M-Sport Ford World Rally Teams

[AnttiL]

This was brought up in Twitter: Andreas is too expensive for M-Sport at this point, and won't pay to drive.

[tommeke_B]

This was brought up in Twitter: Andreas is too expensive for M-Sport at this point, and won't pay to drive.

Regarding how competitive both Lappi and Suninen already are, with their limited experience, Mikkelsen's value could quickly drop. I think he should be happy if he gets a works seat for the whole season next year.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Do you think that Malcolm will use Suninen and maybe Mikkelsen in GB and Australia to win positions of Neuville? The last play... Ott. Don’t think Hyundai can use Sordo and Paddon. Wilson will try everything that it is allow to be champion.

No.

[EstWRC]

Regarding how competitive both Lappi and Suninen already are, with their limited experience, Mikkelsen's value could quickly drop. I think he should be happy if he gets a works seat for the whole season next year.

oh man you just upset a bunch of norwegians!

[mknight]

Regarding how competitive both Lappi and Suninen already are, with their limited experience, Mikkelsen's value could quickly drop. I think he should be happy if he gets a works seat for the whole season next year.

Mikkelsen beat Sunninen in R5s by over 1 minute after first day both in Corsica and Portugal and then basically just controlled the lead => quite a different level.

There is no direct comparison with Lappi available, but
a) they have same manager
b) Lappi most likely already has a deal at Toyota so don't see how it changes M-Sport choices

The outings with Citroen certainly didn't increase Mikkelsen's value, but comparing the Citroen drivers in Poland and now in Finland, it's rather inconclusive.

Atm Mikkelsen and Tanak have about same value, Tanak has obviously better recent results, but does not have any good result on tarmac yet.

For reference: I am not Norwegian.
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Anyway I'd say the main point here is that if M-Sport does not get a lot of money from Ford they will either:
1. Use all money on Ogier and get very cheap/paying driver for other spot (so neither Tanak nor Mikkelsen).
Or
2. They let even Ogier go and go fully money-making like so many times in the past. Malcolm has a long history of picking drivers for money and just recently said that he's mostly interested in driver titles.

I don't think it's likely that they let Ogier go and pay Tanak or Mikkelsen to be #1. The signals from various interview seem to suggest that Malcolm is trying to focus on option 1. atm.

[Andre Oliveira]

Something like RedBull M-Sport WRT should be enought. Like RedBull F1 team

[Tarmop]

2. They let even Ogier go and go fully money-making like so many times in the past. Malcolm has a long history of picking drivers for money and just recently said that he's mostly interested in driver titles.

Actually before Finland, i think that Tänak said to Estonian media that M-Sports main objective is manufacturers title. I can`t find the article to check at the moment but probably ESTwrc or someone can confirm.

[mknight]

Actually before Finland, i think that Tänak said to Estonian media that M-Sports main objective is manufacturers title. I can`t find the article to check at the moment but probably ESTwrc or someone can confirm.

Malcolm said in the WRC radio interview in Finland that his priority was drivers cause he had 2-manu titles from before.

[EstWRC]

I can't confirm Tarmop. Maybe I missed the article because I was in Finland but I haven't seen it .

[Fast Eddie WRC]

If private team M-Sport win the Manufacturers in 2017 that will be enough. A great achievement unprecedented in the WRC.

In 2018 they can do what they like.