Silly Season 2020

[Oops!]

Where did you see that Gronholm quote? Link? Certainly isn't right.

[Allez Andruet]

Where did you see that Gronholm quote? Link? Certainly isn't right.

He said it in one of the Rally Finland shows on Finnish TV. The actual topic they were discussing about was Huttunen. I can try to find the exact quote later, the shows are hopefully still online on YLE's (Finnish National broadcasting company) streaming service Areena.

[AnttiL]

http://urheiluuutiset.com/gronholm-e...a-synkkyyteen/

In here Grönholm says that the Hyundai R5 is like 100 kg more heavy than Skoda and that Hyundai doesn't develop or test the car and it's not a winner car.

[er88]

I think Ostberg will bring some budget and run a 3rd C3, "appearing" as a Citroen manufacturer driver. Hope that's the case anyway, because it would be nice to see a 3rd C3 on at least 6-8events. If the season is going well, they could then use Ostberg more often if they have a chance for the manufacturers title.

[Tarmop]

Wierd, Mr. Loeb himself has had an outing with the R5 i20, there was a news about some big development test for tarmac...

[mknight]

Maybe Gronholm was describing the situation up until now?

[AnttiL]

I think Ostberg will bring some budget and run a 3rd C3, "appearing" as a Citroen manufacturer driver. Hope that's the case anyway, because it would be nice to see a 3rd C3 on at least 6-8events. If the season is going well, they could then use Ostberg more often if they have a chance for the manufacturers title.

There's the "guest driver" factor. After this year with no WRC Manufacturer nominated starts means he can use Citroen's guest driver testing quota next year. Same that they've been doing with Camilli and Toyota doing with Hänninen and Hyundai with Huttunen.

[AnttiL]

Wierd, Mr. Loeb himself has had an outing with the R5 i20, there was a news about some big development test for tarmac...

Loeb drove the R5 on gravel, and tested also one day on gravel.

[Tarmop]

Yes, but...

Today (Tuesday, September 24) the first of four test days was held that Hyundai Motorsport planned to evaluate the effectiveness of the developments developed for the i20 in the R5 version. The start of this intense test program was Andrea Crugnola who traveled about 250 kilometers on the asphalt around Mazamet (south of France).

The driver from Varese worked closely with the engineers of the Korean company, focusing above all on the new suspensions that immediately appeared extremely fast and effective. What is the antechamber of an ongoing collaboration? For now, nothing is decided.

Certainly an excellent opportunity for Crugnola, which is not new to these types of activities anyway: already Citroen Racing and Renault Sport have involved it several times in the development tests of DS3 and Clio R3T in the past years. Now it's up to Craig Breen, who starting tomorrow will continue the work started by Italian.
https://www.rallyeslalom.com/crugnol...yundai-i20-r5/

[Japé]

It is a great injustice that Ostberg did not get a drive WRC this year and humiliating that he is considered to someone who should bringing budget. No one has been as fast with C3 R5 than him (also being reliable). His pace has been very close to Rovanpera Jr in many rallies and without numerous technical issues + participating to more rallies he would had been very close to WRC2 Pro title. I truly hope he gets WRC seat back for 2020.

What comes to Taka, pretty sure he will be doing a lot of rallies with WRC. Besides the manufacturing points, does it matter if it is official TGR car or private, main difference being the different sponsor stickers?