Silly Season 2019

[AnttiL]

Silly season's almost over with the most important pieces of the puzzle in place. I would guess Hyundai announcing their third car driver(s) soon after Catalunya and then we have to wait maybe until next year to hear what M-Sport's up to. I'm quite sure Sordo gets to continue with Hyundai, but will it be a partial season and who is he sharing the car with?

Also, we haven't heard yet anything about WRC2 next year other than that Rovanperä will continue with Skoda. Which teams/drivers will go to WRC2Pro and what will be the regulations? Two drivers per team? Can they rotate the drivers per event? In addition to Skoda, Citroen and M-Sport? Proton? Hyundai? And who are going to drive the new VW which could be a Skoda challenger?

[Rally Power]

Ha - brilliant - well spotted AnttiL.... Eddie, what you say to that?

Honestly, what’s the point of going back checking what people have said in this thread? We’re all making wild guesses, mainly for fun. Even journos do it, apparently without caring how wrong they can be. That’s silly season spirit.

Btw, as most are granting the Breen/MSport deal: why can’t Breen still be driving for Citroen if Abu Dhabi continues and how will MSport, without major sponsors, be able to run 3 cars again (Suninen, Breen and Paddon)? And who will run/pay a VW team, once VW Motorsport isn’t supposed to make a direct entry?

[wrc2017]

For Breen I think it's a no brainer, go to MSport if thats an option. For Paddon it's more complicated, he has a strong relationship with Hyundai, not just in WRC and he might have the opinion that he could have a lasting relationship with the company after he stops driving in WRC etc. For his long term employment it might be good to stay, even if its not a full time drive...Incidentally I think Kopecky is in a similar situation with Skoda.

why no brainer? if he is paying for both.. would he not be safer in a 3rd Citroen, is that was on the table?

[AnttiL]

And who will run/pay a VW team, once VW Motorsport isn’t supposed to make a direct entry?

For example Printsport has bought two of the first Polo batch. But I suppose they can't be entered to WRC2 Pro...

[doubled1978]

why no brainer? if he is paying for both.. would he not be safer in a 3rd Citroen, is that was on the table?

Is he paying?
And would you pay to be 3rd Citroen with no chance to win when you could pay to be at worst on equal footing with the other guys at MSport...I know what I would do. But then I am not Craig Breen....

[tomhlord]

Btw, as most are granting the Breen/MSport deal: why can’t Breen still be driving for Citroen if Abu Dhabi continues and how will MSport, without major sponsors, be able to run 3 cars again (Suninen, Breen and Paddon)?

What adds to the complication slighty, and interests me, is where is the Peugeot WorldRX pot of money going to be allocated? Are PSA simply saving money, or could extra funds be used to run a full-time third C3?

[Tarmop]

Rumours about a new WEC project where up quite recently.

[deephouse]

Maybe but no in 2019, Famin said it yesterday that they have no program for next year.

[Tarmop]

It was further yes, 2021 or sth., but that doesn`t mean they won`t start investing money.

[AnttiL]

Molly said on All Live about rumors of Østberg driving a third Citroen next year. It would make sense, maye Loeb would do some rallies, maybe Al-Qassimi as well?