2023 WRC News & Rumours

[Sulland]

We need one for next year now.

[Eli]

We need one for next year now.

We could easily open it up on the 1.1.23 since it's for the new year lol.

[Sulland]

A bit of a Silly season in Rally right now after Tanaks bombshell.


Toyota is as far as I understand good to go, or are they?
Hyundai need at least one new driver.
Ford/MSport need more than they can afford I guess, but without at least one top driver, they will still not make any podiums.

How would you like the teams to be manned for 2023, to get a cool season to follow?

[AnttiL]

How would you like the teams to be manned for 2023, to get a cool season to follow?

Toyota:
Rovanperä
Evans
Ogier/Lappi
+ Katsuta

Hyundai:
Neuville
Mikkelsen
Sordo/Suninen

M-Sport:
Tänak
Breen
Huttunen/Loeb
+ Loubet, Greensmith, Fourmaux as "customers"

[Jewy46]

Very similar to Antti here:

Toyota:
Rovanperä
Evans
Ogier/Lappi
+ Katsuta

Hyundai:
Neuville
Mikkelsen/Paddon
Sordo/Meeke

M-Sport:
Tänak
Breen
Huttunen/Loeb
+ Loubet, Greensmith, Fourmaux as "customers" with Solberg paying for an odd Rally1 round in a Rally2 based program.

The above is wishful thinking but really really hope and think Breen will be in the mix somewhere.
As far Ott.......For the Championship's sake I hope he is at M-Sport but my head says Toyota or otherwise.

[djip]

How would you like the teams to be manned for 2023, to get a cool season to follow?

Toyota :
Rovanperä
Evans
Ogier/Lappi
+ Katsuta

Hyundai
Neuville
Mikkelsen
Sordo/Paddon

M-Sport
Tanak/Loeb
Breen
Fourmaux (deserves a final chance after is "annus horibilis")
+ Loubet, Greensmith as "customers"

[meh]

How would you like the teams to be manned for 2023, to get a cool season to follow?

It makes it more cristall-ball topic than News and Rumors like the title says.

Only things which we can be pretty sure (paydrivers excluded):
* Rovanperä stays in Toyota
* Neuville stays in Hyundai

Next big cornerstones:
* Where goes Tänak (obviously Tänak will not go to Hyundai)
* What Ogier decides - he has not ruled out to do full season again in the future, but my understanding/feeling is that it will not be the next one

By drivers:
* Evans - (in case Tänak goes to Toyota or Ogier decides to do full-time or order from Japan sayss Taka to the main team) can end up anywhere
* Breen - he handled "known to be complicated Neuville's Hyundai" better than "known to be easy to drive M-Sport Puma". M-Sport can not kick him away if they will not get Tänak or Evans.
* Katsuta - hard to believe to have changes here
* Sordo - depends on Hyundai politics, I guess he would like to continue like he did so far. But if he need to decide "full season or no season", what would be his answer
* Lappi - he clearly does not want to pay for his driving. Hard to believe he goes anywhere else. But, like with Evans, if Tänak or Ogier (full-time) ends up in Toyota, he may end up anywhere as well
* Suninen - he was not treated well in M-Sport and hard to believe he goes back there. Can not see any logic for him in Toyota. So if in Rally1 car, then in Hyundai.
* Loeb - he is not interested in full season. If he wants, he drives in M-Sport.
* Paddon - pointed out candidate for Hyundai. Entire life related with Hyundai but from latest rallies I would say he lacked the pace.

Solberg, Loubet, Fourmaux, Greensmith - hard to see them anywhere else than pay-drivers in M-Sport

[AnttiL]

It makes it more cristall-ball topic than News and Rumors like the title says.

Or more like fantasy manager. I mean I posted what I would want to see in the team lineups realistically, not what I think is going to happen

[macebig]

Think Fourmaux is as good as done for Rally 1 at least. Guess Loubet takes his place and Oliver slots in the partial Puma program (possibly with Rally 2/ERC/ rallyshows etc). Greensmith probably continues as is. If indeed Tanak goes back to Cumbria, there is a realistic chance of them releasing Breen, enabling him to return to Hyundai.

[lmmjvss]

How would you like the teams to be manned for 2023, to get a cool season to follow?

HYUNDAI: Neuville, Mikkelsen, Evans (Sordo 4th car)
TOYOTA: Kalle, Lappi, Katsuta (Seb 4th car)
MSPORT: Tanak, Breen, Loubet (Loeb 3rd?/4th car)

Tho for the season to be REALLY COOL IMO we would need Kajto, Lukyanuk, Ingram and Oli Solberg.... and 3 new teams using these 2022 cars while the manufacturer teams start to use 2023 new cars in '23 hehe