Silly Season 2019

[mknight]

If you think Lappi doesn't have more potential than the drivers I've mentioned I think you're the one with their head in the clouds.

Potential is a nice word. Fabia WRC had so much of it people were told
So far Lappi has shown speed, he has not shown speed combined with consistency, he might in the future, but its far from certain.
Also Tänak looked worse than just about all the drivers you mentioned until 2016.

[Oliverk]

Potential is a nice word. Fabia WRC had so much of it people were told
So far Lappi has shown speed, he has not shown speed combined with consistency, he might in the future, but its far from certain.
Also Tänak looked worse than just about all the drivers you mentioned until 2016.

No he didn't.

[AnttiL]

Potential is a nice word. Fabia WRC had so much of it people were told
So far Lappi has shown speed, he has not shown speed combined with consistency, he might in the future, but its far from certain.

It's his second WRC season, first full one. How many drivers were fourth overall in their first full season?

I have said it a number of times, he just needs to gain experience to get rid of the little mistakes and find his pace earlier in the rallies. So far he has shown he is fast on every surface and can win power stages, what it takes to be a champion.

[mknight]

It's his second WRC season, first full one. How many drivers were fourth overall in their first full season?

I have said it a number of times, he just needs to gain experience to get rid of the little mistakes and find his pace earlier in the rallies. So far he has shown he is fast on every surface and can win power stages, what it takes to be a champion.

This season is not over yet. Recently Mikkelsen was 3rd in his first full season (yes VW was dominating, but isn't Toyota the fastest car ATM ?)
Also Meeke is fast on every surface and can win power stages.

Sorry for the trolling but there are quite a lot of drivers who seemingly have it all, but somehow don't win championships. Likewise there are a few that don't look impressive and then things fall into place (like Tänak). Just a bit early to crown Lappi champion. Remember people did that with Paddon after argentina 2016 as well as Meeke before 2017 season.

[AnttiL]

I’m not crowning anyone a champion. I would just sign Lappi over Meeke who rarely made it to power stages or Paddon who can’t drive on tarmac or win power stages.

[Allez Andruet]

Recently Mikkelsen was 3rd in his first full season

Except that Mikkelsen had 26 starts with WRC car before his first full season. Lappi had 8.

[AnttiL]

Except that Mikkelsen had 26 starts with WRC car before his first full season. Lappi had 8.

And VW's dominance was on a completely different level than Toyota this year. VW won all rallies except Deutschland, which went for Hyundai. Even 2nd places were almost all VW's, with Ford getting three runner-up positions, Hyundai and Citroen one each.

[jparker]

No he didn't.

Yes he did. Tanak was almost "written off" but somehow he managed to put good performance in Sweden, after which Malcolm decided to put his faith on him.

[Grutz]

It's his second WRC season, first full one. How many drivers were fourth overall in their first full season?

I have said it a number of times, he just needs to gain experience to get rid of the little mistakes and find his pace earlier in the rallies. So far he has shown he is fast on every surface and can win power stages, what it takes to be a champion.

Well Paddon has only actually done 1 full season which was 2016 in which he came 4th. 2014 was only partial season and 2015 he did not do Monte Carlo. I just think 2017 was such a bad year because of the accident in Monte and he also had personal issues as well as a lot of bad luck. I think he will prove in the next few rallies that he does deserve another shot at a full season in 2019.

[Mk2 RS2000]

Well Paddon has only actually done 1 full season which was 2016 in which he came 4th. 2014 was only partial season and 2015 he did not do Monte Carlo. I just think 2017 was such a bad year because of the accident in Monte and he also had personal issues as well as a lot of bad luck. I think he will prove in the next few rallies that he does deserve another shot at a full season in 2019.

Exactly.

By the way has anyone stopped to think why Hyundai made the decision quite early in the year to develop and homologate new transmission components for Hayden's use in the later half of this season. I for one don't think that they have done it as a one off just for the remainder of this season.