Czech rally news

[Jarek Z]

For Nordgren I’m still wondering why they chose him and not Huttunen for example.

I see at least two reasons:
1) Huttunen is a member of Hyundai team
2) He is probably even worse than Nordgren

[tommeke_B]

I see at least two reasons:
1) Huttunen is a member of Hyundai team
2) He is probably even worse than Nordgren

Last year Huttunen was driving a Fabia in Finland and won wrc2 by a margin. Nordgren was driving the same car there... I think you should also remember Huttunen is driving a i20 R5 now. Can you name anyone who did well with that car on gravel?

[Essaj]

Last year Huttunen was driving a Fabia in Finland and won wrc2 by a margin. Nordgren was driving the same car there... I think you should also remember Huttunen is driving a i20 R5 now. Can you name anyone who did well with that car on gravel?

Yeah Huttunen drove Fabia in Finland and won against quite a weak WRC2 lineup which included Nordgren so saying that Nordgren is better than Huttunen is also wrong. Pretty sure there is some wins with I20 in gravel aswell so interesting see how Huttunen will do in Finland this year.

[Jarek Z]

Pretty sure there is some wins with I20 in gravel aswell so interesting see how Huttunen will do in Finland this year.

Are you really so sure? I'm afraid that Spanish tarmac championship and French tarmac championship are the only ones where Hyundai R5 wins...

[Jarek Z]

Can you name anyone who did well with that car on gravel?

Not off the top of my head

[Mirek]

I wouldn't say so. I was spectating Bohemia a few years ago and in my opinion those are typical stages in Czech and in central Europe in general. It's a very nice event, by the way.

There is very little left in Rally Bohemia from those days unfortunately. Basically today's long stage Radostín is the only one of the best long stagest left in the rally (in the past it used to be called Sychrov). Now it's also one of the hardest event to spectate in CZ. Very long liasons, few access roads and often no overview from wherever You can place Yourself.

Bohemia is different than other events. Veiby drove Valašská rally which was very very dirty and very cold. The event was not about having good lines, big balls play bigger role there than on Bohemia. Nordgren drove Šumava which is faster rally than Bohemia, the stages are rougher, bumpier, with many crests and one of them was half-gravel (the one he won). Bohemia today was very technical event and some of the stages required very precise lines (SS Ještěd mainly). The hardest and longest stage Radostín is one of the hardest stages in CZ and I think that locals benefitted hugely from the past experience. Anyway when some real hobby drivers are faster than works crews it's wrong. We'll see tomorrow because the stages are very different. Veeery fast in fact.

[Mirek]

Not off the top of my head

From what I could see in Ypres with Neuville and Cronin the Hyundai is far from Fabia level. Mainly in the suspension.

[Essaj]

Are you really so sure? I'm afraid that Spanish tarmac championship and French tarmac championship are the only ones where Hyundai R5 wins...

Atleast Armindo Araújo has won in Portugal but yeah we're getting off topic.

[focus206]

Atleast Armindo Araújo has won in Portugal but yeah we're getting off topic.

Araujo in Portugal, Turan in Hungary and Dominguez in Paraguay

[Jarek Z]

There is very little left in Rally Bohemia from those days unfortunately. Basically today's long stage Radostín is the only one of the best long stagest left in the rally (in the past it used to be called Sychrov). Now it's also one of the hardest event to spectate in CZ. Very long liasons, few access roads and often no overview from wherever You can place Yourself.

I was spectating Bohemia in 2003 and 2010 and liked both editions very much. I didn't know the event has changed so much since then.