[WRC] News & Rumours (part V) 2017

[AnttiL]

http://www.rallit.fi/kalle-rovanpera...nen-kommentti/

Harri Rovanperä says about Kalle negotiating with M-Sport and being in the Hyundai program "it's too early to think about [next year]. We'll turn all the cards during the autumn. There could be other things going on [than M-Sport and Hyundai] and actually there is."

In this other article http://www.rallit.fi/rovanpera-ja-ka...armasti-hyvin/ he talks about the Hyundai program, basically confirming Kalle being there and believing Kalle will go to the final round.

[dimviii]

Vatanen about Meeke
http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/20...p-ari-vatanen/

[mknight]

Jimmy McRae in that article:
"If Kris is on the game and he’s happy, Kris will beat Loeb."

Think he's missing the point a bit. I don't think Citroen's goal is to show he can beat Meeke, or to show that Loeb is still fastest. The main reasons for any drive (or even testing) by Loeb is:
a) PR, which they get from a few rallies no matter how Loeb finishes
b) to make sure a Citroen driver can drive for WDC and Citroen team can challenge for manu champ. by either making the car faster/better handling and/or getting points. If you turn it around you could even say that Loeb's goal is to make their n1 driver doing the full season (Meeke atm) happy.

[AnttiL]

Vatanen about Meeke
http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/20...p-ari-vatanen/

Just had to straighten out this story

The 1981 champion pointed to an example set by his former team boss Jean Todt, whom he drove under whilst at Peugeot Talbot Sport between 1984 and 1985. He had failed to finish a rally at the mid-point of his debut season with the French team, but won his next five rallies in a row immediately after securing a one year contract extension into ’85.

In 1984, 205 T16 wasn't introduced until Tour De Corse. Vatanen had two retirements in the two first events: In Corsica he crashed out after the intercom had gone out and in Acropolis the engine failed. That's really not half a season of mistakes...

[nafpaktos]

ewrc results proves that ari exaggerates A LOT.he just wants something to say.

[René]

About Ari comment. As always, everything that is excessive becomes insignificant. Is it really useful to add Oil on the fire? Let them work quietly and solve concrete problems which temporarily affect C3. Tomorrow will be another day....

[Maui J.]

Not news or even a rumour but interested to see what others think.

With the surprise ending of VW from the WRC, and the withdrawal of Audi and now Porsche from WEC, don't you think the VAG Group should stop playing around with Skoda in the WRC2 category and move back to the top tier? Skoda has won almost everything they can with the R5, surely they must be thinking of the next step.

Seems like VAG were burnt by the whole diesel scandal and had to do something to redeem themselves. It feels like VW's WRC withdrawal and both Audi and Porsche now focused on Formula E is part of this process.

With the Polo WRC 17 sitting collecting dust somewhere, it now seems the perfect opportunity to launch the Fabia WRC 17. With all the ground work and testing been done with the Polo, it almost seems like a Skoda WRC programme is potentially so easily achievable.

With the Polo R5 being being launched next year as a customer car, is it time must to switch rolls between these marques?

With 116 years of motor sport history, and over 50 in rallying, surely it's time for Skoda's big push to win something of significance. A best result of 3rd in the Safari in 2001 doesn't really reflect their long time presence in the sport.


Anyway just a thought.

[mknight]

Imo it's extremely unlikely that VAG would led Skoda run in the top category while simultaneously selling lower category car.

Then again right now Skoda is still developing Fabia R5 for next season while VW is developing polo R5. Might be that this is the last iteration of the Fabia R5 Skoda is allowed to produce.

My impression from Skoda R5 program was that it gives lot of PR with tons of Fabias running and winning in just about all national championships for relatively low cost, so why stop it. But it's not like the decision to drop VW after they spend all the money on making the 2017 Polo was based on cost/benefit thinking.

[stefanvv]

If VAG are pulling out Porsche from WEC already, thats quite a straight change in direction course. It means they are determined to go electric no matter what. And that seem to exclude WRC from the picture from the time being..... for all VAG brands. I guess their venue will be Formula-E & possibly WRX for the moment.

[Andre Oliveira]

But VW Polo R5 will be in same league of Skoda Fabia R5. Why contest in same level two makes of same group?