallies that Nasser will miss in the Qatar VW! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Ha ha ... Why DMack cant sponsor a VW rather than a M-Sport Ford... ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by EstWRC
Latvala signs for Toyota then..
http://www.autosport.com/news/report...oyota-wrc-seat
Things begin falling into place.
Latvala was probably the easiest to predict considering how finnish the Toyota team is.
It all depends now on how the private VW team will be organised. Is it just Qatar or a joint effort with Red Bull? How many cars will they run?
The strongest line up would be Ogier, Mikkelsen and Al-Attiyah/Suninen (alternating depending on how Nasser wants or can). That would actually still be the strongest starting line up in 2017.
I can see Ogier going with the RedBull/Qatar team if at all possible. I'm sure he wont want to see someone else in 'his' Polo getting the benefit.
Mikkelsen must surely go wherever Ogier doesnt and he would be very strong in the Polo.
No free beers then...Quote:
Originally Posted by Allyc85
some more info here: http://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/a...c-plan-857371/
from the article:
Al-Attiyah revealed to Motorsport.com that he is working on a deal with the VW Group, which is 14.6-percent owned by the Qatar sovereign wealth fund.
He said: "We are trying to drive the new Polo R 2017. As you know, Qatar has some shares in the VW Group.
"I met the officials here in Qatar and we are trying to make that possible. If it’s possible, then why not? If we get the confirmation, then I’ll do the full WRC season next year."
Should he not secure a deal with Volkswagen, Al-Attiyah also indicated he will take part in the WRC Trophy class, which was created for pre-2016 cars.
so if he gets the deal done he'll be a full time driver, I guess maybe except for Monte if he's doing the Dakar. If not he's going to do WRC trophy, I assume in a '16 Polo.
I start to have a feeling that VW 2017 is going to be another Citroen 2006...
Probably it’s just a 2 car team, as having 3 would make a bit harder to get the proper budget. Red Bull has been supporting Nasser on his Dakar entries for a long time and it was through him that Toyota got RB sponsorship for next Dakar. Besides, RB was VW sponsor and actually is the WRC promoter, so it makes all sense to believe they can become a partner on this deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by seb_sh
Btw, now that Toyota is out of his map, is Ogier delaying a sign with MSport to see how this Qatar/RB deal comes out? And isn't Matton a bit too quiet? Is it yet possible a reactive move from Citroen middle east partner to get Ogier along?
Yep, most exciting silly season ever!
maybe Ostberg could pay a 3rd car driveQuote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Yep, hard to imagine a month ago that VW could become MSport main competitor on the rally rent business…Quote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
and Tommi says he did not...Quote:
Originally Posted by Allyc85
http://www.iltasanomat.fi/ralli/art-...0.html?ref=rss
Finally he picked up my call and listened.. I really want those beers from Mirek :PQuote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
Tommi is bluffing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
haha, this is getting sillier by the hour!Quote:
Originally Posted by macebig
JML also said the deal is not signed but I guess they have an agreement in principle or something like that.
Would be a real shame if Mikkelsen remain without seat next year.
Ogier -> Citroen/Ford/VWQuote:
Originally Posted by AL14
JML -> Toyota
Mikkelsen -> Ford/VW
Plenty of seats available!
Strong rumours about BIG sponsor to M-Sport
God, so many rumours, rumours. Think I will wait to see the entry for Monte Carlo when hopefully this will have all shaken out! Exciting though.
Ends day 16. But tomorrow should be the climax
Well, he didn't say that to be honest. Actually Tommi said that "I can't tell you anything yet, but it's clear that Jari-Matti is very likely to drive for us." So basically you can take that as a done deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
Give us a clueQuote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
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I don't know yet. Strong rumours ;)
hmmm....it maybe a energy drink company i guess? ;)
Not Lucozade Sport?
Source tells me that Red Bull will have a two car team in 2017 with Ogier and Ostberg. 100% confident on this so here we go!
You're always 100% confident on everything! :pQuote:
Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1
Quote:
Originally Posted by GravelBen
And usually 100% wrong.
Ha the suspense is killing me... my pick,
Redbull Ford: Ogier, Tanak, Ostberg
Dmack Ford: Evans Camili
Toyota: JML, Han, Sun
Qatar: VW Al, Mik, Lap
Not sure about Lappi and Suninen, maybe Lappi will be Toyota and Suninen will be test development driver of WRC and R5?
Ogier has driven the 3 available cars. If the VW IS the quickest (which it will be), there is no way the Ogier will settle for a Fiesta with Mikkelsen in a VW.
Mr Ogier does appear to have a difficult decision to make and not much time to make it. He has rejected the Toyota offer, he appears to have a firm offer from M Sport and now we have the possibility of the 2017 Polo being run by a private team. Now, he doesn't have that much time to make up his mind on what he wants to do. He could take the M sport deal and feel dissapointed if the private VW team is launched and Mikkelsen gets the seat. He could hold out for the VW team, which may not come to anything, and lose out on the M sport seat as they will have to register their drivers before Monte Carlo and then be left on the sidelines with no seat. Some big calls to make in the next few days. If as he said he could take a year out to be at home with his wife and son then it wouldn't surprise me if he did hold out for the VW seat but I personally think we shall see him in a Fiesta next year.
https://twitter.com/DMACK_Tyres/stat...18301274521600
We've got some @ElfynEvans news later this morning #staytuned
You have to keep in mind that VW so far was the team with nearly unlimited budget. Remember what happened in GB? All cars had transmission issuses and they solved it overnight. So, and if you look how many parts they are homologating over year, then with semi private team, there is always risk that official teams can do more or teams with more cars can do more. Imagine M-Sport having 5 cars like Wilson is dreaming? And VW only two, that means 2.5 times more testing during real competition. So, in short term, Polo is probably fastest.. but long term? Do they still have all the technical staff or some have already left to other teams? this is unknown factor and risk.