World Rallycross Championship a.k.a RALLYX

**tomhlord** · 18th October 2016, 17:39

Aaaah, and there we go to the crux of the matter. Petter Solberg didn't win....

You can deny facts all you want, but it is 'EKSRX', not 'Team Audi' or even 'EKSRX Audi'. They have strategic partners that help with parts in exchange for logos on the car, and sponsorship from Red Bull.

To cap it off, here's Mattias explaining how he set it up with his own money and can't pay the team £££ but they can have 'good food and fun.' https://twitter.com/fia/status/788412425745813504

And yes, you haven't checked, as you say yourself.

You take away the hard work behind the scenes with your 'might of Audi' remarks and it stinks.

**Alpha** · 18th October 2016, 17:56

I saw the video and couldn't help but notice a lot of Audi logos..!
He talks about putting up his own money, sure. The same did Petter and Kenneth (Hansen), and many of the other team owners. The end of the video was one big thank you speech to Audi.

Spin it all you like, winning a FIA World Championship is a hell of a lot easier when an enormous automaker supports you.

Does it take something away from his victory? Compared to Petter it does. And also Petters black flag was a gift from heaven to Mattias. And most agree it was unfair. If the rules were the same for everybody most of the drivers would have black flags this season, and Timur would have had at least six!

I congratulate Mattias, he's done well this season. But the whole "I'm a private team" feels pushed, he'd be better off toning that down. Petter would then by comparison have a "super private team" and his victories in World RX have been harder to get.

**Sub_Skoda** · 18th October 2016, 18:00

Very happy for Mattias, but sad that will not have a real finale in Argentina!
Thanks Latvian's stewards!!

**BleAivano** · 18th October 2016, 20:22

Originally Posted by Alpha

I saw the video and couldn't help but notice a lot of Audi logos..!

I congratulate Mattias, he's done well this season. But the whole "I'm a private team" feels pushed, he'd be better off toning that down. Petter would
then by comparison have a "super private team" and his victories in World RX have been harder to get.

What is your problem really? You seems very bitter.

Audi Logos != factory team. I also presume that you do realize that there is one huge difference between Mattias and Petter?

Ekström have been an Audi driver almost his entire professional career. ME have 16 seasons as a Audi driver in DTM. How many seasons have Petter done for Citroen?
Of course Audi want to put some Logos on EKSRX cars as a sponsor favour for ME's long and faithful service with them in DTM.

Petter is a privateer team who have been equally good with Mattias this season, so how can Petter be so good without factory backing?
Or if Petter is so good without factory backing, why can't Mattias also bee so good without factory backing?

You use one metric for Petter and another for Mattias why?

**BleAivano** · 18th October 2016, 20:26

Originally Posted by Sub_Skoda

Very happy for Mattias, but sad that will not have a real finale in Argentina!
Thanks Latvian's stewards!!

Well ME also had some bad luck* with flat tires in two semi finals in the middle of the season. IIRC ME was leading atleast one of those semis.
Without those the championship may have been decided even earlier. As for the Latvian marshals, they did the right thing.
Petter didn't just nudge ME a little. He nudged ME. then hit him in the side and finished it by pushing ME all the way into the Armco barrier.

**Alpha** · 18th October 2016, 21:01

Originally Posted by BleAivano

What is your problem really? You seems very bitter.

Audi Logos != factory team. I also presume that you do realize that there is one huge difference between Mattias and Petter?

Ekström have been an Audi driver almost his entire professional career. ME have 16 seasons as a Audi driver in DTM. How many seasons have Petter done for Citroen?
Of course Audi want to put some Logos on EKSRX cars as a sponsor favour for ME's long and faithful service with them in DTM.

Petter is a privateer team who have been equally good with Mattias this season, so how can Petter be so good without factory backing?
Or if Petter is so good without factory backing, why can't Mattias also bee so good without factory backing?

You use one metric for Petter and another for Mattias why?

No problem, not bitter.

Don't be silly, there is a lot more behind the logos than a little sponsorship for old times sake. It's probably like Peugeot-Hansen, which would mean that Audi supplies the cars, parts and development of the car.

How Petter can be so good? Same as Mattias: A great driver with a good team and a fast car. The latter two is easier with manufacturer backing. Never said it was a factory team. Said it's a lot easier to win with a manufacturer behind you.

**MrJan** · 19th October 2016, 00:01

You only need to go to an event to realise that Peugeot Hansen and EKSRX have more budget than PSRX. Does that make it less impressive? Slightly, but it doesn't make it undeserved. I'm not a huge fan of Ekstrom but he's undeniably a great driver and his post race interview slightly altered my opinion of him, he's worked hard for the championship and is consistently quick. Petter has had a bad season too, the Latvia thing leaves a bad taste because it was unfair and inconsistent in comparison to other penalties, but he was already letting the championship slip and had too many poor results over the middle of the season.

**mohit** · 19th October 2016, 02:19

What petter has managed with his team is commendable........

Latvia penalty was not required as both were hitting each other and its ekstrom who started it first, check the videos again.

Give petter ekrx Audi and get astonished.

**JUF** · 19th October 2016, 07:46

Petter said in an interview that the big teams have budgets of 10-15 Million Euros. I guess he meant Peugeot-Hansen.

EKS RX gets the support of Audi only since last year. Mattias and his team developed the S1 on their own. But when Audi realized that they get publicity when Ekström is successful, they started to support him.