Rally Discussion and Bar Talk Thread

[becher]

https://youtu.be/HvRter4JC1M

Another Biasion interview.

[flat_right]

I will post it here. In Polish rally, there was a life-threatening accident. These guys were extremely lucky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA1_5oQuZ_w

[Rallyper]

The expectations on Oliver is massive. Both here and elsewhere.
Therefore I´d say you guys are judging him much harder than for example Loubet, Fourmaux et others.
Having said that it´s fair to say he has done some bad performances. Finland last year was one. Croatia on Saturday was drvers error as well, but - if car wasn´t burning he´d started on Sunday. Sp outcome of his off was far worse and out of his boundarys.

No one can deny Olivers progress and speed. What I´ve said is that every driver have offs in their early careers. Kalle too. Why judge Oliver harder than other drivers?
About Tidemand and Bergkvist, it was a discussion about money and funding.
A driver who can´t compete frequently on top level, will never gain the speed needed for titles. So about Tidemand and Bergkvist no one have the answers, where they´d been if they had best opportunities.

[AnttiL]

I'm not saying a driver should not be allowed to make mistakes, everyone does. And I'm not judging Oliver harder than Fourmaux. I just said that these two drivers were lifted onto the top class too early. They haven't practiced winning, driving clean rallies from begin to end when there is tough competition.

We always make the comparison to Rovanperä, and we can see that he made mistakes in the beginning of his WRC2 career (Argentina 2018, Monte 2019, Sweden 2019, Corsica 2019, Deutschland 2019, Turkey 2019) but around this time he was also winning a lot. Wales 2018, Catalunya 2018 (against Kopecky!), Chile 2019, Portugal 2019, Sardinia 2019, Finland 2019, Wales 2019. I'm not even counting Australia 2017 because he was the only car in the class. Meanwhile in Finland 2018 a technical fault stole his win. When he stepped into the WRC car, it was no more learning, he was right away up there fighting for stage wins and podiums. It was just small refinement and learning to get to winning.

I know that Fourmaux is difficult to compare since his car was not on the same level last year and he still was up there in stage times. Oliver managed one 3rd stage time in Arctic Rally on the WRC car and a couple of fourth places there and in Monza. Oliver's WRC2 season in 2021 was particularly horrible.

[Jarek Z]

I will post it here. In Polish rally, there was a life-threatening accident. These guys were extremely lucky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA1_5oQuZ_w

Luckily, both the driver and co-driver are OK. The aftermath:
https://rallypl.com/wp-content/uploa...618-scaled.jpg

[dupanton]

I think this goes for Fourmaux and Solberg, but also for several others in the past (Camilli...): They went to WRC too early. I think you need at least 2 seasons in WRC2 fighting for wins at least, before making the step to WRC. You don't have the time (anymore) to learn the rallies and the driving while you are in a WRC.

[Sulland]

I will post it here. In Polish rally, there was a life-threatening accident. These guys were extremely lucky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA1_5oQuZ_w

Reminded me of Kubicas accident. They were lucky!

[EstWRC]

I think this goes for Fourmaux and Solberg, but also for several others in the past (Camilli...): They went to WRC too early. I think you need at least 2 seasons in WRC2 fighting for wins at least, before making the step to WRC. You don't have the time (anymore) to learn the rallies and the driving while you are in a WRC.

I would even add Tänak into this list. IMO 2012 was still too early for him to step into WRC.

[pantealex]

Small 4 stage rally in Turku, Finland has 2 ex. FORD drivers making "comeback" after long long break, in co-drivers side:

Suvi Jyrkiäinen - Antony Warmbold FORD Fiesta (Suvi is daughter of Minna Sillankorva, She did some Mazda factory drives with RX7 and 323 FWD in 80´s)

Roope Hirvonen -Mikko Hirvonen FORD Focus (Son/Dad)

https://akk.autourheilu.fi/Public/Ki....aspx?id=15093

[Lancia Stratos]

I think Hyundai need a new social media manager. Their twitter account is so passive and non enthusiastic, it is like a news website announcing results. Even M-Sport social media were more enthusiastic last year when they were absolutely lost and non competitive.

They have a new one!