[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[Arnold Triyudho Wardono]

I wonder if we'll see privateer version of Polo WRC..?

[Francis44]

I very much doubt Ogier is willing to take that risk and leave VW.

However we dont know how are the relations inside the team between drivers and management. Anyway from what he said in France it looked like the parts involved had already reached an agreement.

[dodge33cymru]

So the same three confirmed at VW, no surprise there.

So now I guess all the other pieces will start to fall into place in fairly unspectacular style.

I guess one seat is fairly 'open' on each of the other three main teams (assuming MSport are definitely returning next year).

At the moment though, I don't see much changing. I'm sire Hyundai will choose from their existing roster, Ford seemingly have to choose between Hirvonen and Tanak (all credit to Hirvonen for currently being fourth in standings) and Citroen have to see if there's anyone out there who could actually do a better job than Ostberg.

[EightGear]

Question to Kevin Abbring
We’re getting close to the end of the year. What are your plans for next season?

KA: “The Peugeot Rally Academy family I am with now, I like them and I like the people around me. We’ve all been working very hard to get the performance out of the car and the team. I hope to continue like this but maybe in WRC2. My aim is to go back to the WRC. The ERC rallies have been very exciting for me and helpful but I hope to go back to the WRC.”

Source: http://www.fiaerc.com/news/detail/id/5939

[AdvEvo]

Manufactures rather have a driver from a country were they can sell a lot of cars. The dutch car market is very bad. Also sponsership and budget from dutch sponsors is a nogo.

[Jack4688`]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116468

"This decision means nothing will improve" - Capito

No, it means the WRC won't become inexorably worse next season!

[dodge33cymru]

Exactly, if they want more viewing figures, ruining the sport won't get them: doing something about it will.

Put the coverage online, for free, like SRO do with their GT series. WRC+ is a start, but that should be the premium service.

Make it available for free for a year and see if those figures improve. It will do a lot more for the sport than changing the rules and still making it impossible to watch.

[RAS007]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116468

"This decision means nothing will improve" - Capito

No, it means the WRC won't become inexorably worse next season!

Correct! I really wish Capito would just fuck off. What the WRC needs is more manufacturer teams. Mitsubishi, Subaru, Toyota, Ford, where are you? That being said, I would rather have a WRC without VW, than a WRC with VW and this kind of arcade-game gimmicky shit, which would totally destroy the fabric of the sport.

[dodge33cymru]

It needs more competitive teams, sure, bit it won't get them without people watching. I understand why that is their goal, but it's completely the wrong way to go about it.

[SubaruNorway]

Maybe they should stop using insane amounts of money so they actually would get sustainable investment...