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  1. #1061
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    Quote Originally Posted by T16 View Post
    So, a 2017 spec car can only be run by manufacturer team only? (Sorry if I have misunderstood). If that’s the case, what the hell are they playing at! Why not allow anyone to run one who wants to and make for a better spectating pov?
    Safety aspect, if they do that we will probably end up with chicanes all over the place

  2. #1062
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    Quote Originally Posted by AnttiL View Post
    Meeke has one year contract at Toyota
    Lappi has two year contract at Citroen
    Latvala also has one year contract with Toyota

    Lappi´s contract with Toyota ends 31.12.2018, so it´s possible that he can start driving C3 only 2019, but they are trying to change that.

    (Source: Ari Mäntylä / Keskisuomalainen, local newspaper in Jyväskylä)
    "quattro best 4wd rallycar ever"

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  4. #1063
    Senior Member er88's Avatar
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    Probably one of Latvala/Meeke will leave Toyota at the end of next year, that's my feeling. Whoever has the worst results could make way for Kalle if that is what is indeed earmarked. Would make sense with the 1yr contracts for Jari and Kris...

    But it's an incredibly exciting and dynamic team line-up in the meantime. One that clearly many on here and in the motorsport press didn't even think was going to happen, so let's enjoy it.

    Makinen has done things differently since he took control of this Toyota project, and has been slated since the get-go by many. Including me at times when questioning certain decisions/things.

    Whether it was the decision to run the team out of the farm in remote Finland, taking the development away from TMG, when he overlooked 'golden boy' at the time Mikkelsen for Latvala, when he went for Tanak last season over pursuing Seb Ogier, and now going back for a second time to finally sign Meeke, to create this aggressive driver line-up. All those decisions have been criticised by many.

    But honestly, Makinen can sit there and say he's got the majority of decisions right in the last few years. They got a podium on their first ever event, won the 2nd event in Sweden and saw Jari help develop that Yaris so much over the winter before Monte Carlo. Jari was up there in the championship and would've been towards the end of last season if it wasn't for the technical problems in Poland and Finland, so clearly they haven't regretted signing him. Makinen again mentioned in yesterday's press release about the great work Latvala has done for the team.

    So I think Tommi now deserves the benefit of the doubt. His team lead the manufacturers by a decent margin at this stage, he's signed and helped further develop Tanak into the fastest WRC driver (imo), and as he really wants Meeke, who are any of us to argue with this signing. He clearly knows what he's doing and how he wants to run his team, and he clearly looks for certain things in his drivers.

    Whether you like Meeke/Makinen/Toyota or not, what the "village team" are doing is great for the WRC. And with Japan on board I hope they'll be around for years to come to build something lasting in the sport. I'm sure that's what Makinen wants.

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  6. #1064
    Senior Member AnttiL's Avatar
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    https://www.instagram.com/p/BpEUkmfh...scottymartin__

    Scott Martin trying a new 2019 custom fit helmet...

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  8. #1065
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    Quote Originally Posted by er88 View Post
    But honestly, Makinen can sit there and say he's got the majority of decisions right in the last few years. They got a podium on their first ever event, won the 2nd event in Sweden and saw Jari help develop that Yaris so much over the winter before Monte Carlo. Jari was up there in the championship and would've been towards the end of last season if it wasn't for the technical problems in Poland and Finland, so clearly they haven't regretted signing him. Makinen again mentioned in yesterday's press release about the great work Latvala has done for the team.

    So I think Tommi now deserves the benefit of the doubt. His team lead the manufacturers by a decent margin at this stage, he's signed and helped further develop Tanak into the fastest WRC driver (imo), and as he really wants Meeke, who are any of us to argue with this signing. He clearly knows what he's doing and how he wants to run his team, and he clearly looks for certain things in his drivers.
    For most things we can only guess what would have happened with other decisions. But to automatically assume it would be worse is wrong.

    At end of 2016 they could get Ogier to drive and develop the car instead of Latvala. Seemingly he turned them down, but it also seems that Tommi did not really want him and for some reason also let him test the car on wet tarmac where it was far from ready (on purpose?). Tommi said as much himself. Why not let him test in Finland where the car was driving all the time? Would it get better with Ogier instead of Latvala? Possibly yes, but we will never know.

    Mikkelsen was clearly faster than Latvala in same car in 2016 and got better results too. How would it go if he was there instead of Latvala? We will never know. Certainly hard to judge based on I20 experience where he came into a "developed" car with drivers that have been in the team for multiple years.

    Similarly while getting Tanak certainly got them one fast driver, it also looks like it got Lappi to leave (if indirectly) and Latvala is back to his 2016 VW style (clearly 2nd and on half events even 3rd driver in the team with lots of confidence issues). Again Ogier was seemingly available at end of 2017, but it looked like they didn't even show real interest. If he joined instead of Tanak maybe they would have won both titles by now.... or maybe they would have no chance of either, again impossible to know.

    Anyway they are charging for both titles now so can't say that he made very bad decisions and in the end results (and championships) are the only thing that matter to the outside.
    Last edited by mknight; 18th October 2018 at 20:50.

  9. #1066
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    Quote Originally Posted by mknight View Post
    Again Ogier was seemingly available at end of 2017, but it looked like they didn't even show real interest. If he joined instead of Tanak maybe they would have won both titles by now.... or maybe they would have no chance of either, again impossible to know.
    i wonder if tanak had joined toyota in 2017, would he have been world champion?

    we considered the toyota to be not on the same level as the ford or the hyundai, but perhaps it was all down to inferior drivers. perhaps that toyota was then already the fastest car.

  10. #1067
    Senior Member Fast Eddie WRC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by denkimi View Post
    i wonder if tanak had joined toyota in 2017, would he have been world champion?
    I'm sure Tanak would admit that he learned a hell of a lot during 2017 from his World Champion team-mate.

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  12. #1068
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC View Post
    I'm sure Tanak would admit that he learned a hell of a lot during 2017 from his World Champion team-mate.
    He does. At the end of last year, he gave an interview where he talked about the things he learned and said he wouldn't mind continuing to learn, but he wants equal chances (mainly same spec car), therefore the departure. What I liked about Tänak and Ogier working together in 2017 is the mutual respect that developed during that time.

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  14. #1069
    Senior Member AnttiL's Avatar
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    https://www.instagram.com/p/BpE47_RB...-by=loeb_seb_9

    Well as announced today at the Paris Motor Show, #Peugeot Team will not be involved in the 2019 @fiaworldrx as they are looking at development towards electric cars in Motorsport by 2020. Now where do we go from here. �� #wrc ? We shall see over the coming days and weeks. ���� ;-)
    Of course a great idea was presented on twitter, he should go to M-Sport

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  16. #1070
    Senior Member EstWRC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tr4m View Post
    He does. At the end of last year, he gave an interview where he talked about the things he learned and said he wouldn't mind continuing to learn, but he wants equal chances (mainly same spec car), therefore the departure. What I liked about Tänak and Ogier working together in 2017 is the mutual respect that developed during that time.
    they became really good friends and get a long really well...last year at Rally Spain i was at the end of the power stage at the podium, while they were waiting for Meeke to finish it was pure joy to watch Tänak and Ogier, they congratulated each other, they were chatting all the time, making jokes, talking about driving and etc, despite the fact that Tänak got a call from Wilson some hours ago after one stage and told him to stop fighting with Seb.

    Every time estonian press does a interview with Seb then he always mentions that Ott has learned a lot from him, even too much
    #8 Ott Tänak - Martin Järveoja #8
    - World Rally Champions 2019 -

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