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Thread: Craig Breen

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    Craig Breen

    I apologize if there's already a Craig Breen Tread, I couldn't find it but maybe I'm bad at searching.

    Emotionally I hope Craig Breen wins the 2022 WRC Driver's Championship. I hope he shares his passion and his fun every rally. I hope every stage end interview is him telling how good the car is to drive. I hope every rally is him getting what he can get. I hope he wins a couple. I hope he cries at the end.

  2. Likes: lmmjvss (23rd January 2022)
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    Senior Member AnttiL's Avatar
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    To me it seems he is the perfect second driver, who can get solid podiums, but doesn't have that top gear to fight for wins and power stage points. Let's see if he can find it this year.

    Also one downside is that he hasn't done most of the rallies during the past few years. At Hyundai he did only rallies that were suitable to him, usually with a good start position. He hasn't started a single technical gravel rally since 2018.

  4. Likes: cali (24th January 2022),EstWRC (23rd January 2022),seb_sh (23rd January 2022)
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    I am a Breen fan who learned in the school of Meeke fandom.

    I hope he has a job next year.

  6. Likes: steve.mandzij (23rd January 2022),the sniper (23rd January 2022)
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    I know he is not a top driver so far, maybe never, but as I said it's an emotional choice. Also look at MotoGP when Marquez was out and all riders made mistakes, in the end it was one with head on his shoulders that won. You can't say you don't love Craig for his stage end interviews and I like his view on the Monte.

  8. Likes: Rally Hokkaido (24th January 2022)
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    OK, so Craig Breen.

    TBH, I'm not sure he's a good second driver. When Adamo hired him to be a safe finisher in Wales a couple of years back, he did that for a few stages then got ideas of competing for the rally and crashed. He needed a stronger sense of priorities. But maybe now he's got a full-time drive and he needs to act all grown up, he will.

    Can he compete?
    - The Sebs are part-timers.
    - Evans has been a level above Breen. Probably out of reach.
    - So have Tanak and Neuville, but he can hope they will have car trouble for at least some of the year. He might compete with them.
    - Rovanpera is interesting. I think the smart money might be on Kalle, but that's closer. Breen has a dog in that fight, as of today.
    - Formaux, Greensmith, Solberg, Lappi... He needs to establish himself as a keeper, ahead of those hopeful/expedient guys. An automatic full season contract renewal. That's what his 2022 is about when you get down to brass tacks.

    C'mon Craig.

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    He can have potential to be fast also on slow gravel and on tarmac.

    But so far he has very few starts on both.

    Monte was one of the rallies where he had less experience than others, but there are many others (Portugal, Sardinia) where he has much less still.

    So IMO he is very unlikely to be 2022 champion. But there might be some hidden potential.

    Agree that "contract renewal", needs to be his priority. So take it easier and don't crash on rallies like Monte and try to show some top speed on the likes of Estonia and Finland.

  11. Likes: Morte66 (24th January 2022)
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    Nothing will ever beat Craig crying because he "loved the car. Its so fast" (something like that, a few years ago).
    I became a fan at that moment! GoCraig!

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    Breen has a two-year deal at M-Sport so don't worry about next year.

  14. Likes: pantealex (24th January 2022)
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    Senior Member Fast Eddie WRC's Avatar
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    The big thing to note about Breen is his steady progression over many years, always step by step.

    This means he has not plateaued like many 'quick-risers' and he can still continue to improve yet further.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC View Post
    The big thing to note about Breen is his steady progression over many years, always step by step.

    This means he has not plateaued like many 'quick-risers' and he can still continue to improve yet further.
    Agreed, and I'm hoping for that.

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