[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[EstWRC]

https://t.co/ovdOw3Z9vW

[mknight]

https://t.co/ovdOw3Z9vW

Obviously we dunno how much is speculation...

This part is clearly aimed at potential Hyundai offer:

"“He knows exactly how to drive the car in every condition. When you jump to the new car you need to learn it again, you don’t do it immediately, it always takes time to learn new car how to go fast – now you just concentrate to doing your work yourself.

“If I am looking at the bigger picture for him, staying with us is the biggest way to guarantee success.”

For Hyundai it's true since neither Mikkelsen nor Loeb have been able to be consistently fast with the car. (Breen only did 1 rally so far)

But imo it shouldn't really apply to Fiesta as it's not likely to have changed much since he drove it.

[Pršljen]

https://www.facebook.com/50175021322...5034946562372/

Hyundai announce electric project

Made in cooperation with Croatian Rimac automobili. They recently announced of a joint electric project, didn't expect the car to be made already.

[Andre Oliveira]

I hope Hyundai release the drivers in excess. They actually have all “best of the others” crews under “radar”. So i see no future to M-Sport, for example, pick a rally winner driver. If they race in Hyundai all year... ok, but like that,...

[mknight]

I don't think Mikkelsen or Breen, neither of which have contracts for next season, would be difficult to convince to go to MSport if given a "normal" salary and full season of rallies.

Anyway will be interesting to see what MSport does if Tanak doesn't join them. Worst case is they stay like this year, or even let Evans go somewhere else and drive with Suninen and Greensmith.

[Pršljen]

M Sport will definitely need a contender better than Evans. If this was a season of a preparation for such a signing, they are runni g out of options. I doubt that either Mikkelsen or Latvala would be a huge upgrade compared to current lineup. Suninen showed some progress this season but he is still having too many blackouts even for a 2nd driver. Greensmith definitely needs more time but I doubt that he will learn fast with teammates like these.

[Rally Power]

https://www.facebook.com/50175021322...5034946562372/

Hyundai announce electric project

That's not a rally car, for sure. Future WRC cars will be hybrids, not full electrics. According to rumours it must be their racing car for the new ETCR series (starting in late 2020), which will use a common spec electric powertrain (developed by Seat).

Made in cooperation with Croatian Rimac automobili. They recently announced of a joint electric project, didn't expect the car to be made already.

Interesting; Rimac also assisted Seat on the Cupra ETCR development.

[mknight]

M Sport will definitely need a contender better than Evans. If this was a season of a preparation for such a signing, they are runni g out of options. I doubt that either Mikkelsen or Latvala would be a huge upgrade compared to current lineup.

Problem is you are kind of contradicting yourself here. Saying they need someone better than Evans and then saying that two of the best available ones are not good enough. Yes they are probably not a huge upgrade but still an upgrade.
Only the top 3 are a huge upgrade, but 2 of them are not available and now rumors say the 3rd one isn't either.

[doubled1978]

Problem is you are kind of contradicting yourself here. Saying they need someone better than Evans and then saying that two of the best available ones are not good enough. Yes they are probably not a huge upgrade but still an upgrade.
Only the top 3 are a huge upgrade, but 2 of them are not available and now rumors say the 3rd one isn't either.

That’s a fair statement, the reality is those top 3 will mop up the majority of the wins in a season, so the others are fighting over a few wins in a given season. Evans can count himself unlucky not to have one to his name, Sordo has one, but it would be no surprise if that was it by the end.

[Allez Andruet]

https://www.is.fi/ralli/art-2000006198937.html

Timo Jouhki on Latvala/Meeke:

Latvala's situation looks a little bit brighter now after Finland, but we don't know how it's going to end up. He had such a terrible start for the season so there is a lot of work to do. Personally I would be surprised if Meeke keeps his seat (for 2020).

On Katsuta:

Katsuta's programme is a separate one from the actual TGR line-up (i.e. he'll be driving a fourth Yaris, not one of the three).

On Latvala's rumored partial programme for 2020:

If he can't continue with Toyota, then it's a possibility. But at TGR it's full season or nothing.