TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT

[AnttiL]

Yes. To Be a world champion you believe you are better than the rest. End of. Did Loeb drive for Citroen thinking he need to support his world champion team mates Sainz and McRae. No . . and became 9 times champ.

Loeb started his 2003 season with a win ahead of said teammates.

Did Ogier believe he had to support Loeb. No, he is 6 times world champ.

And he had to leave Citroen.

[Allez Andruet]

https://beta.is.fi/ralli/art-2000006325013.html

Finnish media IS reports that Toyota actually didn't have to pay anything to get Ogier released from his Citroen contract. The story claims Ogier handled that part himself, bypassing Budar and negotiated directly with Citroen's top management. If the story's true, Ogier had decided already in August that he would not drive for Citroen in 2020 and started to look for options. Allegedly Ogier convinced the Citroen bosses that they would save a huge amount of money by just releasing him from his contract and eventually that happened. Sounds silly but perfectly fits this silly season we're still living in.

[EstWRC]

Yep. Budar said too that he realized after Germany Ogier doesn’t want to continue.

What a power one guy has.

[Legendaarne]

So Tommi and Ogier conspired from germany onwards

So that means Mäkinen didn't want to sign Tänaks contract.

Märtin wasn't lying

[Allez Andruet]

So Tommi and Ogier conspired from germany onwards

So that means Mäkinen didn't want to sign Tänaks contract.

Märtin wasn't lying

I think that's somewhat hasty conclusion. Yes, it could be that Mäkinen didn't want to sign Tänak's contract, but I find it hard to believe it would have been because of Ogier. Why would Mäkinen prefer the services of Ogier (who's anyway available for only one year) over Tänak's?

What comes to this Märtin/Mäkinen debate, I'm 150% sure that neither one of them is telling the truth as we know it. Ofcourse both sides tell the story as they see it, which usually means that "the truth" is there somewhere in-between.

[Legendaarne]

Yeah

Theres always two sides to a story
Truth is probably somewhere inbetween

Probably both are somewhat at fault 😃

[Norm75]

Loeb started his 2003 season with a win ahead of said teammates.

And he had to leave Citroen.

And both your points go to prove about winning mentality.

[AnttiL]

And both your points go to prove about winning mentality.

So Evans should

1) be faster than Ogier
2) be prepared to leave Toyota if he doesn't obey team orders

like I already said

[Norm75]

So Evans should

1) be faster than Ogier
2) be prepared to leave Toyota if he doesn't obey team orders

like I already said

Yes, if he has real ambitions to be world championship.
2 is moot point though, as Evans has a two year deal and Ogier only 1 as he is retiring, so Evans won't have to leave.

[go mads]

If we take a look.. Meeke was driving a complete dog, and Citroen made him the fail guy. They then totally re-engineered the car, ran completely out of jokers, put the 6 time WRC champ in it, and he done nothing only complain. Meeke was sitting with his confidence in the gutter.. missed 1/2 a season, then was up against Tanak, who was in his 2nd year in the car, and Latvlala's third. Meeke only made minor mistakes (and seemed to suffer away more than others for a faulty batch of wheels in 1st half of the seaosn) , and was just getting comfortable in car mid season, then was doing events he missed the previous year. He was on Tanak's coat tails for Portugal, Germany, GB and maybe so few others, and was beating him in Finland and Spain until a small mistake. If he had only converted a few of those to a win or few podiums, took the points he 'gave' to Ogier for example, he'd be latched onto the back of the big 3, in his first year in the car. I really do think his 2nd year in Toyota would have been a lot better, but it looks to me like Ogier picked his team mates. Mäkinen has told jounolists that Meeke was confirmed for 2020. People are way too hard on him, OK he makes a mistakes, but its only his will to win. He also suffers from his name being about for years.. but actually only done 3 full season in WRC, and none of them consecutive. He will never ever go down as the 'consistant' be he sure as hell is quick and can on his day.. match anyone.. He sure has place in WRC... as much as any other driver below the top 3.

Absolutely spot on....