WRC Testing

[mknight]

Haven't seen this one here: Breen linked to M-sport rally1 test after Acropolis https://rallyinsight.com/2021/09/02/...ropolis-rally/

That timing makes little sense. Why would he test after Acropolis that he won't drive and before driving for Hyundai in Finland?

[Andre Oliveira]

https://www.facebook.com/10000160063...872271788/?d=n

[Andre Oliveira]

https://www.facebook.com/10006347539...240479854/?d=n

[EstWRC]

Evans Hybrid by Aa26 https://youtu.be/5IR05Sdv5Co

[Fast Eddie WRC]

https://www.facebook.com/10000160063...872271788/?d=n

Still looks a little strange without any mirrors.

[Danny0405]

I’m not a huge fan of Greensmith but, except Lappi, I’m not sure another driver makes a lot of sense in the third car.
The best (considering Evans and Rovanpera will stay with Toyota) would clearly have been a Lappi-Breen-Fourmaux line-up but, for some reasons, the relations are not good between Lappi and M-Sport. It is the only point that is a pity for me because it would have given three teams with 2 good drivers at least.

Then, considering the current season, I don’t see why it would be better to take Suninen over Greensmith: Suninen has probably more potential but on the current season, except in Arctic, he was not faster than Greensmith and he was less reliable (and both had technical issues so this cannot be a real excuse for Suninen).

And about Mikkelsen, he is not dominant in RC2 (only one win this season in 9 rallyes, counting ERC and WRC) so it is not a no-brainer for a seat in RC1. Personnally, I think it is better to take a young paying driver in the third car who did decent results in RC2 (Greensmith, Gryazin, Bulacia, Loubet) and focus their means to give the best car possible (to help Breen and Fourmaux to achieve results) than hiring an average third driver, in M-Sport situation

[mknight]

And about Mikkelsen, he is not dominant in RC2 (only one win this season in 9 rallyes, counting ERC and WRC) so it is not a no-brainer for a seat in RC1. Personnally, I think it is better to take a young paying driver in the third car who did decent results in RC2 (Greensmith, Gryazin, Bulacia, Loubet) and focus their means to give the best car possible (to help Breen and Fourmaux to achieve results) than hiring an average third driver, in M-Sport situation

He is leading both WRC2 and ERC at same time, cause when needed he can drive at 90% and get a result unlike the likes of Gryazin or Lukyanuk who go full push all the time and end up crashing every second rally or finishing with only massive luck (Lukyanuk in Liepaja and Estonia).
If needed he can also do full push (4/4 Powerstage wins this season, 1 min+ wins in Monte and Monza). Since seemingly abandoning the "full push" approach after crashes in Croatia and Sardinia, he drives very Ogier-like.... the kind of driving that gives titles and not stage wins. Btw. when it comes to age, Mikkelsen is younger than all of Tanak/Neuville/Evans and only 8 months older than Breen.

----

Anyway it all comes down to what MSport (and Ford) want.
If they want to make money and occasionally make headlines (seems like MSports line of business) Fourmaux and 1 fast driver is indeed more than enough.
If they want to have a chance for anything other than last place in manu championship 1 "learning" driver is more than enough. Sometimes even one too many (Toyota in 2020).

Malcolm was full of big ambitions a few months ago, talking about hiring top drivers etc. If it goes down to 1 fast driver (outside of "top4") and Fourmaux + paydriver, it's quite a far cry from that. Probably the only hope for more interesting lineup is that this is not good enough for Ford.


But this is all off-topic in this thread.

[AnttiL]

for some reasons, the relations are not good between Lappi and M-Sport

What makes people assume so? Lappi wasn't able to bring budget for this year, that's why he had to leave the team.

Then, considering the current season, I don’t see why it would be better to take Suninen over Greensmith: Suninen has probably more potential but on the current season, except in Arctic, he was not faster than Greensmith and he was less reliable (and both had technical issues so this cannot be a real excuse for Suninen).

This is ridiculous. Suninen on his worst season is equal to Greensmith on his best season! In Monte Suninen didn't finish a single stage, in Sardegna he was cleaning the road and in Estonia the car was falling apart. Can't really say much from his pace this year. Last year he still got a podium and won a proper stage.

[Danny0405]

This is ridiculous. Suninen on his worst season is equal to Greensmith on his best season! In Monte Suninen didn't finish a single stage, in Sardegna he was cleaning the road and in Estonia the car was falling apart. Can't really say much from his pace this year. Last year he still got a podium and won a proper stage.

The issue is that it is Suninen’s 4th season with the car and he had 37 starts with it (Greensmith 17).
And yes, he didn’t drive a lot but he did the early mistakes in Monte Carlo and Sardinia.
I do not say he is totally lost but, personnally (and I can understand that there are other points of view), between a driver that has shown no real sign of improvement in 4 years and who is doing his worst year (+ not reliable) so far, and a driver who has shown some improvement in the last rallies (even if, as I said, I’m quite cautious as I’m clearly not a huge fan of Greensmith), I can understand the choice on Greensmith or to be more precise, the choice of letting Suninen go. But for sure, if you add the money aspect, it is way clearer.

About Mikkelsen, I do not say he is awful in RC2 as he is leading both championships at the moment (with a race more in both however) and he is probably better than Greensmith. But at the moment, between him and Ostberg, it is quite the same level so it is not a no-brainer to take him. But a part-time deal between the RC2 (to help M-Sport to come back at a better level as Citroen did with Ostberg) and the Rally1 car could be interesting for both.


To come back on the testing topic, it seems Rovanpera is also testing the Toyota hybrid this week according to Dirtfish

[Allez Andruet]

Come on now, Mikkelsen and Suninen are lightyears ahead of Greensmith when talking about potential and talent. No offence to Greensmith, but if we're talking about "traditional" factory seats, he shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence as those two.