Quote Originally Posted by Allez Andruet View Post
That's quite an unequal bunch of drivers you're comparing there. Like most sports, also rallying is "game of levels" as they say. IMO all the current factory drivers are of the most supreme class. Sure, then there's Neuville, Tänak and Ogier who all are just that tiny bit above everyone else - which makes them the top 3 in the championship - but I'd find it a bit odd to call that different level altogether (referreing to your view on Latvala and Mikkelsen). Lappi, as a WRC rally winner, has nothing to do with either Rovanperä or Huttunen, who haven't even competed at the level Lappi's been for the past two seasons.

I'd also say that Matt Wilson is a poor example in that context, as he never showed speed at any level where it would truly have mattered, unlike Rovanperä for example, who we can already judge vs. proven drivers like Tidemand (hence vs. Lappi and others too). That ofcourse isn't serving as any guarantee that Rovanperä will ever win a WRC event, but we can already be sure he's got the tools to make it to the very top.
The thing all those drivers have in common is that they were all declared "future champions". It's the last bit (going from multiple rally winner to a champion) which is hardest imo, logarithmic progression. Neuville and Tanak have not made the step yet either, since they obviously are not champions. Nowhere did I wrote that Latvala and Mikkelsen are level below them overall.

Lappi still has to make the step from single rally winner (like for example Sordo, Østberg and Evans) to multiple rally winner. Interestingly this season he has not led for a single stage. I am not saying he is doing bad (look at Ogier's first full WRC seasons), just that he is not going to be a champion just yet