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  1. #731
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    Quote Originally Posted by AnttiL View Post
    I mean, I don't agree with Colin and I know the Skoda contract is sealed for 2019.
    Also, if Skoda are coming back to the WRC at some point why would they let him go?

    IIRC it was said that Kalle’s contract was 2+1, I would imagine the +1 would be on the proviso Skoda could give him a World Rally Car to drive for 2020.

  2. #732
    Senior Member er88's Avatar
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    Mknight, I think you should leave the spreadsheets alone tbh. 106pts between Neuville and Mikkelsen is total domination.

    Paddon has been totally dominated by Thierry for two years now in these new cars, and the results speak for themselves. Trying to argue against that is weird.

    Everyone knows Evans is in the same boat regarding how he compares to Ogier, just on an even greater scale. However Evans has never been on Ogier's level, whereas Paddon and Mikkelsen had been on Neuville's level in the past or had been/seemed to be better at times. How times have changed now though...

    That's why I said they've both been smashed to pieces by Thierry. They look beaten and lost at times. What the Belgian has done in making them both look pretty ordinary in the same machinery is impressive - whether you like Thierry or not, or are a Mikkelsen/Paddon fan.

    There was a spell where Paddon seemed to be establishing himself as the main man in that team and Thierry was all over the place, but he's turned it around over the last 3yrs. He's made himself the undoubted 1st driver. It's Thierry's team now. Even Mikkelsen who moved to Hyundai to win the title (his words), is back in the same place he was at VW. Getting mostly dominated by the teams 1st driver.

    That's one of the reasons I feel Paddon has to move, and I'd feel that way even if he had a full season at Hyundai (although it'd be less critical). The fact he's only been doing half a season makes it pretty important he moves elsewhere imo.

  3. Likes: AL14 (10th October 2018),cali (10th October 2018),jonkka (10th October 2018),Rally Power (10th October 2018),sonnybobiche (10th October 2018),Timmy (10th October 2018)
  4. #733
    Senior Member AL14's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by er88 View Post
    Mknight, I think you should leave the spreadsheets alone tbh. 106pts between Neuville and Mikkelsen is total domination.

    Paddon has been totally dominated by Thierry for two years now in these new cars, and the results speak for themselves. Trying to argue against that is weird.

    Everyone knows Evans is in the same boat regarding how he compares to Ogier, just on an even greater scale. However Evans has never been on Ogier's level, whereas Paddon and Mikkelsen had been on Neuville's level in the past or had been/seemed to be better at times. How times have changed now though...

    That's why I said they've both been smashed to pieces by Thierry. They look beaten and lost at times. What the Belgian has done in making them both look pretty ordinary in the same machinery is impressive - whether you like Thierry or not, or are a Mikkelsen/Paddon fan.

    There was a spell where Paddon seemed to be establishing himself as the main man in that team and Thierry was all over the place, but he's turned it around over the last 3yrs. He's made himself the undoubted 1st driver. It's Thierry's team now. Even Mikkelsen who moved to Hyundai to win the title (his words), is back in the same place he was at VW. Getting mostly dominated by the teams 1st driver.

    That's one of the reasons I feel Paddon has to move, and I'd feel that way even if he had a full season at Hyundai (although it'd be less critical). The fact he's only been doing half a season makes it pretty important he moves elsewhere imo.
    Totally agree with you on everything, and I'm one of them who don't like Neuville. Paddon has to move indeed. I've always thought that Toyota would have been the best solution available for him but now that they have taken Meeke I don't think it will be an option again.

  5. Likes: er88 (10th October 2018),sonnybobiche (10th October 2018)
  6. #734
    Senior Member er88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AL14 View Post
    Anyways, imho nonsense choice for Toyota. Happy for Meeke who is a nice guy but I can't find a valuable reason on taking him into the squad.
    Proven rally winner, one of the fastest drivers in the WRC, can compete at the front on any surface, and Makinen clearly rates him and has tried to sign him twice now.

    Clearly some reasons why Makinen really likes him mate. Nobody available has what Meeke has yet. A year + a year's option is what I think the deal is, while Suninen, Kalle and/or Katsuta develop. Seems a good move for Toyota as a stop-gap at least. They already have two reliable pts scorers in Tanak and Jari (who in the last two years has become a more solid driver). Meeke competing for wins on events and crashing on others is not going to be as felt as it was at Citroen, where he had all the pressure on his shoulders to get a good result as no one else in the team was capable.

    The only problem I could see is if Meeke goes in there and somehow finds consitency (highly unlikely), and Tanak and Meeke start fighting at the front on many events and tension arises. However Ott in his second year in the Yaris should be pretty comfortable. What an exciting, dynamic line-up Makinen is going for if this is indeed true; 3 drivers potentially capable of winning most events they start.

  7. Likes: KKS (10th October 2018),RS (10th October 2018)
  8. #735
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  9. Likes: Rally Power (10th October 2018)
  10. #736
    Senior Member AL14's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by er88 View Post
    Proven rally winner, one of the fastest drivers in the WRC, can compete at the front on any surface, and Makinen clearly rates him and has tried to sign him twice now.

    Clearly some reasons why Makinen really likes him mate. Nobody available has what Meeke has yet. A year + a year's option is what I think the deal is, while Suninen, Kalle and/or Katsuta develop. Seems a good move for Toyota as a stop-gap at least. They already have two reliable pts scorers in Tanak and Jari (who in the last two years has become a more solid driver). Meeke competing for wins on events and crashing on others is not going to be as felt as it was at Citroen, where he had all the pressure on his shoulders to get a good result as no one else in the team was capable.

    The only problem I could see is if Meeke goes in there and somehow finds consitency (highly unlikely), and Tanak and Meeke start fighting at the front on many events and tension arises. However Ott in his second year in the Yaris should be pretty comfortable. What an exciting, dynamic line-up Makinen is going for if this is indeed true; 3 drivers potentially capable of winning most events they start.
    Imho with Tanak and Latvala you already have two drivers capable to reach podiums and wins (especially Ott), it would have been much better an agreement with a young driver to give him experience or a middle one like Breen or Paddon that are hungry for achievements and still can improve their career and bring value to the team.

    Meeke is Meeke, he maybe can win 1 rally but that's all, there is no prospect. He will crash again. The only valuable reason I can give for this decision is that Makinen has an agreement with Kalle from 2020/21 onwards and took a rally-winner driver with no aim for the far future in the meantime.

  11. Likes: jonkka (10th October 2018),pantealex (10th October 2018),sonnybobiche (11th October 2018)
  12. #737
    Senior Member KKS's Avatar
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    Finally Kris found a good team with a good place!
    Totally happy for him!

    And fck Citroen now! Team moaning team with moaning drivers... perfect underdog!

  13. #738
    Senior Member Allez Andruet's Avatar
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    That's the ultimate high risk/high reward move from Tommi, gotta give him credit for that. There would've been easier options available, but then again, a person fond of easy exits probably wouldn't run a WRC team in the first place. Whatever the result (and in the case of Meeke, it can be anything from getting sacked again mid-season to challenging for the title), it's great to have Kris back in business.
    ku ois neljä pyörää ku vetäis ni ois vähän eri sekunnit kyllä pätkillä, sen mä takaan

  14. Likes: dimviii (10th October 2018),Gregor-y (10th October 2018),Marcco (10th October 2018)
  15. #739
    Senior Member BigWorm's Avatar
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    So is he going to be the odds favourite for the title next year again?

  16. Likes: sonnybobiche (11th October 2018)
  17. #740
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sal the 2nd View Post
    Think the relationship that Tommi had with Colin has a lot to do with this decision. Yes its a massive risk on the face of it however think Tommi will give Kris the tools and the mentoring to do the job. Finland in 2019 is going to be fast!
    WRC 2019 just got better.

  18. Likes: dimviii (10th October 2018),er88 (10th October 2018)

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