Rally Portugal 2016

[seb_sh]

Why not do it like in the history - the best driver always first on the road? First day according to the actual championship standings and other days according to the results of actual rally? In the past it was working...

The problem with that was many times people slowed down/stopped/"had a problem" on the last stage of the day in order to gain a good starting position.

IMHO the best way would be to have championship order on day 1 and then reverse. I think that current system is the 2nd best after that. Any other system has more or bigger 'flaws'.

[Mintexmemory]

To look at this from the other side... are people honestly that satisfied when someone beats Ogier when they have completely different road conditions ?

Were Paddon and Meeke's recent wins as creditable as Ogier's when he wins from the front ...

In a word yes! If it were only about road position then Mikkelsen should have won the last 2 rallies. Dealing with a combination of factors such as experience, car development, seat time, mental attitude (to identify 4) means that any victory against a multiple world champion who hasn't gifted victory, by binning it, is valid. No mistake Meeke and Paddon have both overcome handicaps equivalent to 6 stages of sweeping, and it is low and craven of VW to be bringing the sport into disrepute.
If this were a close championship then others would be alternating the sweeping and presumably VW would find something different to moan about. It is a ****ing competition and they are dominating, presumably VW remember the lessons of history and are expecting force of numbers (Hyundai) and superior technology (Citroen) to overwhelm them in the end so they are determined to milk every advantage they can swing their way! If VW want a level playing field then manufacture 15 Polos for sale to the highest bidder and create Formula VW WRC!!

[Mirek]

Why is it actually so wrong that the best driver has to cope with the usually worst road position? If theoretically anyone gets in front in the championship standings he would then face the same issue.

[PLuto]

The problem with that was many times people slowed down/stopped/"had a problem" on the last stage of the day in order to gain a good starting position.

IMHO the best way would be to have championship order on day 1 and then reverse. I think that current system is the 2nd best after that. Any other system has more or bigger 'flaws'.

I still dont agree with the reverse order. Why somebody from the field should be disadvantaged by starting position to be first? In the past, the fastest driver was always first on the road and it was not problem for them. Nobody was complaining... And with this slowing down before end of leg? Why not, it is part of tactics and if they want to slow down... But now without split times in the car, it will not be so easy to slow down "enough"...

[mousti]

From Emil Bergkvist Facebook:


"Mental utmaning i Portugal

Rallye de Portugal gick inte enligt planerna för Emil Bergkvist och Joakim Sjöberg. En rad händelser bortanför teamets kontroll kom i vägen för en framskjuten placering. Starten på torsdagen i teamets Citroën DS3 R5 driven av J-Motorsport gick bra och man var med bland de absolut snabbaste i WRC2-fältet. Efter ytterligare tre dagar med bra sträcktider varvade med problem som i många fall hör sporten till, så som en punktering, fick de två dock kasta in handduken på söndagen då man tvingades bryta mellan sista sträckan och slutmålet. Detta pga orsaker som fortfarande utreds.

”Vi ska inte påstå att vi är nöjda med helgen, men vi tar med oss många positiva erfarenheter trots hur helgen fortlöp. Vi satte en bra tid på torsdagen och när väl allt stämde på söndagen var vi snabbaste privatbil på Power Stage och kunde visa att vi mycket väl hänger med de snabbaste i klassen.” Emil Bergkvist fortsätter; ”Att vi sedan faktiskt har fått köra alla sträckor i rallyt och fått den erfarenheten är mycket värt för oss som team.”

Co-driver Joakim Sjöberg imponeras av sin närmaste kollegas ovilja att tappa modet. ”Emil visade hela helgen en fantastisk kämpaglöd och vägrade låta motgångar stå i vår väg. Trots att vi inte hade någon position att köra för på söndagen så fortsatte Emil att pressa, testa inställningar och köra med målet att sätta bra sträcktider. Det är inte lätt i det läget vi befann oss i då.”

Nästa planerade start för Emil och Joakim är första juli i Rally Poland."

Yep Poland is next for him, no Ypres.

[AL14]

2014 is the best deal. I still can't understand how some of you enjoy a competition where you already know from the beginning that some drivers have no chances to win...

[PLuto]

2014 is the best deal. I still can't understand how some of you enjoy a competition where you already know from the beginning that some drivers have no chances to win...

I still dont think that 2014 is the best deal. I can see it in ERC, when they are reversing top ten after first leg. Nobody wants to finish on 10th or 9th position, because it will be big disadvantage next day to fight for places in top ten. And they are not so strong drivers like the best ones to be able to reduce this disadvantage...

[Rallyper]

Isn´t it weight compensation in some racing classes? How is that doing?

[AL14]

I still dont think that 2014 is the best deal. I can see it in ERC, when they are reversing top ten after first leg. Nobody wants to finish on 10th or 9th position, because it will be big disadvantage next day to fight for places in top ten. And they are not so strong drivers like the best ones to be able to reduce this disadvantage...

Go fast and you will not be disadvantaged... where is the problem?

[Mirek]

Go fast and you will not be disadvantaged... where is the problem?

You can reverse it. What is it good for to further slow down the slower ones?

I would personally always put superally drivers as the first ones on the road in second and third day. The only issue is that their number is not guaranteed.