[WRC] News & Rumours (part V) 2017

[Watson]

Complaining factory teams just make fools of themselves. "What if we hire a local driver?" YES!! Why don´t you.

I'm torn on this.

On the one hand, employing local drivers to share test data would cost a lot of money and everyone is crying out to lower the expenses.

On the other hand, guys like Østberg have a severe disadvantage because the factory is not sharing data with him. I suppose being able to test outside of Europe still leaves him less prepared compared to the factory teams.

[sollitt]

If he wants to play in the same competition as the 'factory' teams he needs to comply with the same rules.
Whether or not the factory is sharing data with him to enable a competitive performance is a commercial matter between himself and the factory, not a concern of the rule makers.

[Lundefaret]

If he wants to play in the same competition as the 'factory' teams he needs to comply with the same rules.
Whether or not the factory is sharing data with him to enable a competitive performance is a commercial matter between himself and the factory, not a concern of the rule makers.

The question is if we want competitive privateers in the WRC.
If we do, then they need to be given a fighting chance.
While the factory teams have three drivers all doing testing duties, and test drivers, test cars , and can develop and test new parts etc etc, a team like JipoCar has one WRC17 car which they run in both tests and rallies, and really no possibilities to develop own parts, etc. So the factory teams has all the advantages, which of course the factory teams want. So the question is again, do we want competitive privateers in the WRC?
Right now we have four strong manufacturers, and the "crisis" years of two manufacturers and one dominating driver seem long but forgotten, but this is the scenario I think we need to keep in mind when we argue for or against these things.

[Watson]

Very well put Lundefaret.

[Rallyper]

The question is if we want competitive privateers in the WRC.
If we do, then they need to be given a fighting chance.
While the factory teams have three drivers all doing testing duties, and test drivers, test cars , and can develop and test new parts etc etc, a team like JipoCar has one WRC17 car which they run in both tests and rallies, and really no possibilities to develop own parts, etc. So the factory teams has all the advantages, which of course the factory teams want. So the question is again, do we want competitive privateers in the WRC?
Right now we have four strong manufacturers, and the "crisis" years of two manufacturers and one dominating driver seem long but forgotten, but this is the scenario I think we need to keep in mind when we argue for or against these things.

+10

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Spot on. Facory teams are pathetic with such complaints.

[electroliquid]

I think factory teams have too much rights - they basically owning championship - they don't want VW as private team, they don't want 16 rounds in championship, now they don't want extra strong (semi strong) competitors. It looks like nobody want to improve, but to stay in same level with few rivals. FIA should dictate rules to teams, not vice versa.

[AnttiL]

I think it's a stupid limit, but then again FIA basically decided against privateers when they started allowing WRC entries by factory teams only. If it wasn't for M-Sport, Østberg couldn't compete on his WRC17 car.

[electroliquid]

For M-Sport it's the only way to survive - be flexible. If they had strong Ford backing it could be different story..

[er88]

Of course. Or do You think that Holzer/Opel built the best R2 car on the market by accident?

Nope I didn't think it was by accident. However I just had my doubts that these two projects would make any sort of dent in the R5 market, and considering what a clusterfuck this Holzer project appears to be, I could be right. Unless you expect MEM to make the Proton a Ford/ Skoda/ C3, I20 beater?