Neste Rally Finland 2016

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Tanak cant let his frustratiion lead to crashing. His time will come without taking big risks. Learn from Mr Meeke.

[RS]

Great battle. Really hope Tidemand can take some more time out of Suninen in the next stage so the last stage will be an epic battle.

But I wonder why Pontus only woke up now? Was he expecting Lappi to crash?

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Tanak: Quite a tricky stage but we are pushing hard. We are aiming for the podium, lets see...

[dimviii]

But I wonder why Pontus only woke up now? Was he expecting Lappi to crash?

Lappi was faster at last year too at Finland. Lappi is not pushing now.


Arai

[Fast Eddie WRC]

'Unfortunately our rally is over. We were pushing to get the podium and hit a big big stone..'

Big lesson.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Breen: SS22 “I passed Tanak on the side of the road, it’s all gone a bit crazy now, I have to keep calm”

Thats the way... not worth throwing away a great result.

[Lundefaret]

Tanak cant let his frustratiion lead to crashing. His time will come without taking big risks. Learn from Mr Meeke.

Sorry about Tänak, but he has a positive trend. He is definitely getting more consistent.

Mr Meeke as you call him is definitely doing a great job, but he is also in a completely different event than the guys that have been running out on front. Every guy, except Mikkelsen in Poland, that has won a gravel event this year have come from a late starting position, and that is a sign of things getting very even driving wise, and also that sweeping or cleaning pays a big part.

Next year this will kind of sort it self out (no matter what kind of solution for starting order that is chosen, because as soon as you climb in the championship you will struggle more).

I won't take anything away from Craig Breen, he has done a massive job this weekend, but being that far in front of a charging Andreas Mikkelsen in a VW has a lot to do with the surface they are rallying on. But this is rally

I took some photos of the road yesterday on Pajala before Meeke came. (Dont know if I will be successful with my attachments )
Before the first car (Andreas), the road had a top coat of loose gravel evenly spread out. Before Meeke it was a very clear line on the much more abrasive underlay.
I took a very unofficial friction test (standing with wight on one foot and trying to turn it, registration how much force was acquired). On the loose it was very easy to turn my foot (good gripping tracking sneaker sole), on the line that the late starters drive on it was almost impossible.

It still takes a lot to drive Ouninpohja the way Meeke did yesterday, and I rate him as one of the absolute favourites for the championship next year, so this is in no means trying to take anything away from him, but we off course must also recognise that the worlds number one has won zero gravel events this year, and that is not due to the lack of talent.

Weather, road conditions, differences in tires, machinery, set up, preparation and driving, all these things make rallying extremely difficult, and incredibly both interesting and exciting - and wouldn't have it any other way

[br21]

Subaru stopped because of fire, but also both crew members were transported by helicopter to hospital with their backs injured. Looks like it won't be that bad.

[RS]

Lappi was faster at last year too at Finland. Lappi is not pushing now.

True, but I still think Tidemand is relatively faster now than he was earlier in the rally. I did notice he seems to perform better on shorter stages too.

[Mirek]

True, but I still think Tidemand is relatively faster now than he was earlier in the rally. I did notice he seems to perform better on shorter stages too.

Tidemand was slower than Kalle Rovanperra in Estonia or Latvia where he was testing for Finland. It may just be that these superfast events don't suit him that much and he needs more time to get used to them.