WRC Testing

[EstWRC]

oh no, money talks, Gus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RVb793aGdU

[er88]

It was clear that Gus will continue next year. Money talks...

If Msport were serious his money would buy a full season in a 4th car.

Msport were prepared to pay and run a driver like Tanak/Evans/Neuville/ Ogier which would've cost millions, so I don't think it looks great if Greensmith is one of the 3 points scorers considering Fourmaux will also be bringing budget.....

Breen/ Fourmaux/ Greensmith doesn't look nearly as strong as Breen, Fourmaux and one of Mikkelsen/Suninen/Lappi etc

[flat_right]

Haven't seen this one here: Breen linked to M-sport rally1 test after Acropolis https://rallyinsight.com/2021/09/02/...ropolis-rally/

[mknight]

Haven't seen this one here: Breen linked to M-sport rally1 test after Acropolis https://rallyinsight.com/2021/09/02/...ropolis-rally/

That timing makes little sense. Why would he test after Acropolis that he won't drive and before driving for Hyundai in Finland?

[Andre Oliveira]

https://www.facebook.com/10000160063...872271788/?d=n

[Andre Oliveira]

https://www.facebook.com/10006347539...240479854/?d=n

[EstWRC]

Evans Hybrid by Aa26 https://youtu.be/5IR05Sdv5Co

[Fast Eddie WRC]

https://www.facebook.com/10000160063...872271788/?d=n

Still looks a little strange without any mirrors.

[Danny0405]

I’m not a huge fan of Greensmith but, except Lappi, I’m not sure another driver makes a lot of sense in the third car.
The best (considering Evans and Rovanpera will stay with Toyota) would clearly have been a Lappi-Breen-Fourmaux line-up but, for some reasons, the relations are not good between Lappi and M-Sport. It is the only point that is a pity for me because it would have given three teams with 2 good drivers at least.

Then, considering the current season, I don’t see why it would be better to take Suninen over Greensmith: Suninen has probably more potential but on the current season, except in Arctic, he was not faster than Greensmith and he was less reliable (and both had technical issues so this cannot be a real excuse for Suninen).

And about Mikkelsen, he is not dominant in RC2 (only one win this season in 9 rallyes, counting ERC and WRC) so it is not a no-brainer for a seat in RC1. Personnally, I think it is better to take a young paying driver in the third car who did decent results in RC2 (Greensmith, Gryazin, Bulacia, Loubet) and focus their means to give the best car possible (to help Breen and Fourmaux to achieve results) than hiring an average third driver, in M-Sport situation

[mknight]

And about Mikkelsen, he is not dominant in RC2 (only one win this season in 9 rallyes, counting ERC and WRC) so it is not a no-brainer for a seat in RC1. Personnally, I think it is better to take a young paying driver in the third car who did decent results in RC2 (Greensmith, Gryazin, Bulacia, Loubet) and focus their means to give the best car possible (to help Breen and Fourmaux to achieve results) than hiring an average third driver, in M-Sport situation

He is leading both WRC2 and ERC at same time, cause when needed he can drive at 90% and get a result unlike the likes of Gryazin or Lukyanuk who go full push all the time and end up crashing every second rally or finishing with only massive luck (Lukyanuk in Liepaja and Estonia).
If needed he can also do full push (4/4 Powerstage wins this season, 1 min+ wins in Monte and Monza). Since seemingly abandoning the "full push" approach after crashes in Croatia and Sardinia, he drives very Ogier-like.... the kind of driving that gives titles and not stage wins. Btw. when it comes to age, Mikkelsen is younger than all of Tanak/Neuville/Evans and only 8 months older than Breen.

----

Anyway it all comes down to what MSport (and Ford) want.
If they want to make money and occasionally make headlines (seems like MSports line of business) Fourmaux and 1 fast driver is indeed more than enough.
If they want to have a chance for anything other than last place in manu championship 1 "learning" driver is more than enough. Sometimes even one too many (Toyota in 2020).

Malcolm was full of big ambitions a few months ago, talking about hiring top drivers etc. If it goes down to 1 fast driver (outside of "top4") and Fourmaux + paydriver, it's quite a far cry from that. Probably the only hope for more interesting lineup is that this is not good enough for Ford.


But this is all off-topic in this thread.