[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[Katvala]

I'd be really curious to see how Latvala would fare in the Fiesta. Since Tänak joined the team he's been on a decline

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[AnttiL]

Latvala-Suninen-Rovanperä Buagsports Flying Finn M-Sport World Rally Team

[er88]

Landscape will be different for Latvala now. He will probably need to bring some budget to Msport, but he no longer can bring a return on any investment like a younger driver with potential could, and Jouhki's other drivers are Kalle (who will be at Toyota), and Suninen entering another season with Msport. They are his future concerns.

Maybe he could find some sponsorship from somewhere, but I doubt Jouhki will be stumping up cash for him like if he was one of his up and coming drivers. Would love to see Jari back at Msport alongside Evans and Suninen in a 3 car team, but I can imagine Greensmith will be bringing budget to run more events in the wrc next year as well (and who knows what Paddon is going to do on top of that).

So things could look tough for Jari's fulltime WRC future if Toyota are running Kalle in the main 3 car team next year, and Tommi isn't extending his stay there.

[meh]

JML is like crap relationship (sorry for that metaphore at the moment). On good days, he is really good and does not feel good idea to let him go. But results show, that you can not relay on him. If you ask - bring it home, as fast as you can but priority - bring it home, then speed drops a lot. Which means he drives over his limits and that's why all the mistakes and crashes. A lot of bad luck / technical problems haven't been helping him also.

[steve.mandzij]

JML is like crap relationship (sorry for that metaphore at the moment). On good days, he is really good and does not feel good idea to let him go. But results show, that you can not relay on him. If you ask - bring it home, as fast as you can but priority - bring it home, then speed drops a lot. Which means he drives over his limits and that's why all the mistakes and crashes. A lot of bad luck / technical problems haven't been helping him also.

What Jari can't deal with is being slower than his teammates. It doesn't matter if someone else in a different car beats him, but when he's in equal machinery with the guy trouncing over him he collapses.

In 2017 as the clear team leader he had his best season, arguably, ever, never putting a single foot wrong (save for his illness provoked roll in Portugal), but 2018 and Tanak's rise hurt him greatly. The first half of this season has also been pitiful. However, in Finland, in Turkey and for a hot minute in Wales, forgetting his status in the team, he was actually really quick.

[RS]

Suninen, Ostberg could be possible 3rd driver at Toyota.

I would struggle to see either as an improvement over Latvala personally.

What about Mikelssen? He’s not had a great year but he’s still top of the pile of ‘tier 2’ drivers.

[AnttiL]

What about Mikelssen? He’s not had a great year but he’s still top of the pile of ‘tier 2’ drivers.

Depends on how many rallies he has with no pace. Would he be better on tarmac in another car?

[mknight]

Since being dropped for Portugal he has been the definition of a reliable points scorer. I still think Tommi would prefer Evans over him but that's just a feeling. Clearly he should be the first choice after Evans.

[mknight]

Depends on how many rallies he has with no pace. Would he be better on tarmac in another car?

Looking at Loeb's tarmac pace in Hyundai and comparatively Mikkelsen's in C3 and Fabia R5 there is no doubt he would have normal pace in a normal tarmac car.

[wrc2017]

Since being dropped for Portugal he has been the definition of a reliable points scorer. I still think Tommi would prefer Evans over him but that's just a feeling. Clearly he should be the first choice after Evans.

Shut up.