http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/57779
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Probably Portugal was one too many accidents...
Thats too bad. I wonder if Atkinson will improve with a new co-driver? I think Macneall was pretty good so I'm not too sure. Breaking in a new co-driver must be difficult.
Not what Atko needs in his make or break season. Things like this happen though. I'm sure Glenn wouldn't be leaving if the results were better.
Sad news :( but we can understand that if McNeal wants to give himself another orientation outside rallying, it's a decision that belongs to himself alone :)
Or maybe they start filming Tolkien's The Hobbit and he got a part :D
Ok ok, sorry. :)
I'm getting Deja vu. Duval????
I totaly agree with you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
I seem to remember he used a really strange system too - not at all like other co-drivers.
Damn.....Not a good sign when the co-driver quits from you.....Maybe he feels ATko is just hopeless
it is very sad news but i think he can get another maybe even better one
A better one. What was wrong McNeal?Quote:
Originally Posted by leno
Is Tony Sircombe an option for the replacement, or what do you think?
Maybe Nicky Grist! ;) ;) ;)
How did you know? I thought Glen starring as the young Gollum was my secret... :DQuote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
I reckon Robert Reid would be a good choice, plus he has strong relations with Subaru.
That's strange but Atkinson will get over it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
:laugh:
Just read it myself from wrc.com. My guess and immediate thought would of course be Robert Reid, but he hasn't been active for some time. Again Tony Sircombe could be an alternative for a short period, but nothing for long time? I wouldn't expect Nicky Grist would step in from the blue. I expect SWRT's candidates will only be co-drivers who have notable WRC experience. I wait in interest for the press-release.
i havent seen coverage of portugal yet but i did go to youtube and pulled this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJbT5_g5eYg and i have to say that he just got completely taken off gard with this corner but it was not a bad outage though. i mean, it's not like they roll 20 times or anything. it just sucks for chris.
Maybe Atko's brother, Ben Atkinson, who was his first co-driver in international rallying ?Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Lindstroem
I was really shocked as I read the news. The Duval-Prevot split flashbacked in my mind too.
I think Glenn has moved to live in NZ so I guess long flights from Auckland to the rallies, mainly in Europe gets to you eventually.
it's not any need for panic, nor had it been a panicked scenario...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mihai
And his third brother, Rowan ?? :p :
Mr Bean likes to wreck exotics like the McLaren F1GTR, not Imprezas. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
I didn't think Atkinson was doing particulary bad up until now, but maybe that is not the view from Glen's eyes. I hope Chris can find a new co-driver whom he can really trust because this season is very important for Chris. I think Robert Reid would be a great choice and will bring much needed experience into Chris's car.
Chris is doing slowly better and better.. The thing here is that despite Atko's performance, Glenn said he didn't want to continue being codriver because he wanted to do some new stuff.. Is it bull**** or is he saying the truth?
I don't think he got off the car because of Chrises crashes.
Having met Glenn, I can honestly say that he is very very nice bloke and I am just wondering if he is cut out for life of the WRC circus? I am led to believe that Chris recently moved to Monaco and is fitting in quite well with the high rolling lifestyle but Glenn still has his roots firmly planted back in the Southern Hemisphere.
Maybe this 'moving apart' between the two of them has lead Glenn to question his involvement and the crash in Portugal just convinced him he had enough.
Another thought which fits in with the above scenario is that Chris openly admits that he missed a pace note which caused the crash; maybe they are not working as well together any more.
I will also add that he seemed very happy in February during the Rally of Sweden - things have obviously changed.
I hope that Chris can rebound from this and try and save what could possibly be his final year but more importantly hope that Glenn finds what he is looking for.
Curry
My ears are burning Mickey T! what do you know?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mickey T
Can someone explain how pace notes are done? Whose call is how partucular SS section is marked down? Driver of Co-driver?
1st pass of the recce, driver tells co-driver what notes he wants. Co-driver writes it down.
2nd pass of the recce, co-driver reads notes to driver. Driver tells co-driver what changes, additions, or redactions he wants. Co-driver adjusts notes.
During the rally, same as 2nd pass, only a bit faster, and the changes are a lot less frequent and the writing is less neat. :)
how the hell would you know??Quote:
Originally Posted by Bjorn240
j/k
Interesting. Hope it doesn't stuff Atko up to much.
Best of luck to Glenn.
Thanks for your reply Christian,Quote:
Originally Posted by Bjorn240
In this case is it possible that Atko didn't see the hidden danger of this section during the recce (and some other drivers too), probably because it looked OK when driven slowly?
Also, is that what he openly admits?
All the travelling involved is not pleasant in the long term and if like Curry said he now has to travel alone from Auckland then it must really suck. Also he might have gotten a job offer he can not refuse? Co-driving in WRC is not a lifetime job.
I would think that Ben Atkinson is likely replacement at least in the short term.
I would suspect that leaving Emma behind in Dunedin (home of the Otago Rally) maybe even more difficult.Quote:
Originally Posted by COD
It must be remembered in the light of all this, Ben Atkinson co-drove for Chris all through their campaigning in the Australian Rally Championship, Chinese Rally Championship & the Asian Pacific Championship. When the call came for Chris to move into the WRC, Ben did not want to go with his brother for exactly the reasons Glenn Macneall is giving now. Ben wanted to stay locally & not travel too much as would be required in the WRC. Glenn only joined Chris when he went to Europe.
Since then Ben has compete in the Australian championship on one off events plus tarmac targa road events. Last year, he won the Asia Pacific Rally Championship with Cody Crocker to add to his S1600 APRC win with Chris. Last weekend, Ben co-drove the Zero car at the Rally of Queensland.
Glenn's better half, Emma Gilmour is good rally driver in her own right, competing in the New Zealand Championship. Being on totally opposite sides of the globe for months on end would strain any relationship. I would put a great deal of weight on this factor in Glenn making the decision he has made.
Maybe a PWRC career, co-driving for Emma, might be a way back for Glenn in the future?
Will be interested to see if Glenn jumps into the co-drivers seat next to Emma this year for the NZ Champs.
I do think that the long distance relationship is a big part of Glenn's decision here.
it is already confirm. Mcneall co-drive GilmourQuote:
Originally Posted by Maui J.
[quote="COD"]All the travelling involved is not pleasant in the long term and if like Curry said he now has to travel alone from Auckland then it must really suck. Also he might have gotten a job offer he can not refuse? Co-driving in WRC is not a lifetime job.
QUOTE]
Look, it Aktinson was winning rallies, the travelling would not be a problem! I think Glenn is somewhat fustrated with Chris. Time after time, Chris seems to suffer from red mist. I think Chris's accident on Portugal has the potential to be absolutley MASSIVE. If the car has started rolling, the car would be in bits, and the potential for injury. I think Glenn has took the wobblies, and is getting out before he has one accident too many.
It has to be a decision made after the accident in Portugal. If Glenn had been thinking about this for a long time then Subaru would have announced the replacement co-driver straight away. It's obviously quite a surprise to them.