Citroen WRT

[the sniper]

They surely won't win a manufacturer's title with two cars, unless Loeb does a biggish program in a 3rd. And if Loeb does 6-8 events, then surely they scrape some money together to run Mads in the remaining events. Mads maybe can't bring a big budget anymore but im sure he could still bring some to help run a partial program.

Part of me wonders whether that was the plan, but Citroen tried to take advantage and squeeze some money out of Mads to subsidise the limited program they offered him, and he essentially told them sod off because it's an insult. He's done a reasonable job for them this year, why should he pay them to likely score them a decent number of points for the manufacturers on the few rounds they'll give him?

With Mads out, if Loeb does do around 8 rallies, maybe it'd make sense for EVEN to further cement their new relationship with Citroen by paying for Tidemand to do the remaining rounds in their 3rd car. Though there doesn't seem to be much prospect of getting a return on their investment with PSA in future, given how cheap they seem to be...

[Zeakiwi]

Will Mads be building his own R4 Citroen, Ford or something else to keep the costs under control for a bit of club rallying back in the snow and ice of Norway?

Ring up Prokop, for the plans to build a Ford 4x4 Rally Raid machine?

Rig up a prototype for testing for electric WRX to get some data, for when the Tesla Model Y hits the road for an electric wrx entry.

Dust off the Subaru WRC to remind Subaru USA he drives subarus. (In case Higgins is getting weary of winning the North American rally title)

Take up Truck racing.

[er88]

Part of me wonders whether that was the plan, but Citroen tried to take advantage and squeeze some money out of Mads to subsidise the limited program they offered him, and he essentially told them sod off because it's an insult. He's done a reasonable job for them this year, why should he pay them to likely score them a decent number of points for the manufacturers on the few rounds they'll give him?

With Mads out, if Loeb does do around 8 rallies, maybe it'd make sense for EVEN to further cement their new relationship with Citroen by paying for Tidemand to do the remaining rounds in their 3rd car. Though there doesn't seem to be much prospect of getting a return on their investment with PSA in future, given how cheap they seem to be...

That wouldn't surprise me one bit. Everytime Budar was asked about the 3rd car he said they were talking to partners to try and find extra budget. Mads being someone who's brought budget to teams previously was no doubt one of those options in their eyes. But it is kind of taking the piss I suppose, if Mads was only going to get a partial campaign at most.

Fair enough if they wanted him to help fund a full season, but not if he's just getting the left over rallies Loeb doesn't want to do. Mads is a very solid driver and would help them massively in the manufacturers, probably a perfect typical 3rd driver like Sordo.

As for Tidemand I hope he can at least get something together. It really is getting near make or break for him and Kalle's speed against him won't have helped. But he still deserves an opportunity in the top class, and if I was Malcolm I'd rather give Tidemand a chance over a 5th season for Evans.

[Tarmop]

To Estonia, Georg Gross.

I wonder if something made Abu Dhabi suddenly leave, seems like nobody in Citroen knew before the tests started this week

Probably just easier to tape it, than remove it from the livery. Didn`t Mads buy a C3 R5?
(Tänak actually bought that Fiesta.)

[EstWRC]

Sebastien Ogier says he can see potential with the Citroen C3 WRC after his first two days testing the car he will drive in next year’s World Rally Championship.

The Frenchman, who has departed M-Sport after back-to-back drivers’ titles, drove the Citroen on a gravel development test in the Algarve area of southern Portugal.

Thursday and Friday were Ogier’s first miles of any significance in the car. He first drove a C3 – with M-Sport team principal Malcolm Wilson’s blessing – in France in September.

Six-time champion Ogier said: “It’s an interesting challenge and I really think there’s potential, with the equipment here to write a nice story.

“But that’s not something that you can do on your own.

“This is just the first day, so from here on it’s going to be important to quickly see what works and what works less well to try to feel as well prepared as possible from Monte-Carlo.”

Ogier will test the Citroen for a further two days in the French Alps later this month, as he prepares himself for next month’s season opener, the Monte Carlo Rally.


Ogier said his two days in Portugal had been key to assessing which areas of the car needed immediate focus.

“[This is] an important test focussing on dampers, which are obviously key in rallying," Ogier said.

"So we’re straight into one of the most important aspects to check and take decisions about, which will have an influence on the future.

“There are of course lots of areas for us on the car to look at and this will take a bit of time: differential, for example, but again but my initial feeling is not too bad and I’m sure we’ll find the right solutions quite quickly.”

https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/...-test/4307075/


I would really like to hear what Lappi has to say.

[wia5958]

a month to get the car as he wants it seems a very short time given that he mentioned both the dampers and diffs. Will be interesting to hear his first stage end interview in monte just comparing ogiers forst comments on the c3 to meekes first comments on the yaris big difference

[mknight]

Ogier always complains (not meant as an insult), it's just how he is.
Meekes first Toyota interview was "everything is great here, everything was bad at Citroen".

[Coach 2]

" Which makes it strange why he'd go there."

This kind of comment must end here and now. Why do so many think that it is up to the drivers, where or for which team they end up driving.
The vast majority of drivers (maybe apart from one) are in the team that team managers, sponsors and driver managers decide.


[/QUOTE]

[Coach 2]

[QUOTE=er88;1201093]They're so strange. Have been since they returned to the WRC.

They surely won't win a manufacturer's title with two cars, unless Loeb does a biggish program in a 3rd. And if Loeb does 6-8 events, then surely they scrape some money together to run Mads in the remaining events. Mads maybe can't bring a big budget anymore but im sure he could still bring some to help run a partial program.

And then there's the issue of Loeb doing events potentially causing angst with Ogier, considering his recent comments about guest drivers.

If they are only targeting the drivers title then that means Lappi is even more going to be Ogier's bitch, and forced to drop positions and potentially play the Evans role for him.

" Which makes it strange why he'd go there."


This kind of comment must end here and now. Why do so many think that it is up to the drivers, where or for which team they end up driving.
The vast majority of drivers (maybe apart from one) are in the team that team managers, sponsors and driver managers decide.

[SubaruNorway]

Probably just easier to tape it, than remove it from the livery. Didn`t Mads buy a C3 R5?
(Tänak actually bought that Fiesta.)

Yeah mid way through Thursday's test i think?

Haven't heard anything about that, doesn't seem like a car worth buying anyway, like the previous model.
I drove 3 hours to a winter test with that once and then the revers gear broke after two runs...

Østberg's don't have any Impreza WRC left, only a Legacy Gr.A.

If there's any truth to Lappi faling out with the team after that little testing incident that must be part of the reason he went to Citroen i guess.