[WRC] News & Rumours (part V) 2017

[dimviii]

Penasse at Belgium magazine

Alain, what do you think of the first half season of Thierry Neuville in the WRC?
"Since the beginning of the season, Thierry holds the super form. He took another step. He now approaches the rallies in a different way. He is calm, serene, sure of himself. He traces his races and his attitude on those of Ogier. "
Today, he returned to the 2nd place of the World, to 18 units of the quadruple champion of the French world. Can he always be crowned World Champion?
"I'm convinced, yes. He misses his two results of the start of the season, Monte Carlo and Sweden, where he lost two wins and nearly fifty points following small mistakes with great consequences. Otherwise, it would be far ahead. Ogier finished and scored big points each time. But he could also have once bad luck. And if that day, Thierry is in front he will fill the hole at a stroke. Since the beginning of the year, Hyundai-Neuville has signed the most scratches. So I imagine that he will take points on every rally in Ogier. "
Everyone agrees today that the Hyundai is the best WRC, the one with the best package. And yet you are 40 points behind M-Sport Ford in the builders' standings. How do you explain that?
"There are several factors. First the two victories lost in view of the arrival at the beginning of the year. Then the very bad start of season of Hayden Paddon. We also encountered some technical problems that cost us a few precious points as in Sardinia where Thierry should have won without a problem of brakes. Finally, we must admit that our opponents have a very good set of pilots this year. It will be tight, but we're going to fight. The title of the manufacturers is very important for the Koreans. "
Malcolm Wilson, the boss of M-Sport, clearly stated that he was ready to do anything to help Ogier crown the crown. Including giving instructions to his other pilots (Tanak and Evans) as he has already done in Portugal. Are you willing to do the same for Thierry?
"We still have to think about that. We'll see when we get into the situation. But it is clear that the title pilot is a priority and that this could be played at the end of years to a few points. Thierry is our candidate for the crown and if we can help him by changing the order of our drivers for a second or third place, why not? It is not forbidden. "

[Andre Oliveira]

http://social.ford.de/wp-content/upl...10-650x370.png
Thats the guy you re (mainly) looking for if you want Ford Performance backing.Dave Pericak.Gerard Quinn(the former Team RS head, who were previously backing Wilson) is now a subordinate of him.

The Ford Performance guy of Rallye Monte-Carlo: http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/janua...4--12-12-.html

[Watson]

I have a feeling that they might find some sort of solution where Ford pays 2/3 of the budget Wilson plans with to keep Ogier and the car competitive and the rest with a main sponsor. If you look at the cars now, there is no main sponsor on the livery other than Red Bull on Ogier's and DMack on Evans'. Tanak pretty much only has the MS-RT logo on it, which is an M-Sport owned thing. The next biggest thing is Castrol, which is still small. You'd expect someone would like to put their logo on there when they're doing so well.

[Augury]

Malcolm Wilson, the boss of M-Sport, clearly stated that he was ready to do anything to help Ogier crown the crown. Including giving instructions to his other pilots (Tanak and Evans) as he has already done in Portugal...

Huh? Malcom told Tänak to wreck his car?

[AnttiL]

Sounds like machine translation, maybe that means team orders?

[er88]

I have a feeling that they might find some sort of solution where Ford pays 2/3 of the budget Wilson plans with to keep Ogier and the car competitive and the rest with a main sponsor. If you look at the cars now, there is no main sponsor on the livery other than Red Bull on Ogier's and DMack on Evans'. Tanak pretty much only has the MS-RT logo on it, which is an M-Sport owned thing. The next biggest thing is Castrol, which is still small. You'd expect someone would like to put their logo on there when they're doing so well.

I think the Arabs might want to stop backing a dead horse (Citroen), if Msport can offer them better returns (titles and wins, as well as a car for as many events as Khalid wants to do).

[Rally Power]

http://social.ford.de/wp-content/upl...10-650x370.png
Thats the guy you re (mainly) looking for if you want Ford Performance backing.Dave Pericak.Gerard Quinn(the former Team RS head, who were previously backing Wilson) is now a subordinate of him.

Pericak was the guy that gave green light to Ford presence at the WRX, instead of returning to WRC. Ford Performance announcement on their WRX entry makes any proper rally fan sick, as they deliberately confused Ford WRC heritage with WRX, a racing series that wrongly still use the name of our sport. https://media.ford.com/content/fordm...allycross.html

It’s true that Ford big spending days are long gone (they’ve made Wilson pockets heavier, allowing MSport to built their state of art facilities and to become the world’s best private rally tuner), but the current situation is absurd. To see Ford acting like a parasite, profiting from MSport efforts without giving them the support they need and deserve, should be an embarrassment to Ford officials.

[stefanvv]

Reality TV

Sir Winston Churchill:

Reality is an illusion that occurs due to a lack of wine.

[Fitz]

I'm a bit fed up with 'what ifs' coming from other camps.
Who is to say Seb didn't have a bit more to give when Neuville retired in Monte and Sweden. It wasn't as if it was the last stage.
Then there was the Hyunda 'win' by a whole 0.7 seconds. Hardly commanding.

It's interesting that quite a few of the other cars have suffered heavy damage but the fiesta's are relatively unscathed in events. Maybe losing a corner of a bumper etc.

I do hope Seb stays at M-Sport. He does seem happy there or maybe he is still smiling at what he is doing there and his transformation of the team this year.

[stefanvv]

Hyundai are acting like someone wants to steal the titles from them (in case of Neuville - has eaten his breakfast), rather ridiculous.