2023 WRC News & Rumours

[Oliverk]

Estonian Delfi:
19.-22. january: Monte Carlo

9.-12. february: Sweden

16.-19. march: Mexico

20.-23. april: Croatia

11.-14. may: Portugal

1.-4. june: Italy (Sardegna)*

29. june - 2. july: Kenya (Safari)*

20.-23. july: Estonia

3.-6. august: Finland

31. august - 3. september: Chile

28. september - 1. october: Greece

26.-29 october: Central Europe (Germany, Austria, Czech)

16.-19. november: Japan

1.-3. december: Saudi Arabia

[Danny0405]

From what I understand from Joukhi and Suninen’s interviews, sounds like they are negotiating with Hyundai a sort of almost full-season deal with 5/6 rounds in Rally1 and 6/7 in Rally2 (to follow the development of the car).

Considering the calendar already evoked for some weeks and reminded above, it would give something like, if they succeed:

Sordo: MC, Croatia, Portugal, Sardinia, Chile, Greece, Central Europa, Japan

Suninen: Sweden, Mexico, Safari, Estonia, Finland, Saudi Arabia in Rally1 (and MC, Croatia, Portugal, Sardinia, Greece, Central Europa and Japan in Rally2 or something like that)

Well, not a bad idea even if I’m not sure I would take Suninen to replace Solberg as the first choice.
Question mark about which team will run the Rally2 program considering it’s highly doubtful Hyundai will follow with RedGrey.

[AnttiL]

I would change Sordo to Mexico and Suninen to Chile

[Sergiow]

Red Bull Sports! There seems to be a lot going on lately. Rumour is that 78 year old founder Dietrich Mateschitz is very sick (see https://sportnieuws.nl/formule-1/toe...-is-vrij-ziek/). When Mateschitz finally will disappear, all his shares of Red Bull Company will probably be transfered to the Thai mother company. That will create a lot insecurity for the Red Bull Sports branch, especially for WRC where the majority of the Rally 1 drivers are sponsored by Red Bull and M-Sport might be in serious trouble too ...

Red Bull has defined a succession plan for the management of the energy drink group, including its Formula 1 teams, following the death of co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz last month. It was decided that the strategic-operational responsibility of Red Bull will no longer be entrusted to a single CEO, as was the case under Mateschitz, but will be divided between three people.

In a letter sent to Red Bull staff, Mateschitz's son Mark explained that a solution "proposed by my father" and "supported by our Thai partners" will be put in place. This last comment is a reference to the Yoovidhya family of entrepreneurs.

https://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1...hitz/10394874/

[Eli]

Estonian Delfi:
19.-22. january: Monte Carlo

9.-12. february: Sweden

16.-19. march: Mexico

20.-23. april: Croatia

11.-14. may: Portugal

1.-4. june: Italy (Sardegna)*

29. june - 2. july: Kenya (Safari)*

20.-23. july: Estonia

3.-6. august: Finland

31. august - 3. september: Chile

28. september - 1. october: Greece

26.-29 october: Central Europe (Germany, Austria, Czech)

16.-19. november: Japan

1.-3. december: Saudi Arabia

The link to the article: https://sport.delfi.ee/artikkel/1200...-rally-estonia

Just the dates for Sardegna & Safari need to be finalised. Annoying about Saudi Arabia although I guess it’s inevitable at this point and shame that they didn’t bother with reserve events, yes I know they didn’t do it this year but next year they have many more events off Europe, might as well give them a back up plan if it fails.

[NOT]

moving acropolis in the middle of rain season in Greece is a brilliant idea... probably they will ditch the event from 23 on so they do not really care.

[fiscorpun]

Im not convinced Oliver Mintzlaff is the best person to handle redbull's motorsports arm... No RoI? Bye bye.

[RS]

I think Lindholm has a lot of potential but aren't dudes pushing for him to go to Rally1 making the 'Oliver Solberg mistake' again?

I think he should spend one more season in WRC2 and win it convincingly (if he wins this year it will be a large part due to Mikkelsen's 2 engine related retirements)

[meh]

I think Lindholm has a lot of potential but aren't dudes pushing for him to go to Rally1 making the 'Oliver Solberg mistake' again?

I think he should spend one more season in WRC2 and win it convincingly (if he wins this year it will be a large part due to Mikkelsen's 2 engine related retirements)

Everyone just want to hear Reeta giving notes.

[Danny0405]

I think Lindholm has a lot of potential but aren't dudes pushing for him to go to Rally1 making the 'Oliver Solberg mistake' again?

I think he should spend one more season in WRC2 and win it convincingly (if he wins this year it will be a large part due to Mikkelsen's 2 engine related retirements)

Well, not exactly the same for me:

- Lindholm has almost 100 rally starts (23 in WRC), the equivalent of 8 serious seasons in rally including 5 in Rally2 and is currently in the top 3 of the best Rally2 drivers this season without a doubt (Mikkelsen is probably a bit better and a question mark about Suninen but both are formet RC1 drivers).

- When Solberg began in WRC 4th car last year, he had as an experience 4 years of rally including only 2 in Rally2 (and 50 rally starts and only 6 or 7 in WRC). And even with his 2020 Estonia class win, his ranking in the Rally2 drivers was not that clear.

For me, Lindholm is a bit more comparable to Tidemand ... and the Swedish clearly had his M-Sport opportunity one year too late (and not in the good context) to have the possibility to stay long at top level.
IMO, this is the good moment for Lindholm to obtain a shared-time program in a 4th car; he is clearly on top of the young Rally2 drivers this season (ahead of Rossel, Gryazin, ...) and in a difficult driver market, you may not have another opportunity in the future.
Also to add Toyota’s context in 4th car especially is more keen to help driver’s development than Hyundai I think (a bit more skeptical about M-Sport)

But first, he has to prove he can handle the pressure of an international championship next week.