Wrc 2/3 2021

[dupanton]

If you make such a bolt statement, you can expect some counters when it's not happening

[dimviii]

Similarly your main reason for taking out just that one quote from the long article and post it here is to troll.

i just wanted to be sure that you will read the whole article.

[Lead]

What a letdown by Mikkelsen, another rally and another early exit. I dont know whats the problem (I dont think its a car, maybe psychological?), but things clearly isnt going his way, he can forget a WRC seat if he cant keep it on the road. I dont think he had an actual pressure to perform in this rally (or also in Croatia), but given his experience, absolutely unnecessary and unforgivable early rally mistakes from him.

[mknight]

What a letdown by Mikkelsen, another rally and another early exit. I dont know whats the problem (I dont think its a car, maybe psychological?), but things clearly isnt going his way, he can forget a WRC seat if he cant keep it on the road. I dont think he had an actual pressure to perform in this rally (or also in Croatia), but given his experience, absolutely unnecessary and unforgivable early rally mistakes from him.

He had massive pressure here and also in Croatia... in Croatia due to obviously getting beaten by Lappi in Arctic and here cause Lappi got another good results in Portugal.

At the same time Østberg and Gryazin just drove a full rally that is similar and Østberg got new dampers based on Portugal experience flown in right into his test on Monday, testing to optimize tire wear.
Mikkelsen had half a day test with a car that he hasn't drive on gravel yet after sitting at home with COVID. Combined with Østbergs "mind games" he seemingly made small mistake.
Clearly it's hard to "rate" mistakes, but in best case that one could have ended with just a few secs lost, instead the car rolled even on the open road and then 0 points retirement with car that looked just fine from the outside. If he could continue 3rd place was quite likely even without other's issues.

[Jarek Z]

Yes, very bad rally for Mikkelsen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khECiUSuUUw

But even worse for Fourmaux, who crashed already on SS2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BV5G5V_uIU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-qeA_yLAC4

[Lead]

He had massive pressure here and also in Croatia... in Croatia due to obviously getting beaten by Lappi in Arctic and here cause Lappi got another good results in Portugal.

At the same time Østberg and Gryazin just drove a full rally that is similar and Østberg got new dampers based on Portugal experience flown in right into his test on Monday, testing to optimize tire wear.
Mikkelsen had half a day test with a car that he hasn't drive on gravel yet after sitting at home with COVID. Combined with Østbergs "mind games" he seemingly made small mistake.
Clearly it's hard to "rate" mistakes, but in best case that one could have ended with just a few secs lost, instead the car rolled even on the open road and then 0 points retirement with car that looked just fine from the outside. If he could continue 3rd place was quite likely even without other's issues.

Sorry, but all this sounds like excuses. There is one main thing to remember - it is the pressure which he made on himself at the beginning of the season (not by his team, sponsors or fans).
Mistakes can happen sure, but these are not the mistakes (also in Croatia) experienced driver can do in the first day of the rally. I guess its all about professionalism.

P.S. I have nothing against Mikkelsen as a driver, I know he can be super fast. But he needs to get his head sorted out or we will always remember him as 3rd VW driver (or even forget him after couple years). I really wish him better results further in the season.

EDIT: At first I though he clipped inside of the corner and went off (as Meeke said in WRC+ broadcast), but after watching replay, its really strange accident. Have to wait for official announcement from Mikkelsen or team what happened there.

[er88]

Made a bit worse that his pace wasn't even looking good against his rival(s). Dominated by Lappi in Artic, crashed early in Croatia and now crashes here after being 16/18s down on Mads after just a couple of stages on the same tyre strategy.

And while Mads is a good driver, he is not a top top driver and is more of a Steady Eddie - rather than ever being blindingly fast.

Despite not having a full program lined up and having a lack of seat time, Lappi is currently coming out of the first half of this year in a stronger position for 22 compared to Andreas/Suninen etc. Two rallies entered and dominated for Esapekka, while Suninen is having a nightmare & Mikkelsen is far from his own claims of dominating every rally.

The saving grace for the likes of Suninen and Mikkelsen is that they could both maybe bring budget to Msport next year unlike Lappi (Mikkelsen has already mentioned he has money if needed), and also Msport can't get a top driver (Tanak/Ogier/Neuville and probably Evans too). Ostberg will probably not pay what Malcolm wants after their relationship deteriorated either.

Still a long way to go in the year so a lot can change, but pressure is now firmly on Mikkelsen & Suninen to sort themselves out asap. But so far, they've done nothing to suggest they can cope with the pressure.

It's still going to be a shame to see Greensmith in an Msport car over a better driver though

[mknight]

a) There was pressure, so I totally don't get how you can say there wasn't any. Sure there is pressure from the team to win WRC2 which he was hired for, similarly there totally is pressure from "others" to get WRC seat.

b) Experienced drivers don't make mistakes? Neuville just ripped a wheel off and rolled the car in Portugal when he had completely wrong pacenote/speed into corner.

[mknight]

...now crashes here after being 16/18s down on Mads after just a couple of stages on the same tyre strategy.

As confirmed by ALLlive Østberg had 2 softs + 4 hard and Mikkelsen 6 hard. Clearly SS1 vs SS3 performance showed that. Østbergs "exactly same tires" are at best misleading (might have been true for SS2).

[dimviii]

a) There was pressure, so I totally don't get how you can say there wasn't any. Sure there is pressure from the team to win WRC2 which he was hired for, similarly there totally is pressure from "others" to get WRC seat.
.

same pressure has Lappi and Ostberg.