[WRC] News & rumours (part IV) 2016

[Arnold Triyudho Wardono]

If WRC back to Japan for winter rally, where's the venue..?

[KiwiWRCfan]

Rally of Tsumagi is held on snow in Japan this weekend. Here is a video from 2015 event https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCPV...ature=youtu.be

The 2016 event is known as International Rally of Tsumagi and has FIA Sanctioning.
Here is an onboard of 2016 practice stage that was posted to youtube a few hours ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An3M6v4QjHA

[Walach]

https://t.co/LHajaZMmYE

Seems Prokop is saying WRC would better off without VW, is that true that he is really saying that??

Yes, he is. Embarassing stuff from start to finish.

[Zeakiwi]

The article about Hirvonen testing for Toyota also mentions Bouffier and Hanninen.
Toyota is believed to have approached Ogier and Latvala.
Would Toyota be potentially better off starting with other drivers than those listed? e.g Evans, Lappi, poaching Abbring, Wiegand etc?

Below vvvv - If Hirvonen is used by Toyota in WRC, it will be about the money. I would guess Hirvonen likes the idea of being able to beat Loeb at Rally Raid events, rather than have to compete against Seb O in a 2017 VW with a new Toyota wrc car.

Perce Neige would have my wrc round vote.
http://www.rallyeperceneige.com/ (Have support crews at the stage starts and ends to change to studded tyres for the stages see whose battery ratle gun works best in the cold)

https://youtu.be/DmfknvKUjg4 (They can even keep the commentator on - Neil Cole)

Would Sweden/ Norway work better as a May event event (South Swedish) and bring more spectators. https://youtu.be/Mlc1qJ0tNro (South Swedish, 2015) (and have Finland at the beginning of August)?

Have Japan as an autumn event with the orange leaves on the ground. Bring a few Chinese competitors over to rally Japan for pr.

Argentina has Dakar and World Rally Cross, WTCC etc could be missed. Spectator issues also. Sardinia is questionable for spectator issues also?

[Simmi]

The article about Hirvonen testing for Toyota also mentions Bouffier and Hanninen.
Toyota is believed to have approached Ogier and Latvala.
Would Toyota be potentially better off starting with other drivers than those listed? e.g Evans, Lappi, poaching Abbring, Wiegand etc?

Tommi said the other month that they had no chance to sign Ogier and Latvala. It doesn't seem to be anywhere in the press or public record but those guys appear to be under deals with VW beyond 2016. So I think he might have approached them and found out they couldn't sign them?

For me the identity of Toyota's drivers is one of the most intriguing stories in quite a few years. It would not surprise me at all if they have to go back to Hirvonen - at least for a partial programme in 2017.

[RS]

The article about Hirvonen testing for Toyota also mentions Bouffier and Hanninen.
Toyota is believed to have approached Ogier and Latvala.
Would Toyota be potentially better off starting with other drivers than those listed? e.g Evans, Lappi, poaching Abbring, Wiegand etc?

Hirvonen, Bouffier and Hanninen are all experienced and good test drivers. No problem there.

The younger guys you mentioned are all currently under contract elsewhere (except Wiegand ?!) Maybe Evans or Abbring could be available for 2017. I don't see any of the big-guns going to Toyota. Maybe Ostberg as their no.1? Sordo could end up there or maybe Neuville if he has another bad year at Hyundai.

[janvanvurpa]

Rally of Tsumagi is held on snow in Japan this weekend. Here is a video from 2015 event https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCPV...ature=youtu.be

The 2016 event is known as International Rally of Tsumagi and has FIA Sanctioning.
Here is an onboard of 2016 practice stage that was posted to youtube a few hours ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An3M6v4QjHA

Wow. They certainly have snow.. And snow walls... And evidently they are allowed, sensibly, decent studded tires.

Looks like a lot of fun.

[tc10a]

Wow. They certainly have snow.. And snow walls... And evidently they are allowed, sensibly, decent studded tires.
Looks like a lot of fun.

And what they don't have: tradition, passion for the sport and the unique atmosphere like in Swedens and Norways forests.
Could never be a serious replacement.

[SubaruNorway]

Wow. They certainly have snow.. And snow walls... And evidently they are allowed, sensibly, decent studded tires.

Looks like a lot of fun.

That much snow isen't really a good thing since you can't see shit, not really a stage worthy of being in a the WRC if they are all more or less like that.

I hope that was sarcasm, since that's just normal road tyres like in Canada and USA.

[AL14]

Why are we acting as Sweden is already gone? It's just a statement in an interview that is likely been said just to get some easy public money