[WRC] Vodafone Rally de Portugal 2018 (18/21-May)

[Rally Power]

Nordgren showed nice speed when his tyres kept intact, considering this was his eighth 4WD rally ever. For example third on SS3, SS12, SS15, SS16 and second on SS4, SS10 and SS20.

You’re right on Nordgen; he made some good times, but he didn’t look that fast on the stages; the opposite of Breen.

The Clerk of the courses of Rally Finland have also expressed their concern for the speed of the current cars and said it would be awesome to have the current engines and safety equipment with less suspension travel and aeros and without center diffs, resulting in lower cornering speed and more sideways driving.

If current WRC cars speed becomes a real concern (hope not, but somehow it’s not hard to believe it will) it would be much simpler to restrain their engine with a smaller air restrictor instead of being changing their suspension, transmission or aero. Having major tech rules chancing all the time is never a good policy.

[AnttiL]

If current WRC cars speed becomes a real concern (hope not, but somehow it’s not hard to believe it will) it would be much simpler to restrain their engine with a smaller air restrictor instead of being changing their suspension, transmission or aero. Having major tech rules chancing all the time is never a good policy.

Of course the restrictor would be easier and that's probably what they will do if necessary, but it would be more spectacular to keep more power with less grip. Kind of like...group B.

The current drivers have expressed that the diff, suspension and aero have made the cars safer to drive than ever, but at the same time if you have an off it's going to be a serious one because of the speed. In any case, an off like Meeke's in Portugal could be fatal even on an R1 car if the tree hits a bad spot.

[dimviii]

It's easy to agree with the obvious. I don't think Ogier was trying to beat Neuville though.

who was trying to beat?

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Very true. Embarrassing.

And such a simple solution to hitting chicanes on SSS...

USE SOLID OBJECTS, NOT STRAW BALES OR LIGHT BARRIERS.

[dimviii]

when Meekes tyre explode



more
https://www.ewrc.cz/foto/44260-vodaf...ugal-2018/537/

[Rally Power]

I think the stewards have really set a messy precedent now with these two super special bale penalties. I mean these are insults to rallying in the first place, let alone when you start penalising drivers for moving them. And then to penalise the drivers one and two days after the incidents respectively - the second clearly due to an enquiry from Hyundai. Embarrassing really.I guess it's all sort of fallout from the Ogier issue in Mexico but it shouldn't be these mickey mouse elements creating talking points.

Spot on. No doubt it's linked with Ogier case. Stupid SSS penalties are now affecting the WRC but lots of national series have been suffering from them for a long time. It deserves a separate thread, as this matter seriously hurts the sport. A rally must be decided on real stages, never on an artificial SSS.

[dimviii]

amazing photo from Lappi



more
https://www.ewrc-results.com/photo/4...portugal-2018/

[Rally Power]

watch at 0,55 how unstable is Meekes c3 compared to various cars at same point
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqoGcYD8joQ

On the other video you’ve posted the less stable is Suninen Fiesta...comparing to last year rally, the C3 was now looking far more stable. Apparently the handling issues were solved and the car is probably at the same level of its rivals, even if the i20 still looks to be slightly ahead of the competition. I just hope Citroen will get a new number one driver next year; with due respect, keeping Meeke as squad leader is a waste.

New video by RallyMania (amazing escape from Lappi at 2:55):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCow...HtgYM-HrOeiD-w

[pokey2014]

Meeke performance is really inconsistent..crashing at almost every rally.

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[denkimi]

Meeke performance is really inconsistent..crashing at almost every rally.

Its the opposite, he is very consistent in crashing.