Silly Season 2020

[MentalParadox]

Tänak retiring? Huh? I always saw him as a young guy. He's only just started getting good. WRC has a fundamental problem if its best drivers can't be bothered to stick around.

[Allez Andruet]

WRC has a fundamental problem if its best drivers can't be bothered to stick around.

Looking at the current field it's quite hard to see that as an issue in WRC.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Tanak may be happy once he's achieved the WDC and defended it. I certainly dont see that he would want to attempt to match the Seb's in the number WDC wins.

He also has his OT Racing team and could be satisfied running that and helping others to make the WRC...

[er88]

I still see Tanak in the wrc for another 4/5yrs. Probably two more contracts

[Allez Andruet]

And what is often lost in this discussion, is that it's one thing to talk about retirement and completely different thing to actually do it. In all sports, the greats often talk about it ("I'm gonna walk out before I'm 30"), but not that many actually walk the walk.

[TypeR]

What the dmack you are talking about him retiring? once he gets his first WDC, its time to earn money and secure his future..
if 2nd or 3rd WDC comes, it good, but it doesn't really make any difference if you are 2, 3 or 4 times WDC..
It's basically impossible to reach Loeb's achievement and at the end rallying may be fun and awesome to watch, but it is still a job to do and if we are talking about salaries that are between 5-10mil euros, then at the end of the day, you have to use that chance and secure your future

[Tarmop]

He is already doing that...being a co-owner of MM-Motorsport is one example. Can`t compare with family-time. Although unless he says it himself, pure speculation.

[chunder27]

Ogier has been full time for a very pong time now, and until you have done all the travelling, testing, recce notes, PR appearances etc you cannot possibly know what it takes out of you, your personal life, relationships etc.

How Loeb did it for so long I have no idea, .

For me Ogier might do another year after 2020 if they can't fix the car, and then for me he is the best, Loeb won it in a car that was always designed round him, Ogier to win it in three types of car is simply a bigger achievement against more competition, if he can do it.

Quite frankly, even to so what he has done already edges it for me.

Tanak retiring, pure nonsense!! He might move but would be daft to just yet. But he does seem rather perplexed byt he fame, the interest, seems a quiet man, no interested in anything other than driving, unlike most top line drivers.

[AnttiL]

I don't think anyone is claiming Tänak would retire now. He just might be now looking for a contract with the team that he will drive with until his retirement.

[Kradovech]

To me it seems that in Tänak's interest is to sign a short contract, rather than a long one. He is clearly one of the fastest drivers right now, so it is very likely he will be able to negotiate good terms next year as well. It is completely opposite situation compared to what he was facing 2 years ago - right now it is the team's interest to sign him for as long as possible.

In his place I would sign Toyota for 1 year. Right now Toyota is working for him - despite the lottery factor due to unreliability he has a considerable lead. A longterm commitment with unreliable car would not be smart however. I would give them 12 months to try and sort it out and then re-evaluate the situation