Silly Season 2020

[COD]

My 2 cents for the next season:

Toyota: Latvala, Meeke, Rovanperä/Katsuta (rotating)
Hyundai: Tänak, Neuville, Sordo/Loeb (rotating)
M-Sport: Suninen, Evans
Citroen: Ogier, Lappi

Why keep Latvala and Meeke, when you have Breen and Mikkelsen available? I wouldn’t keep both of then at least as there are options available. Also Paddon as an outside bet

[Rallyper]

If Tanak goes it would be brilliant move to get Paddon and sack Meeke. Latvala still an assett for Toyota.

And why not Mikkelsen as well or Evans. Kalle probably doing only a few rounds.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The big 3 have been pushing each other for 3 years now, but they all have learnt from ogier in 2017.
Neither of them needs a rally win to prove themselves anymore, so i don't suddenly see them making more mistakes now.

Tanak & Neuville havent been in the same team before though. And as the old saying goes, the first driver you have to beat is your team-mate...

[RS]

If Tanak goes it would be brilliant move to get Paddon and sack Meeke.

Would it? It may or may not work, i think it's a bit strong to say it would be a 'brilliant move'

Meeke still has more points than Latvala despite Catalunya too.

Mikkelsen I would quite like to see in the Toyota. If they really are losing Tanak I think they will need one new driver for next year in addition to Rovanpera. If they can't get Ogier or Neuville then Mikkelsen would be a good choice.

[pantealex]

and Marcus Grönholm has given his opinion:

https://www.is.fi/ralli/art-2000006289675.html?ref=rss
(in Finnish so ...)

[ggg377]

Why keep Latvala and Meeke, when you have Breen and Mikkelsen available? I wouldn’t keep both of then at least as there are options available. Also Paddon as an outside bet

Because most of these free agents were available last year when they had to fill Lappi's spot. Mäkinen said just before the Catalunya rally he would prefer to continue with the same trio. Unless they really do snag Ogier (according to Belgian publication Rtbf Ogier isn't ruling it out) I don't see them changing the lineup much as Mäkinen clearly values Meeke and Latvala over the other drivers on the market. At least M-Sport, Hyundai and Citroen keep Paddon, Breen and Ostberg on the sidelines. Toyota has done no such thing.

[er88]

If Tanak goes it would be brilliant move to get Paddon and sack Meeke. Latvala still an assett for Toyota.

And why not Mikkelsen as well or Evans. Kalle probably doing only a few rounds.

Kalle isn't only doing a few rounds, he's doing a full season in the Yaris.

Sounds like Latvala is more at risk than Meeke by all accounts, he's had a 3yr spell with the team now and has gone backwards. He has had the same problems for the last two years - starts the first half of the year terribly and his confidence gets shattered when his team mates are generally faster than him. He also gets his setups wrong (or doesnt have a good feeling) more than his team mates, which is a reason Makinen tears his hair out.

However Tanak leaving could easily see Latvala kept on now. Either way I hope he can remain in the WRC in some form regardless, and it's hard to say for sure that any other driver currently outside the top class like Breen/Paddon/Ostberg etc, are definitely better than Jari and Kris anyway.

[mknight]

Running Rovanpera full season is only a good idea if he is in 4th/non-nominated car. Here I completely agree with C.Clark, there is no point in putting any pressure on him on having to finish rallies.

...it's hard to say for sure that any other driver currently outside the top class like Breen/Paddon/Ostberg etc, are definitely better than Jari and Kris anyway.

This is an important separation, Evans and Mikkelsen are as good or better choice than Latvala/Meeke for team points. A look on the standings with them ahead with 3 less rallies is all that is needed.

Østberg/Been/Paddon in about that order are not clearly better than Latvala/Meeke and are a level below Evans/Mikkelsen as things stand right now. Paddon can increase his status massively in Australia though and has a perfect road position to do it.

[er88]

I dont know the extra costs involved with running a 4th car instead of just 3, but if Toyota aren't going to be paying a huge salary to keep Tanak/pay Ogier, they could have extra budget needed to run 4cars and sign someone like Mikkelsen (who will be happy to drive for a relatively small salary in WRC terms vs paying for a seat at Msport - which seems to be his only other option).

Latvala, Meeke and Mikkelsen would be a nice 3 car team given what's left available, and then you can run Kalle for a full season pressure free in a 4th car. Don't know what Tanak will have been demanding, but I'm sure it'll have been anywhere between €5-10m a year, which is a lot.

[ggg377]

Paddon can increase his status massively in Australia though and has a perfect road position to do it.

I highly doubt Paddon will start in Australia for this reason: https://www.hyundai.co.nz/community/hayden-paddon

From what I understand he has a lot of business ties to Hyundai, to the point where even his Ford WRC has a banner "HNZ". I would be very suprised if Hyundai allows him to steal the manufacturer's points needed for the title.