[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[Barreis]

It seems that Matton doesn't have a quality as a boss as his predecessors...

[AL14]

Well, reading those words of Matton what is wrong about it? Meeke destroyed indeed the goodwill after two big mistakes. Yes, Meeke is one of the fastest drivers outhere besides Neuville and Tanak (and the VW-boys offcorse) and you can asked which driver would be a better solution for 2016 but i think Meeke still has to deliver and nowadays Citroën Racing isn't happy enough looking to the results and i agree on that. The car is good and fast enough and the differences between the four car's isn't that really big.
But it's good Matton is heating up the pressure for Meeke and Matton doesn't speak about Ostberg because i think it's all clear he would be replaced by someone else so why bother anymore.

You're not wrong jacko. It is true what you say about Meeke but it seems Matton wants to turn him in a new Loeb and as a team manager he has to understand the limits of his drivers and those of all the drivers in the field that could replace them. Maybe Meeke is someone that need this kind of treatment to give his best. Who knows? But as RS said it is better for him to concentrate to build a winning car. Maybe, maybe, with that, his drivers will not be forced to drive over the limit all the weekends to bring home results.

[MJW]

So who does Matton want to put in Meeke's place? Lefebvre isn't ready.

Maybe Citroen take Tanak or sign Paddon?

[christy but]

I thnk matton should not have gone public with this ..just keep it between himself and kris..putting it out in public just heaps pressure on a driver with questions left right and center from media..not a good move from matton

[EstWRC]

Paddon it could be because Sordo has a contract for 2016 too and he cant move up in the Hyundai team. Tänak will stay in M-sport i think, although Matton last year wanted to talk to Tänak but he had already been signed for M-sport by that time.

How quickly the win has been forgotten? After Argentina win Matton said it was worth the wait and pain and now he is pissed off again.

[EightGear]

Maybe it could be Paddon indeed, didn't he have an offer on the table for 2015 already? Maybe then Hyundai can make Abbring their 3rd driver, but I don't think they want to lose Paddon just when he's starting to show speed.

[Simmi]

Basically if you're not VW you're looking for a driver who can put himself in a position to win if VW self-destruct on a rally.

Meeke at least puts you in position to do that. He can grab a few podiums and other headlines here and there. I'm not really sure what else is left after that? How big of a deal is it to Citroen where they come in the manufacturers when they start the year without a chance of winning? I genuinely don't know the answer to that. There certainly isn't the money that F1 teams scrabble over.

I think Ostberg has hit his ceiling. Tanak to me is a slightly less refined version of Meeke. Paddon has started to become quite intriguing. But really you can move these drivers around between teams and I don't think it will make much difference. It's like musical chairs but I don't think there is some magic combination that is going to suddenly unseat Ogier.

For any big movement I think we need to wait until 2017 and just hope that Citroen are still around.

[jacko]

I thnk matton should not have gone public with this ..just keep it between himself and kris..putting it out in public just heaps pressure on a driver with questions left right and center from media..not a good move from matton

Fully agree on that! To go on public to attack your driver(s)... How much i agree with it, you much keep in internal, everyone knows the situation Citroën can't be happy in general. But they made mistakes by themselves to become in this situation after Loeb retired, Citroën let go Neuville, they could still have Sordo as a tarmac-specialist and they could have put Meeke earlier on in the DS3, specially after his very good performance in Finland 2013.

And further on i agree fully that you can put Paddon in a Citroën DS3 or Neuville in a Ford (for examples) but in general i don't think eitherwe will see a different season like this year (and the previous years). Ogier is simple too fast and his main competition will come from Mikkelsen next season. And from 2017 (with also the new cars), well hopefully Tanak, Neuville, Paddon, Lappi, Tidemand, Abbring, Mikkelsen and (let's not forget) Latvala will then become a real threat for Ogier.

[dimviii]

But really you can move these drivers around between teams and I don't think it will make much difference.

very well said.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

This is an appalling illustration, I cant believe WRC.com allowed it on the site !

Heard someone the other day say this looked like a modern-day Metro 6R4...