[WRC] News & rumours (part IV) 2016

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EstWRC

The other team has to be Toyota.

---

Or Ford.

In case of Sadev for R5 it's fully locked - output shaft has two sets of final drive gears locked together - one for front and another for rear.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by itix

From reading and watching exploded views from sadev it seems they have a transfer case built into the front "differential" housing but it it mechanically locked to the same speed front and rear.

That's how I understood it.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skarderud

Or Ford.

---

"Ford", now that's a manufacturer name I haven't heard in a long time (in a context of WRC not WRX), I think you ment to say, M-Sport ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eli

"Ford", now that's a manufacturer name I haven't heard in a long time (in a context of WRC not WRX), I think you ment to say, M-Sport ;)

---

who said it has to be manufacturer team? anyway if we want to be punctual - "M-Sport World Rally Team"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stefanvv

who said it has to be manufacturer team? anyway if we want to be punctual - "M-Sport World Rally Team"

---

Come on, i was just kidding :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eli

Come on, i was just kidding :)

---

Ok, I wasn't:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eli

I see Dani will try everycar from the WRC fold before he retires (apart from VW's machine).

---

Sordo is an unusual case, at least to me. I can hardly believe he's only 33. He seems to have been around for a very long time, with comparatively little success, but always seems to get a works drive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RAS007

Sordo is an unusual case, at least to me. I can hardly believe he's only 33. He seems to have been around for a very long time, with comparatively little success, but always seems to get a works drive.

---

Sordo has always been in the middle category or just behind the front runners, always bagging points and a good 2nd driver to help the manu championship along... I guess that's why he always manage to stick around.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RAS007

Sordo is an unusual case, at least to me. I can hardly believe he's only 33. He seems to have been around for a very long time, with comparatively little success, but always seems to get a works drive.

---

Spain is a huge car market, we had to bare with Sainz and his past his prime dog driving for years just because of his nationality and telefonica.

Sordo is a good driver though, pity he did not develop his gravel skills to the max.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RAS007

Sordo is an unusual case, at least to me. I can hardly believe he's only 33. He seems to have been around for a very long time, with comparatively little success, but always seems to get a works drive.

---

He came in quite early as he was part of Citroen's driver development (I'm not sure about this maybe someone can confirm). After winning JWRC he replaced Duval and did well as Loeb's lieutenant.

Can't say how good he is at developing cars but he was always a very good "number 2" type driver:

- Finish rate (ewrc-results) is 85% (same as Ogier) which is very good. Some more comparisons: Loeb 87%, Hirvonen 81%, Latvala 80%, Solberg 78%, Neuville 73% - note some of these are skewed because of Rally2 (especially Latvala). Also his podium rate is 28% (Hirvonen for example has 42%) not stellar, but not bad.
- He adapted to a variety of cars over the years and kept the same pace.
- Don't know about his personality but he seems to be a nice guy so that helps keep good atmosphere in the team.


Indeed he hasn't had outright success if you count rally wins or title challenges but looking at other drivers that have been around in the past 10 years, if I was a team manager he would have been on my watch list almost constantly.