2019 Crystall Ball Predictions

[smsgrafica]

1.) Tänak wins WC by winning at least 6 rounds
2.) Toyota wins the WC by taking a podium at every round
3.) Only 4 drivers will win an event: Ogier, Tänak, Neuville and Meeke
4.) Mikkelsen won't finish off the season
5.) Ford will be only twice on the podium: Sweden with Tidemand and Australia with Evans

[pantealex]

1.) Tänak wins WC by winning at least 6 rounds
2.) Toyota wins the WC by taking a podium at every round
3.) Only 4 drivers will win an event: Ogier, Tänak, Neuville and Meeke
4.) Mikkelsen won't finish off the season
5.) Ford will be only twice on the podium: Sweden with Tidemand and Australia with Evans

way too late.

[smsgrafica]

way too late.

I know and you are completely right on that, but I wanted to write them down were I can find them after the season is over. Besides, none of my predictions are by the slightest affected by the Monte result.

[Norm75]

Other than your second prediction.

Glad to see I've fallen at the first hurdle!

[KiwiWRCfan]

Must be time for mid season review of Crystal Ball predictions.
Did anyone forsee Sordo winning on gravel ?

[tommeke_B]

1. Hyundai to find solutions for their set-up issues on tarmac and in Finland.
2. Fight between 4 drivers for the title.
3. Loeb doing more than the planned 6 events.
4. Co-driver will finally get a proper FIA trophy.
5. N.O.T. will find the true meaning of life and shall stop posting on this forum.

My number 5 seems to be spot on...

[AnttiL]

1. Tänak to be World champion but to win less stages per rally than in 2018 (70/13≈5.38)
2. In addition to Tidemand, five new drivers will make their competitive debut at the wheel of a 2017 WRC car at a WRC event
3. Eight drivers will do a complete season at the wheel of a WRC car – more than in 2017 or 2018 – although the total amount of works WRC starts per rally on average will be smaller.
4. Meeke will keep being Meeke – fast but inconsistent and prone to errors. To measure this I predict more stage wins but less overall points than Latvala
5. Meeke fans will keep throwing “will he be sacked now / why don't they sack him” comments to Ogier or Lappi if they retire a rally from a driving mistake

EDIT: changed #2 from two to five because I forgot there will always be gentlemen drivers.

1. Tänak's current stage win rate is 5.6 so he has won more stages by average than last year.
2. In addition to Tidemand we have had Tuohino, Grönholm, Greensmith and will have Virtanen. If Katsuta starts in Spain like rumored, I get this correct.
3. Currently exactly eight drivers are going for a complete season (I purposely predicted Mikkelsen being dropped), but of course it could still change.
4. Meeke has more stage wins but also more points than Latvala
5. Happy to be completely wrong about this one

[Morte66]

1. Neuville champion, in a close season, with some help from team orders.
2. Tanak top Toyota overall but Meeke has his moments in a good year, and JML too.
3. A weaker year for M-Sport.
4. Citroen still no good.
5. Ogier retires from competition at end of year and becomes Citroen team boss.

1. Could still happen, though I think we are heading into Tanak's half of the season now.
2. Oh dear.
3. Yep, losing Ogier will do that for you.
4. Yep.
5. This was a joke, but I think the first half is looking possible.

[Norm75]

1. Tänak's current stage win rate is 5.6 so he has won more stages by average than last year.
2. In addition to Tidemand we have had Tuohino, Grönholm, Greensmith and will have Virtanen. If Katsuta starts in Spain like rumored, I get this correct.
3. Currently exactly eight drivers are going for a complete season (I purposely predicted Mikkelsen being dropped), but of course it could still change.
4. Meeke has more stage wins but also more points than Latvala
5. Happy to be completely wrong about this one

As a fan of Kris, and hopefully I speak for most of his fans, I don't think any of us want to see Citroen sack Lappi. I think we may worry they might, but I would rather see Citroen back their drivers rather than sack them.

[EstWRC]

1. AL14 finally back on the forum and making good jokes and my mood good again.
2. Meeke being quite often the fastest Toyota, but due inconsistency and not understanding to back off sometimes, still finishes the season as third number.
3. Loeb arriving at Hyundai and being immediately faster than their full time drivers, saying that nothing is wrong with that car. Therefore Adamo is being sacked and Nandan called back.
4. Ogier and Lappi to struggle a little bit in the beginning of the season, Lappi outdriving Ogier because the car suits him better. But after the updates Ogier is unbeatable and wins all the tarmac rallies.
5. Tänak becomes champion in Finland (because i will be there and i can celebrate)

1. Well, he is more often here than last year but i wish he was more.
2. Not true so far.
3. Totally wrong but it was written as a joke, so no surprise here.
4. The struggling part is kinda true, especially about Lappi, Ogier also showing it with mistakes in Sweden and Sardinia. Lappi outdriving Ogier completely false. Updates still coming.
5. Also written as a joke and not meant seriously but without the alternator problem in Argentina and without the PS issue in Sardinia, he would have like 40-50 point lead already. Which of course wouldnt mean a title win in finland but it would be hell of a lead already. (plus the rim issues)