[WRC] Neste Rally Finland 1st-4th August 2019

[Got Mail]

One particular thing about Rovanperä is that despite his age he has shown repeatedly this year that he can control the pace when he has a solid lead and doesn't get into a mad race for winning stages with crews who can't endanger him even when they go faster (like several times with Ostberg before). If Lindholm does one superfast stage and then loose minutes on the other then it's ok to let him be...

It does appear that the Polo is still the quickest car by a good margin. Must be frustrating for the guys in Mlada.

[Mirek]

It does appear that the Polo is still the quickest car by a good margin. Must be frustrating for the guys in Mlada.

Why do You think so?

Why isn't it C3 R5? Ostberg was fastest everytime he drove it against Rovanperä...

I don't think that anyone from Boleslav is frustrated from winning every event where they started with the new car (Mladá is adjective which means young while Boleslav is a name of a man - strangely while Boleslav is a man's name, Mladá Boleslav is feminine form - but enough of our language lessons ).

[Got Mail]

Why do You think so?

Why isn't it C3 R5? Ostberg was fastest everytime he drove it against Rovanperä...

I don't think that anyone from Boleslav is frustrated from winning every event where they started with the new car (Mladá is adjective which means young while Boleslav is a name of a man - strangely while Boleslav is a man's name, Mladá Boleslav is feminine form - but enough of our language lessons ).

Much of this season Veiby has been fastest of all the RC2 entries. I don't think he is as fast a driver as Kalle or Mads. So I'm guessing it may be the car that is substantially quicker.

(Thanks for the tip about Mlada)

[Mirek]

Much of this season Veiby has been fastest of all the RC2 entries. I don't think he is as fast a driver as Kalle or Mads. So I'm guessing it may be the car that is substantially quicker.

Only Ostberg (Sweden) and Greensmith (Monte Carlo) managed to finish ahead of Rovanperä through the all events started this year (and Pieniazek if we count Rovanperä's accident in Corsica). Otherwise he won all events. That's what counts and the car reliability is a big part of the game. Kopecký was second behind Rovanperä in both outings he did and now Loubet is safely second behind Rovanperä in his first outing with the Fabia Evo. I really don't see any reason for complains.

If I shall complain I would do that about Fiesta Mk.II which definitely does seem to lack and that is worrying for me. I would definitely like to have closer competition even as a Škoda fan. The victories taste better if there is a good fight for them (even if they don't come everytime). It's only good if VW or Citroën get fast.

[RS]

Much of this season Veiby has been fastest of all the RC2 entries. I don't think he is as fast a driver as Kalle or Mads. So I'm guessing it may be the car that is substantially quicker.

(Thanks for the tip about Mlada)

My feeling is that the Fabia Evo is a step forward but not yet a big one. On gravel at least the drivers have been complaining about a loose rear end, so maybe there is some work to do. Kalle himself said he felt there is more speed in the car when the set up is right.

Also should consider, as Mirek pointed out, that Kalle is leading the category comfortably so no need to push too hard. Lindholm has nothing to lose.

[Mirek]

My feeling is that the Fabia Evo is a step forward but not yet a big one.

You can't expect big steps when the rules are as strict as they are and moreover unchanged for seven years. Everyone tried basically everything they could already and the steps forward can be logically only incremental (unless you fucked up the previous design of course).