2018 Teams

**AnttiL** · 23rd October 2017, 17:17

Originally Posted by spiderem

interesting (or worrying) position for Ogier now. Toyota and Hyundai are closed. M-Sport have always been clear that they don't have the cash to keep him, and Citroen is now cutting costs and after all looks like they don't have the cash to pay him (or meet his expectations).
So maybe Ogier won't be the biggest salary next year, not sure how his ego will cope...

And thus it's speculated that he's retiring rallying...I'm currently believing that he gets the budget for M-Sport, now that Tänak's gone and there was some hints of M-Sport getting more factory backing for next year.

**racerx1979** · 23rd October 2017, 18:23

I think he is staying at M-Sport. A lot of interviews, small clips featuring Seb recently. Almost seems like a marketing push to me and not someone who is leaving a team or retiring.

**AnttiL** · 23rd October 2017, 18:25

Mads will not compete in Australia and will use the rest of the year to finalise his plans for 2018. There is more than one alternative, but nothing is decided yet
-It really means that I have nothing that I want to go public with at this stage. We may go for a similar solution as this year with a privately entered team, or maybe I will have a more “official” status in a team, Mads Østberg says.

http://www.madsostberg.no/Home/PressArticle/1162

**Andre Oliveira** · 23rd October 2017, 19:13

Maybe 2 car DMACK team?

**AnttiL** · 23rd October 2017, 19:28

Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira

Maybe 2 car DMACK team?

They would drive for their own manufacturer points? Or M-Sport would have two own cars, two DMACK cars and then it would be decided per each rally who gets manufacturer points?

**Duvel** · 23rd October 2017, 19:56

Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira

Maybe 2 car DMACK team?

I think something like that could happen. One D-mack car for Suninen, and than one D-mack/Onebet car for Mads

**Tarmop** · 23rd October 2017, 20:12

DMack probably wouldn`t be able to score manu. points themselves as they don`t produce the Fiesta, same case like Ostberg. Don`t know if they have the resources to pay for 2 WRC.

**AnttiL** · 23rd October 2017, 20:35

Originally Posted by Tarmop

DMack probably wouldn`t be able to score manu. points themselves as they don`t produce the Fiesta, same case like Ostberg. Don`t know if they have the resources to pay for 2 WRC.

Last year they scored their own points. This year Elfyn has been driving with DMack tyres and sponsorship, but scoring points for M-Sport. If they had two cars, how would that work out? Did the rules change and you cannot have satellite teams anymore?

**ESTR** · 23rd October 2017, 22:06

And I was sure he will leave.

**Mintexmemory** · 24th October 2017, 11:12

Originally Posted by ESTR

And I was sure he will leave.

I was equally sure he wouldn't - both Hyundai and Toyota have shown in different ways this season that they are nowhere near VW in preparation and reliability of design. Citroen may be getting better but they really would have had to make a number of changes they probably couldn't stomach to get Ogier to return. He is the mainman and loved at M-Sport and now he has time to develop the fiesta more to his liking.