Rally2 (ex-R5) News

[Mirek]

As you seemingly haven't noticed I am talking about car sales from now until next August. Not about performance.

I totally get there is no rush to homologate early from performance perspective. But what about people coming and wanting to buy a new car?
The easiest would be to continue making the current car a bit longer, is that going to happen and is it even possible?

If they homologate problematic or slow car the entire business will be ruined because as you know under Rally2 regulations you have little chances to fix things. The car must be perfect right from the start or it will never become perfect. The effect of rushed entry would be a much bigger disaster than coming half a year later.

As for the current cars - I guess they still have some chassis available but that's only my guessing.

[RS]

Lindholm test: https://youtu.be/tebGoj2SCds

Looking better here.. during Meeke's test the car looked a little heavy.

[pantealex]

Lindholm test: https://youtu.be/tebGoj2SCds

Looking better here.. during Meeke's test the car looked a little heavy.

Emil did drive 2 full days after Meeke.

[mknight]

In rally Finland guys that have money and want to do a result - Suninen and Gryazin, drive Polos.
Surely especially Gryazin could easily hire Fabia from SRT just like Lukyanuk did, since he is already hiring Polo from them. And he seemingly has all the time (and money) to test beforehand (1 day + 2 day national rally + at least 1 day after).

Similarly Lappi could certainly drive Fabia if he wanted in Arctic and Portugal.

So following post-Estonia discussion, does this mean they are all stupid and picking the worse car?

[pantealex]

SRT=Gryazin, they don´t hire those cars, they own those.

Some places Fabia is better and some places Polo is better.

[Jarek Z]

In rally Finland guys that have money and want to do a result - Suninen and Gryazin, drive Polos.

On the other hand, if you look at the standings of ERC:
https://www.fiaerc.com/standings-2/

and WRC3:
https://www.wrc.com/en/results-stand...son-2021/wrc3/

you will see that actually nobody drives Polos.

In WRC2 there are Gryazin, Lappi and Suninen, but they don't count in this championship.

[mknight]

Personally from following rallies and rumors from drivers my impression is that Fabia is the most allround car (= best in a mixed championship).

Polo seems better on fast and smooth rallies, especially those with constant conditions, less so if conditions are mixed (wet/dry) and/or if the road gets very rutted.

Thing is that after I wrote something similar before Estonia and Fabias won both WRC2 and WRC3 in Estonia, there were some loud voices how Fabia is best also on fast rallies. Gryazins and Suninens car choice in Finland contradict this.

[RS]

Mikkelsen has been testing the new Fabia too:

https://youtu.be/9v48u_tPz9c

[RS]

Personally from following rallies and rumors from drivers my impression is that Fabia is the most allround car (= best in a mixed championship).

Polo seems better on fast and smooth rallies, especially those with constant conditions, less so if conditions are mixed (wet/dry) and/or if the road gets very rutted.

Thing is that after I wrote something similar before Estonia and Fabias won both WRC2 and WRC3 in Estonia, there were some loud voices how Fabia is best also on fast rallies. Gryazins and Suninens car choice in Finland contradict this.

I'm sure Lukyanuk would have been very quick in Estonia in a Polo too, perhaps even quicker.

It makes sense that a car with a longer wheelbase would be good on fast rallies. On the other hand the Fabia looled very nimble on the twistier roads on Acropolis and Azores, quick direction changes.

[Mirek]

SRT=Gryazin, they don´t hire those cars, they own those.

Some places Fabia is better and some places Polo is better.

In theory (mine) Polo should be better for very fast gravel/snow while Fabia shall be better for rough, slow and twisty stuff.

But I guess that the main issue with Polo is the end of VW Motorsport development. Few people logically want to invest in a car with no future.