WRC drivers' styles and techniques

[EstWRC]

found Mäkinen saying this about Ott

Finn Mäkinen can see plenty of similarities between himself and his lead driver. The 54-year-old explained: “We have a very, very similar style when we drive. When I was competing, my style was to brake early and then drive the car through the corner; Ott is very early on throttle as well and that’s why he controls the car so nicely and is able to keep it balanced. He drives the car from the rear and never seems to really struggle with it. It helps that the style is similar for Ott and me, when he talks through what he wants from the car, I can understand and help him get it.”

source https://www.redbullcontentpool.com/i...inkId=55762952

[AnttiL]

Also during Germany Mikkelsen talked about changing his braking technique. Normally he would brake into the apex of the corner, but he tried to learn to brake before the corner, as it suits the Hyundai better.

Mikkelsen also said he needs to be more aggressive on the steering wheel like his teammates, where the C3 WRC was more sensitive and moved around more.

[BigWorm]

Remember Östberg admitted to changing his style when he drove the DS3, rather than transforming the DS3 to his liking.

Mikkelsen needs the time to adapt this year, because it shows. I think Hyundai sees that as well, but next year they will probably be more strict.

[Toyoda]

found Mäkinen saying this about Ott

Finn Mäkinen can see plenty of similarities between himself and his lead driver. The 54-year-old explained: “We have a very, very similar style when we drive. When I was competing, my style was to brake early and then drive the car through the corner; Ott is very early on throttle as well and that’s why he controls the car so nicely and is able to keep it balanced. He drives the car from the rear and never seems to really struggle with it. It helps that the style is similar for Ott and me, when he talks through what he wants from the car, I can understand and help him get it.”

source https://www.redbullcontentpool.com/i...inkId=55762952

Interesting he steers with the rear like Paddon and Mikelson.
Still amazes me manufactures don't hire like driving style driver.
Classic point,
Hyundai - Neuville/Sordo vs Paddon/Mikelson,
Ford - Evans/Ogier v Suninen
Citreon - Loeb/Breen V Ostberg/Meeke ?? not sure on this
Toyota - All similarish

I think results from the drivers this year goes to show how necessary a car is to be built around a driver, and how important a team philosophy of how a car should be setup needs to match that of the driver

Mikelson is going through exactly what Paddon went through in the last 1.5 years since the new Gen cars.
Tanak is an example of how a certain driving style is not necessary, only a well balanced car that gives a driver confidence IMO.

[AnttiL]

Another thing Latvala said during Finland is that his more sideways style is slower than Tänak’s, and it’s impossible to change driving style with the setup he had.

Seriously, it took 15 years for him to realize that sideways is slower?

[arx]

IIRC he commented Tänak's car settings. That he can't drive with Tänak's settings, because these make car very nervous and impossible to drive for him (car is all over the road).

[AnttiL]

IIRC he commented Tänak's car settings. That he can't drive with Tänak's settings, because these make car very nervous and impossible to drive for him (car is all over the road).

I tried to dig up the interview which I refered to. Well, here's one, with my translation:

https://www.sportinmaailma.fi/latval...-ihan-karkeen/

Ott drives with a little different setup. I can't drive with a car like that. It's quite different to my car. I can't drive that kind [of car]. Maybe that's the magic. It works better if you can drive that. The difference is that they can keep the car more straight on fast sections. With me it turns too much sideways. I don't have enough trust to go through these fast bends with a straight car. I turn too much sideways. That's where it must come from.

[Essaj]

I just leave this here:
https://twitter.com/Kaljois/status/1026955365248917511

[denkimi]

I think results from the drivers this year goes to show how necessary a car is to be built around a driver, and how important a team philosophy of how a car should be setup needs to match that of the driver

You mean the fiesta that ogier jumped in and won straight away? Or the toyota that latvala developed and is now driven a lot faster by tanak?

Is the last years showed anything than it's the opposite of what you claim. The best drivers can be fast in almost every car.

[mknight]

You mean the fiesta that ogier jumped in and won straight away? Or the toyota that latvala developed and is now driven a lot faster by tanak?

Is the last years showed anything than it's the opposite of what you claim. The best drivers can be fast in almost every car.

Ogier wasn't really fast in the Fiesta for most og 2017. Monte is a bit of lottery and runs around his hometown. He put Fiesta in the ditch early due to the car not reacting as he expected under braking (his own words) then won cause Neuville crashed. His first win with good speed was in Portugal 5 months later and after that he didnt get stage win for another 3 months.

Tanak showed rally winning speed first on 4th rally (road position in Sweden and technical in Mexico didn't help off course).