Silly Season 2020

[steve.mandzij]

it could be sound like Ott leaving to Hyundai or staying in Toyota.

In other words, nothing we don't know?

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I also think it's bad.

But I disagree on the second part. If Ogier goes to Toyota it will be even worse. I think he has a chance with Citroen after all the new changes finally get homologated for next year. However, if he leaves both Citroen and MSport will be just fighting their own fight for 4th place.

Problem is Citroen's changes (if they work) are just to match the existing level of Toyota & Hyundai. But those two wont be standing still over the close season.

[mknight]

Without those changes Ogier was best out of the rest until Spain... even including 2 crashes (Sweden, Sardinia) and multiple punctures or small crashes (Argentina, Germany).

[Oraamat]

Some have started to speculate that Tänak might even do "Rosberg" after this season.

[BobJones]

Some have started to speculate that Tänak might even do "Rosberg" after this season.

They're wrong. He's signed for Hyundai.

[BobJones]

For me biggest question is if Hyundai could afford to hire Tänak, Neuville and Loeb at the same time.

There's a huge budget behind making the 'N' a well-known performance brand. You don't hire the head of BMW 'M' and give him a blank cheque for nothing.

There's a new i20 out soon with the first i20N hot-hatch too next year. WRC is good marketing for that.

There's a lot of money from R5, but mainly i30 TCR sales, which have been very strong to help give the motorsport division even more available funds.

In short, yes they have the money and the impetus.

[Jakem]

https://www.rtbf.be/sport/moteurs/ra...ve?id=10352231
Maybe monday tuesday we know more

[mknight]

There is an obvious list of possible conflicts coming at once at Hyundai:

What if he wants changes to the car that go opposite to Neuville and that can't be done without homologation jokers?
- a) Probably he will have the last say as reigning world champion. But what if that makes Neuville and Sordo much slower and therefore threaten manu champ?
- b) Or what if the changes are not really possible without changing the whole car? This applies especially on tamac as shown by Loeb/Mikkelsen

Let say no (drastic) changes are needed at start. It's still quite likely that Neuville will be as fast or maybe faster in first few rallies. But it's unlikely we will start to see strong n1 prioritizing at once, but that can in the end hurt the chances both have to the title as Ogier will benefit.

It might be that he only agreed to join if he is clear n1 from start, but b) could still be a problem.

For team dynamics it will be interesting.

[Oraamat]

It might be that he only agreed to join if he is clear n1 from start, but b) could still be a problem.

For team dynamics it will be interesting.

Even if thats the case, how Neuville will react to this and will he be teamplayes even if he is clear n2?

[COD]

Toyota can hire Mikkelsen, Breen etc. Why would they keep either Latvala or Meeke who are both accident prone