Results 151 to 160 of 503
Thread: Silly Season 2022
-
21st September 2021, 07:45 #151
- Join Date
- Oct 2000
- Posts
- 8,314
- Like
- 200
- Liked 642 Times in 344 Posts
- Likes: AnttiL (21st September 2021),cali (21st September 2021),mknight (21st September 2021),pantealex (21st September 2021),TWRC (21st September 2021)
-
21st September 2021, 07:47 #152
- Join Date
- Apr 2017
- Location
- Finland
- Posts
- 9,625
- Like
- 8,775
- Liked 10,522 Times in 4,616 Posts
To me it seems the communication changed after Tänak and Neuville signed their contracts. After that they ditched talks of titles and instead started talking positive about Fourmaux and Greensmith, because it was their reality.
So PR talk for sponsors is one thing, real actions are something else. Worst case they enter next season with Breen, Fourmaux and Greensmith and a meh car that maybe manages 2-3 podiums. (basically 2019 style).
Neither Greensmith nor Fourmaux can be expected to beat any of Rovanpera/Evans/Ogier/Lappi/Neuville/Tanak/Sordo on speed in 2022. How many rallies can Breen be expected to beat (almost) all of them? 3 maybe? (SWE, FIN, EST, no Ypres next year), maybe fewer without road position advantage. That's in my eyes a long way from the announced ambition levels.
And another thing to mix in is how the drivers will adapt to the new driving style of the new cars, which will be different to the WRC cars and different to R5's. And things like Hyundai on tarmac on other drivers than Neuville...likely that will all change.
-
21st September 2021, 08:15 #153
- Join Date
- May 2005
- Posts
- 5,798
- Like
- 337
- Liked 3,786 Times in 1,977 Posts
There is a huge gap from say Evans, Breen and Forumaux team to Breen, Fourmaux, Greensmith.
If they really had the money (and not just PR talk) there are at least 5 available drivers better than Greensmith.
Yes the balance between teams can change, but in MSports case to suceed both the car and 2/3 drivers have to massively improve to even be competetive.
-
21st September 2021, 09:02 #154
- Join Date
- Apr 2017
- Location
- Finland
- Posts
- 9,625
- Like
- 8,775
- Liked 10,522 Times in 4,616 Posts
-
21st September 2021, 09:39 #155
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- Scotland
- Posts
- 3,230
- Like
- 2,598
- Liked 2,275 Times in 1,069 Posts
They've effectively spent the best part of 2years off in the WRC. Treading water with little to no development and a lack of testing, while taking money off pay drivers like Greensmith or drivers with sponsorship like Fourmaux. They started work on the Puma early in lockdown, and have had the car running early and testing a lot (and it does pass the eye test - I know, not always accurate). I'd be surprised if Msport DON'T have a car capable of challenging the Yaris or I20, it can't be worse than the current Fiesta which has fallen so far behind on development.
I don't agree with some that somehow Msport will build a better car than Toyota or Hyundai, but that's different from being competitive. Why on earth wouldn't Breen jump at the chance of a full season with them? Hyundai can't/ won't offer him a full season so it's a no brainer. Especially if it's a two year deal and he is being paid. He needs full seasons now and deserves the chance other drivers have had.
-
21st September 2021, 10:35 #156
- Join Date
- Apr 2017
- Location
- Finland
- Posts
- 9,625
- Like
- 8,775
- Liked 10,522 Times in 4,616 Posts
I believe M-Sport is able to make a winning car, as they've managed earlier with new regulations. Just because they've lagged behind 2-3 years doesn't mean they don't put in proper effort for the new car. And like I said earlier, the tables turn here, everyone gets a new car so it's an equal starting point.
-
21st September 2021, 11:22 #157
- Join Date
- May 2005
- Posts
- 5,798
- Like
- 337
- Liked 3,786 Times in 1,977 Posts
If MSport had 2-3 competetive drives they have 2-3 times bigger chance than if they only have Breen.
If they are/were serious and not just PR talk that is.
---
Similarly for Breen it's a big risk to go to MSport (and even more so if he is the only competetive driver).
Just look at Tanak, going to manu champ winners as the fastest driver and world champion. Now he is the last full time manu driver! MSport is now a semi-manu underfunded team with terrible recent results even with decent drivers (Suninen Lappi).
We dunno what is/was possible at Hyundai. Especially if Adamo leaves...
but at Toyota Latvala now says Ogier will do 4 rounds. 7? rounds sound much better that full season at MSport to me. If say Breen beat Lappi in Finland.
-
21st September 2021, 11:25 #158
Breen is not a rally winner.
I would prefer Lappi, Mikkelsen, Sordo, Meeke,… and then Breen.
-
21st September 2021, 12:01 #159
- Join Date
- Aug 2014
- Posts
- 661
- Like
- 114
- Liked 424 Times in 223 Posts
The hater boner towards Ford and M Sport is off the charts... WRC as we know it will be dead in 2 years if they quit... Albeit, a R5 based, European centered WRC ala WTCR won't be worse than the current situation.
-
21st September 2021, 12:08 #160
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- Scotland
- Posts
- 3,230
- Like
- 2,598
- Liked 2,275 Times in 1,069 Posts
My (potential) problem with Msport is there's middle ground between signing one of the big 4 drivers, plus Breen & having Fourmaux as 3rd driver, to having a lineup like Breen/ Fourmaux/Greensmith (which is probably what it's going to be).
Fourmaux should be the 3rd driver, have Breen as your main man and try to help him fulfill his potential, but any other driver than Greensmith is better. Mikkelsen could get a full season, they could've signed up Lappi or Andreas early this year and let them share the testing load with Fourmaux (rather than having Matt Wilson do it). If not Mikkelsen or Lappi, they could've fully trusted Suninen, or they could even go down the PR route of bringing oldies like Loeb/ Meeke etc back to do a few events each for extra publicity and some good stages times/results. Even someone like Paddon has been completely forgotten about (although that's understandable when he's the other side of the world).
Would be very underwhelming if Greensmith is in the main team for the full season. He will pay for a car anyway, just give him a 4th one. Mikkelsen would drive for free more or less at this rate (although even he has mentioned in the past he has some budget to help if needed). There are drivers around that can still make up a nice/ interesting team at Msport next year.
- Likes: skarderud (21st September 2021)
My pacenotes from last year’s SS2/5 Loldia (junctions missing on notes as we broke down on recce when I was going to add them in correct place…)...
[WRC] Safari Rally Kenya 2024