WRC2 / WRC3 News & Rumours 2022

[Danny0405]

Moral winner is already Mikkelsen with 2 retirements from big leads with same technical issue that was traced to bad parts and 3 rally wins that nobody can match any more. (obviously we agree that Lindholm didn't really win Finland).
Call me biased, but these are facts.

EDIT: Well Lindholm can get 3 wins if he goes to Japan.

Well, Lindholm has only made 5 rounds so far against 7 for Mikkelsen. If he ties or beats Mikkelsen after Catalunya (with one less rally which could compensate a bit engine-related retirements), he would be a valuable moral champion.

[mknight]

Thanks. At least they will know how NZ went.

I was assuming Linholm is somehow partly paid by Skoda (or maybe that's only for the testing of the new car), and for Skoda it likely doesn't matter which Skoda wins the title. Therefore I though Lindholm would have to pay Japan himself.

[mknight]

Well, Lindholm has only made 5 rounds so far against 7 for Mikkelsen. If he ties or beats Mikkelsen after Catalunya (with one less rally which could compensate a bit engine-related retirements), he would be a valuable moral champion.

But Mikkelsen lost two scores due to engine (and crashed in Greece). Lindholm went in the snowbank in Sweden. So if you want to compare on similar grounds it's the standing right now that is comparable.

Anyway guess we both agree that it is a bit pointless comparison.

[Jarek Z]

Lindholm says that it is his time now. He's planning Rally de España in October and he’d like to go to Japan in November:
https://www.wrc.com/en/news/2022/wrc...tRkItsS-r2uNsk

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Lindholm also now leads WRC2 Junior after overtaking Ingram who crashed in Greece.

Both are in the Toksport team so it'll be interesting to see how they compete and on which events.

[RS]

In terms of vacant/future WRC1 drives then obviously the likes of Mikkelsen, Lindholm, maybe Rossel & Suninen are where manufacturers are going to be looking and it’s fair to say Andreas has more than proved his speed this year (in fact much more impressive than last year).. I saw the footage from Greece on his Youtube channel and he looked really quick.

But it is a shame that a FIA title comes down to tactics regarding which events to enter and pages of theoretical points calculations on this forum instead of battles on the stages. Kajetanowicz is a good and reliable driver who at times over the last year or two has impressed me with his speed too but if he wins the title I think it’s fair to say it doesn’t really represent the hierarchy in WRC2.

Hopefully the FIA will come up with a better structure for this championship in the future.

[masa90]

Mikkelsen is good driver, but I would be extremely surprised to see him in factory rally 1 ever again.

But yeah the points system here make it possible that the fastest will not win when some drivers with more money can play "games" and take easy points. Not the best stuff but it is what it is. Hope they change it somehow though.

[Lead]

I would love to see one more shot for Mikkelsen in WRC1 car. But one and only realistic chance is if Tanak leaves Hyundai and that opens a spot for him. There is no way Toyota or Msport will sign him. He could be good second driver in Hyundai.

In his youtube channel Mikkelsen said that Greece accident was all his fault. Cold tryes and came to fast over the jump.

[RallyFan13]

Acropolis Rally 2022 Highlights of Rally2 cars
https://youtu.be/nj-19qySBVI

[RallyFan13]

Rally 3 class Highlights from Acropolis Rally
https://youtu.be/6Q0BN-CpTtI