Silly Season 2019

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Before SS11 on AllLive, is it me or does Budar talk about discussions are ongoing for Loeb in a fourth car in 2019?

He did. Nothing confirmed but there are discussions.

He said he would run his top drivers on all events for the WDC & others (Loeb) to help with the Manus.

Seems the money was the issue and Red Bull should sort that...

[T16]

He did. Nothing confirmed but there are discussions.

He said he would run his top drivers on all events for the WDC & others (Loeb) to help with the Manus.

Seems the money was the issue and Red Bull should sort that...

So, if he did say the fourth car, who is in car 3? Breen?

[EstWRC]

they were talking about 3rd car not 4th

[T16]

they were talking about 3rd car not 4th

Cheers... glad someone is paying attention. Got my hopes up for Breen for a minute.

[able1]

Cheers... glad someone is paying attention. Got my hopes up for Breen for a minute.

Yeah it would be sad if Breen is left without a works seat next season.

[deephouse]

Meh, if Breen have a offer at M-Sport I would take it immediately. He is not apreciated at Citroen and Ostberg also. The car is shitty and the team sucks.

[sollitt]

Throwing around numbers of starts is one thing, another is looking at each round. I would guess leadership is interested in getting best results.

Is Paddon a better choice on tarmac? Very doubtfull as he has never been fast on it and his 2017 speed on it is similar to Mikkelsen's this year.
So on the other rallies which ones would Paddon or Sordo do better? Definitely not Sordo in SW, GB or FIN, neither in AUS (both this and last year Mik has good speed).
In Turkey, Sar and Portugal he also had top pace this year as well as with other cars before.

So the real candidates are Mexico (where Paddon has not manage good result yet) and Argentina (where Paddon won in 2016), not many.

You continue to rely on statistics to support your logic. But statistics don't tell the full story. Paddon's goals for this season would have been determined by management prior to his sitting in the car for the first time in 2018. They would have had nothing whatsoever to do with winning stages or winning events. This last weekend has been the first opportunity he's had to go for the doctor and even then it was a measured drive to keep the car in the points and give the team the best chance at the title.
The less said about 2017 the better. The shenanigans that were going on in that team are well known in certain circles.
If you want to get an unimpeded impression of Paddon's actual speed you need to go back to 2015 & 2016 during which time he more than had the measure of both Mikkelsen and Sordo and on a par with Neuville.
Nandan knows that an on form Paddon is the key to them winning any title next year. He also knows that they owe him big time. The only question is whether he has the balls to make the right call.

[KKS]

Is Paddon hope to join M-Sport next year for a full season? But looking at his mojo in Australia it seems not going according to plan.
Did he have an offer for partly season from Hyundai? It's seems now a best option for him.
And it's fully open a door for Craig as a leading driver for M-Sport.

[denkimi]

You continue to rely on statistics to support your logic. But statistics don't tell the full story. Paddon's goals for this season would have been determined by management prior to his sitting in the car for the first time in 2018. They would have had nothing whatsoever to do with winning stages or winning events. This last weekend has been the first opportunity he's had to go for the doctor and even then it was a measured drive to keep the car in the points and give the team the best chance at the title.
The less said about 2017 the better. The shenanigans that were going on in that team are well known in certain circles.
If you want to get an unimpeded impression of Paddon's actual speed you need to go back to 2015 & 2016 during which time he more than had the measure of both Mikkelsen and Sordo and on a par with Neuville.
Nandan knows that an on form Paddon is the key to them winning any title next year. He also knows that they owe him big time. The only question is whether he has the balls to make the right call.

Lots of drivers can be among the very best if everything goes right. Mikkelsen, meeke, paddon, ostberg, sordo, latavala...

But what differentiates the real very bests as ogier or tanak from them, is that ogier is still among the best when things don't go right. Them can start without front bumper of with the wrong tyres and still be at the front. They can drive in dust an dirt, open the road and still win the rally.

Paddon is good, but i can't say he's among the very best.

[sollitt]

Lots of drivers can be among the very best if everything goes right. Mikkelsen, meeke, paddon, ostberg, sordo, latavala...

But what differentiates the real very bests as ogier or tanak from them, is that ogier is still among the best when things don't go right. Them can start without front bumper of with the wrong tyres and still be at the front. They can drive in dust an dirt, open the road and still win the rally.

Paddon is good, but i can't say he's among the very best.

No one would disagree that his ability to prevail in difficult situations is exactly what makes Ogier standout as the very best and has done for some years. He is alone in that respect. The rest you could throw a blanket over as all are of similar ability.
But it has also to be understood that the prospect of a competitor succeeding when all is not going right is reliant on the degree of support that they get from their team. If the team is not supportive, or is actually responsible for the difficulties faced, the chance of success is minimal. Statistics don't relate that side of the story.
Who among those you've mentioned will be the next Ogier, able to keep focused and a cool head to come through in times of adversity? I suggest the answer might be in last weekends results.