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A couple of years ago I started a thread of three musketeers; Paasonen, Pykälistö and Tuohino, and about their future in WRC. At that time it looked rather bright.
Well, I think it's time for conclusion. None of it happened. Thank you. No further questions Your Hounour. :dozey:
A.F.F., you don't need the World Rally Championship to have three musketeers. The time when I was very young, we in Belgium had 4 musketeers: Robert Droogmans, Gilbert Stapelare, Patrick Snijers and Marc Duez. They were top drivers and showed very very exciting and interesting battles in Belgian Championship. Since they parted, belgian chamionship never have been so exciting as those days.Quote:
Originally Posted by A.F.F.
What happens nowadays. There is a good driver and he, with a lot of money, is sended to the World Championship. Like with Duval, what is left, no top drivers, no challenging battles and a lot less money.
World Championship is interesting and it is nice to see a top driver of your own country at the top there, but I am starting to realise to that nothing is more exciting to have great drivers and great battles in your own country.
Those three that you might never really made it into world championship, but it is not the end of the world. I hope they are pasionate enough to get back to their home country, find the right budget and sho their own country that they are worth their money...
PS: Just got back from belgian TAC Rally, where I saw Freddy Loix and Larry Cols battling, one was world top level in WRC, other in JWRC...
Interesting to note that all three of them has first names starting with a "J".
Interestingly none of them were managed by Jouhki!
Quote:
Originally Posted by pentti
That is it
Oh yes, I remember Droogmans and Snijers as well! They were competing in the Rally of Poland many times and it was always exciting. I remember that Snijers was younger and faster than Droogmans, but was also more likely to crash, so you never knew who would win.Quote:
Originally Posted by HaCo
Those were the days...
Robert Droogmans:
http://www.rallyonline.pl/ft.php?idg=152&pg_[go]=53
Patrick Snijers:
http://www.rallyonline.pl/ft.php?idg=152&pg_[go]=66
A.F.F., stop crying! Your three musketeers aren't competing in WRC, but it doesn't mean that they are dead and should be buried! There are other championships than just WRC! I fully agree with HaCo :up:
Les Trois Mousquetaires is one of the best books I have on Belgian rallying! As for your choice of three musketeers in the UK we had Wilkes,Meeke and McShea and what happened to them...just the same in reality.
There are still Finns who will carry the Finnish flag in WRC for a long time like Hirvonen and Latvala, and there will be new talents, so no worries!
Finlands ability to produce 'has beens' and 'wannabes' the last few years is amazing
Maybe the case, however in the past quite a few of Finland's "has beens" and "wannabees" have gone on to bigger and better things.Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
To be able to dominate the world rally scene like Finland has done over the past 40 plus years there will always be a few that fall by the wayside.
Is this guy for real? From some of your other posts I can only presume that you are a troll and looks like I fell for it :mad: .
3 very good drivers who just didn't quite take their opportunities. Tuohino did great in his 2 works outings for Ford in 04, couldn't really make the Xsara work as well as it could. It's a shame Pykalisto didnt get more rewards from his link with a works team.
Without the right management your whole career can hinge on a few WRC drives, which is why as a Brit I fear for Wilks right now.
you missed the 'last few years' thingy in my post....none argues the domination of the nation in the sport....but in the last few years the only driver that came out of finland worth mentioning is Gronholm...Quote:
Originally Posted by cossie16
The fact that finland has the best rally managers that manage to promote tomato cans to wrc seats doesn't mean that they domiante nowadays as far as driving is concerned....
It was very difficult at the time for them to achive good results. Tuohino and Pykalisto were always the favourites for me, but it didn´t work out. It´s a pitty, but as someone allready said, finns seems to have the talent at all times.
Yes thats how it is, of 10 good guys only maybe 2-3 makes it to a works seat and to get money for the driving, now when there is only a few teams it's offcourse more difficult, but there is nothing to worry about the Finnish guy's. Things look bright even for the future, Latvala, Hänninen, Alen and others are on their way, not everyone will make it but some will for sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Timole
It's good to remember that the last new WRC event winner was Hirvonen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Who was for many years before his Peugeot deal considered as a has been... Remember that he was over 30 when he really made it and had been trying for many years. So it only proves that being on the right place at the right time is as important as talent. And also that you can make without the help (and despite all bashing) of Jouhki.
I am quite certain that at least one of those three will be world champion in the future. Latvala is on his way; it's now only down to him to develope and do the results. Alen is very talented with strong backing. Hänninen is also very talented and extremely smart driver.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomi
yep,yep, all of those has strong backing, and every year there is coming some new one with potential.Quote:
Originally Posted by Finni
When you talk about three musketeers I think about the season 1998: Mäkinen-Sainz-McRae
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarek Z
Was I crying ? I didn't mean to at least. What I know, I failed to deliver the irony OF MY OWN posts back then ;)
Anyways, you have a point and it's taken. Without proper backing a driver can't achieve what could be rightfully his. Should Mr.jouhki been a manager for any of the trio, theings could have been different.
However, I'm not saying young lads didn't got their chance because they did. Jani Paasonen had the best opportunity to prove himself and I have to say, he got close. But not quite there. Also, Pykälistö made some good runs and having Marcus as his manager promised something that never happened. It seem that Pykälistö is quite enjoying himself as a test driver for Citroen. What comes to Tuohino, I think he also got chances. At the same breath, I admit I haver never thought he could be a champion. But that's just me.
Now, Paasonen is driving what he can, mostly in Czec, Pykälistö is a test driver and I'm anxious to see if the rumours conserning Tuohino and S2000 Toyota comes true. I'd kill to see Paasonen behind the wheel of S2000 Fabia :D
Finland will always continue on prodicing champions to this sport. That's just the way it is. :)
Yes, nowdays young drivers dont get competitive cars so often, so that they can show what they are made of, when they get, they have to drive with very big risk to do result, often that ends up in the woods.
The current recce system does not make it easier either for upcoming drivers, I think like AFF that Pykälistö is quite happy at Citroen, and also that Tuohino got his chanses, he did good on snow, but in my opinion he is too much of a mood driver, the driving differs too much from 1 day to another. Paasonen i think was fastest of them, but was always sitting in crap cars (except once with Ford) and had to overdrive big time to get somekind of result.
But thats the past and new guy's are on the way. :)
Talking about Pykälistö, he has signed to drive DRAG RACING (the sport for those who can not move their hands :D ) in Finnish and Nordic championships!
Well Tomi, if that's the way selection is done nowadays, then it's really sad. I do believe that gifted drivers could be noticed even if they don't deliver results. Anyways, somehow I feel that the driver who will manage to challenge Loeb is yet unknown.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomi
Wasn't Tuohino driving Jouhki-operated Golf on 1998 1000 Lakes? What happened between them then?Quote:
Originally Posted by pentti
Quote:
Originally Posted by ettelbruck
It was not Jouhki operated, but a car hired directly from VW-Motorsport to my knowledge
OK. Vauhdin Maailma then wrote about the Jouhki connection.Quote:
Originally Posted by COD