[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[Tarmop]

They do great setups in any country for Finland when someone wants to pay teams for testing. Roads are not similar and some added jumps that is just absurd. Main reason to choose RE over some testing in Finland is money.

There`s quite a diversity of roads with different characteristics and surfaces in that small country, don`t know, if you are familiar with all of them? I have driven across Scandinavia for several times, on very different roads, in the southern part, in the northern part, in the middle, including where NORF takes place...In Southern EU also quite many thousands of country roads. I agree, that added crests are stupid, but maybe there is something when it is done by a former WRC driver? Have a look at br21 post, who i think is more familiar with modernday rallying than you and me. Me for sure. I also think that many, who said it out loud, that this helps for rally Finland, did not lie. You can think what you like, Finland has a WRC event soon after, so i can`t see any problems why one should be so upset.

Tänak`s pace in Rally Finland isn`t explained with him participating in RE, ofc not, BUT he used the setup he developed for him there and it clearlly worked.

[Allez Andruet]

That version of Tänak we all saw last year in Finland would have dominated the rally even with a bicycle. He was that good. I still think it's one of the best performances this sport has ever seen.

[lnvs]

There`s quite a diversity of roads with different characteristics and surfaces in that small country, don`t know, if you are familiar with all of them? I have driven across Scandinavia for several times, on very different roads, in the southern part, in the northern part, in the middle, including where NORF takes place...In Southern EU also quite many thousands of country roads. I agree, that added crests are stupid, but maybe there is something when it is done by a former WRC driver? Have a look at br21 post, who i think is more familiar with modernday rallying than you and me. Me for sure. I also think that many, who said it out loud, that this helps for rally Finland, did not lie. You can think what you like, Finland has a WRC event soon after, so i can`t see any problems why one should be so upset.

Tänak`s pace in Rally Finland isn`t explained with him participating in RE, ofc not, BUT he used the setup he developed for him there and it clearlly worked.

I'm sorry if Estonia has some Finnish style roads. I just haven't seen them there. Why they don't use them in rallying if those roads exist?

I'm not upset about this, just think it's funny how some can say those Estonian roads are like in Finland and it's best testing place for Finland. They would instantly choose some Rally in Finland (like Autoglym) if they had same benefits.

[Rally Power]

A sort of mini Putin!?

Probably a bit kitchier...

This promotional event is a new concept. Candidate event means the event could become an official WRC round the following year. This is probably not yet possible for Estonia, but this solution is a win-win with interest in the country and also for the teams and drivers as a test for Finland during the summer break.

Spot on. Regardless the advantages or disadvantages over normal PET sessions, this promotional event concept looks as an interesting option for the series future: it’d be much better to run some of those apart than continuing to push for brainless changes in the WRC calendar.

[the sniper]

Spot on. Regardless the advantages or disadvantages over normal PET sessions, this promotional event concept looks as an interesting option for the series future: it’d be much better to run some of those apart than continuing to push for brainless changes in the WRC calendar.

Yeah I think this is a really interesting concept that could open up some cool opportunities going forward. Seeing three or four works WRC cars can be a real draw for fans and an event. If the teams are sensible, for example bringing the kind of team set up they bring to a test rather than the super motorhomes they bring to a WRC round, this could be a cost effective way to attract wider exposure. Hearing about this Estonia deal my thoughts turned to Ireland. There's been talk of the Circuit of Ireland organisers wanting to bring the event back as a WRC round (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/46188320). Now to me that seems unlikely and personally I wouldn't like to lose Rally GB for the CoI, but 'Promotional event' status would seem to be perfect! With the strength of the Irish Championship I've been tempted to go over for a round, but if the CoI was to return in 2020 with an additional four or maybe more '17 WRC cars on top, of which four would be Works cars, I'd definitely be making the trip!

As it is, I'm tempted to go to Estonia for this. I'll be keeping a keen eye of how the entry list develops.

[Tauri_J]

Did you guys forget that last years NRF was on slower, smaller and softer roads. Those kind of roads were in Rally Estonia.

We have very wide and fast gravel roads too but average speeds would be brutal...140+ FIA wouldnt like that I bet lol

[AnttiL]

https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...ctory-wrc-deal

Huttunen getting some contacts after a good drive in Sweden. Also mentioned he is still doing testing work with Hyundai.

[AnttiL]

Did you guys forget that last years NRF was on slower, smaller and softer roads. Those kind of roads were in Rally Estonia.

We have very wide and fast gravel roads too but average speeds would be brutal...140+ FIA wouldnt like that I bet lol

I tried looking at some onboards and mostly the roads resemble Rally Poland more than Finland. The surface is, like said, more sandy and softer and at times there's no ditches but small banks on the edges of the road. The corners and crests are often smoother and longer and the cars jump less. There are some very fast sections where you only have to turn slightly. Especially the route of this and last year in Rally Finland has tried staying away from that kind of sections. But I'm not saying those roads are bad, there are some really nice crooked lines over a crest where you need to trust the pace notes, and some tricky narrow places with trees close by. I would in fact like the WRC calendar to include either Poland or Estonia to have a fast rally with different type of roads to Finland.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Jari Huttunen has been linked to a new works WRC deal after impressing on last month's Rally Sweden...

https://t.co/Gf4KOqpLMK

[AnttiL]

Jari Huttunen has been linked to a new works WRC deal after impressing on last month's Rally Sweden...

https://t.co/Gf4KOqpLMK

Just two messages above, just two...