[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[tr4m]

"Toyota team principal Tommi Mäkinen denied the deal was done yet, but admitted "the time was coming" to think about next season's driver line-up"

How do you go from this to front-page "lands deal" is beyond me.

[AnttiL]

"Toyota team principal Tommi Mäkinen denied the deal was done yet, but admitted "the time was coming" to think about next season's driver line-up"

How do you go from this to front-page "lands deal" is beyond me.

Of course Mäkinen cannot admit it yet. He cannot say anything until the contract is published, if it exists. The magazine could have another source for the contract.

[deephouse]

The questions is. Who will suffer? Meeke or Latvala. Both are on edge - Meeke with his age and Latvala with his underperform.

[Japé]

The questions is. Who will suffer? Meeke or Latvala. Both are on edge - Meeke with his age and Latvala with his underperform.

Not commenting the TGR driver choices but age question in general. Is there some proof that when you pass 40 your performance drops in motorsports because of that? I doubt since even in physically most demanding fields like IndyCar has many top drivers close to 45 and they are not even talking about performance drop or future retirement because of the age. Some IndyCar drivers might have become better when they got older.

[doubled1978]

If Tanak were to go to Msport, as they have openly said they are trying to do,maybe neither...

[Allez Andruet]

List of people shocked by this:

[tr4m]

Of course Mäkinen cannot admit it yet. He cannot say anything until the contract is published, if it exists. The magazine could have another source for the contract.

Estonian media quotes the article quoting Jouhki and paints an image as if it was his decision. Apparently there were offers from both M-Sport as well from Hyundai, but Jouhki thought that local Finnish crew would be best for Kalle.

Article also mentions that Kalle has already tested Toyota, was this announced before and I just missed that?

[T16]

Estonian media quotes the article quoting Jouhki and paints an image as if it was his decision. Apparently there were offers from both M-Sport as well from Hyundai, but Jouhki thought that local Finnish crew would be best for Kalle.

Article also mentions that Kalle has already tested Toyota, was this announced before and I just missed that?

I think he tested last year sometime, before Wales.

[COD]

Not commenting the TGR driver choices but age question in general. Is there some proof that when you pass 40 your performance drops in motorsports because of that? I doubt since even in physically most demanding fields like IndyCar has many top drivers close to 45 and they are not even talking about performance drop or future retirement because of the age. Some IndyCar drivers might have become better when they got older.

Hannu Mikkola became a world champion at the age of 41. Loeb is not doing that bad either, neither is Räikkönen for example

[AL14]

Very good choice by Toyota.
Rovanpera is a real talent and there are not a lot of young promising drivers with his speed and experience out there.