Let's say the cars are about equal with some advantages and disadvantages in certain conditions. Then if you have Breen-Fourmaux-Greensmith it is almost assured last place for the reasons AnttiL and mknight pointed out. If you replace Greensmith with Mikkelsen you have in theory a much stronger team and you can fight, you will still be the underdog team but you have all the chances you can get with what is on the market at the moment.

I don't count Ostberg as he has enough time in top WRC to show what he can, he's bad on tarmac and when he tries to drive fast issues "appear" way too often to be just bad luck so I think we have a good indication of his level. MSport doesn't need that, they need an Ogier/Tanak/Evans/Neuville (ironically all have gone through MSport), and they couldn't get any of them so for me the next best thing is Mikkelsen because my feeling is he MAY be able to make the step to that level. I think Mikkelsen was growing well at VW and was unlucky when they pulled out and didn't get a team, it was probably a mistake for Citroen to not hire him then.