TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT

[mknight]

Had, could, should, little mistake, if....

The things that got Meeke fired this year was actually not the mistakes when pushing for something (f.e. in Spain) or the lack of results (one podium...one), it was the mistakes when he had nothing to push for...
Portugal PS crash in first corner when 2nd was already lost. Finland Sunday crash when already in super rally.

Interestingly his final kick from Citroen was for similar situation.

Apart from that I find it a bit special that you write something like this. Before mid-2017 Tanak was all about "had, could, made little mistake...". Sure he was a bit different age.

[Norm75]

Fair and Reasoned comments. Agree completely.

Yes, agree with this too. People tend to forget that Kris has actually had less full seasons than it seems. Evans has had more complete seasons, Tanak too, and it wasnt that long ago that Tanak was prone to putting the car in a ditch, or lake. I think the problem is with Kris that he is always put under a lot of pressure because his future has never been secure. The only time he had a multi year contract, the first year of which, albiet a part season, he seemed to go very well with no pressure, winning a couple of rallies and in contention for the win in a couple of others but for unfortunate misshaps that weren't really driver errors. Then came the pressure of driving a turd, to be rewarded with the sack after two non finishes last year.
Kris started this year in a new car showing great speed, but for rim failures which possibly then led to mistakes trying to chase results he felt he had already deserved this season. It just seems to me that he is always very unlucky, and where the other drivers make mistakes and often get away with it, Kris always seems to pay a heavy price for the smallest of mistakes.

[cali]

The things that got Meeke fired this year was actually not the mistakes when pushing for something (f.e. in Spain) or the lack of results (one podium...one), it was the mistakes when he had nothing to push for...
Portugal PS crash in first corner when 2nd was already lost. Finland Sunday crash when already in super rally.

Interestingly his final kick from Citroen was for similar situation.

Apart from that I find it a bit special that you write something like this. Before mid-2017 Tanak was all about "had, could, made little mistake...". Sure he was a bit different age.

Meeke has had a ton of chances, I guess everybody is tired of these ifs by now. Great character, great raw speed but has many downsides. Apparently a lot of team bosses think the same.

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[TypeR]

Meeke is 40. If he had been smart, then he should have started the 2019 season controlled and steady.. Securing himself a seat for 2020 not coughing out statements, that he is still in fight for WDC or about ,,team help,, that Ott hasn't done anything for him during the season.. FO!

[Raini]

May be just Toyota got Ogier, and Ogier wanted a teammate who is steady and fast, so he demanded Evans, Kalle had a seat anyway, so Latvala and Meeke got no place in Toyota now.

Remember that Tänak had to fight harder for the title, because Meeke and Latvala were constantly giving away points to competitors. As we can say the same situation was it with Ogier, it was not a good season for Lappi as well. So I think very good and reasonable lineup for Toyota.

[er88]

Had, could, should, little mistake, if....

Being a massive Tanak fan you should know all about fine margins, little mistakes and what patience can do. As well as being afforded chance after chance, when you make comments like that.

I think a lot of comments above are fair and measured, nobody is trying to say Meeke is a top 3 driver or that it's a shock he probably won't have a seat next season. But a driver of Meeke's ability should still be in the top class and it will be unfortunate for the sport not to have him in a car, just like it is if Paddon isn't there, if Mikkelsen isn't there, if Ostberg isn't there or Lappi isn't there etc etc. Everyone outside of the top 3 is a good driver and personality, and all offer different things. Some are safe and reliable, some are really fast on their day and can challenge at the front, some have top potential but have lost their way a bit (Lappi, Mikkelsen).

Rallying is all about fine margins for drivers that aren't called Sebastian in this century, so ofcourse people will talk about 'what ifs', 'what could've been' etc. A Tanak fan should know that better than anyone, considering the factors at play that have helped him make it to where he is now (when he could quite have easily gone the other way).

[er88]

Meeke is 40. If he had been smart, then he should have started the 2019 season controlled and steady.. Securing himself a seat for 2020 not coughing out statements, that he is still in fight for WDC or about ,,team help,, that Ott hasn't done anything for him during the season.. FO!

As far as I remember he said that once pre season, unless I'm mistaken? Tell me any driver in the wrc who still doesn't have an ambition to be a champion, other than Sordo and Loeb who do half seasons.

You're wrong about Meeke not starting sensibly. A controlled and fast drive in monte, where two broken rims cost him. Sweden - where he has never been good - he drove within himself and got to the finish. Mexico, solid first day from 4th on the road and then produced an incredible stage time and went into the lead on day 2 - only to get a puncture (not from a mistake) which dropped him back. Corsica, a mistake in the recce. Then he went back to crazy Meeke and was really fast or making mistakes. Argentina, led for on day 1 before slipping back. On day 2 he had steering issues, brake failure, a puncture and time penalty which dropped him to 5th. Fought back to overhaul Ogier only to get a puncture on the last stage which cost him a podium (again didn't hit anything).

The problem for Meeke's season came after he started sensibly. He tried to push for results he felt he had merited/missed out on, and that's when you got the silly Portugal/ Finland mistakes that inexplicably chucked away two vital podiums. Add those two podiums to the podiums lost in Mexico and Argentina and it really starts to add up and hurt him and Toyota. You could class Spain as well, but I believe Toyota/Tommi told him to push like crazy as he had to for Toyota's chances in the manufacturers. And when Meeke does that, you know an accident can be round the next corner.

I think that run of Chile/ Portugal/ Sardinia/ Finland is the real disaster of Meeke's season, that he will be kicking himself for. He was genuinely really unlucky in Monte, Mexico and Argentina, but he can only blame himself for the mid season collapse.

[Norm75]

May be just Toyota got Ogier, and Ogier wanted a teammate who is steady and fast, so he demanded Evans, Kalle had a seat anyway, so Latvala and Meeke got no place in Toyota now.

Remember that Tänak had to fight harder for the title, because Meeke and Latvala were constantly giving away points to competitors. As we can say the same situation was it with Ogier, it was not a good season for Lappi as well. So I think very good and reasonable lineup for Toyota.

Evans is a yes man, and will bow to Ogier and support him in his bid for a last drivers championship. Good for Ogier, but to be a wdc you need to have a ruthless streak, you need to believe you are capable of winning and drive for yourself, not for someone else. Meeke and Latvala are both well capable of being as fast as anyone, and have that winning mentality, even if it doesn't work out for them. Evans needs to grow a pair and be his own man, screw Ogier he is on the cusp of retirement.

[AnttiL]

Evans is a yes man, and will bow to Ogier and support him in his bid for a last drivers championship. Good for Ogier, but to be a wdc you need to have a ruthless streak, you need to believe you are capable of winning and drive for yourself, not for someone else. Meeke and Latvala are both well capable of being as fast as anyone, and have that winning mentality, even if it doesn't work out for them. Evans needs to grow a pair and be his own man, screw Ogier he is on the cusp of retirement.

You guys really think it's up to the drivers to decide things like this? To show his "pair", be faster than Ogier on Monte and a few following events. Maybe then Mäkinen tells Ogier to slow down for Evans later in the season.

[Norm75]

You guys really think it's up to the drivers to decide things like this? To show his "pair", be faster than Ogier on Monte and a few following events. Maybe then Mäkinen tells Ogier to slow down for Evans later in the season.

Yes. To Be a world champion you believe you are better than the rest. End of. Did Loeb drive for Citroen thinking he need to support his world champion team mates Sainz and McRae. No . . and became 9 times champ.
Did Ogier believe he had to support Loeb. No, he is 6 times world champ. Other disciplines, MotoGP, did Marquez join Honda as a rookie believing he has to support Pedrosa. No, won in rookie year . . He is 6 times champ. Did Hamilton join McLaren and believe he had to support Alonso. No . . He is 6 times champ.
Do you see as pattern emerging? You need to believe and be ruthless.