Quote Originally Posted by ouvreur View Post
The biggest variable in this, is a team's ability to adapt to a major regulation change. It doesn't matter how much money you've got, or how much you've won before, or how clever your people are, if they're working in the wrong direction. C3 WRC, anyone?

In this regard, M-Sport were able to steal a march on everyone in 2017, despite enduring a 2016 season very nearly as bad (Ott Tanak's pace in the Dmack car aside) as it has been for them in 2021. That said, their lead development driver for the '17 car was Tanak - it seems unlikely that they have had a driver of equivalent pedigree involved in the Puma, unless it's the best-kept secret in motorsport history...

It can only be this possibility that Craig Breen is banking on.
The thing is that MSport lineup with Breen, Fourmaux and Greensmith totally reminds me of Citroen 2017 lineup of Meeke, Breen, Lefevbre. Except it's even weaker. Meeke had 3 wins and Breen had 1 podium before 2017.

In other words, one good driver (but not one of the very best at the moment) and two weak ones. If the one driver doesn't deliver for whatever reason there is nobody to pickup. (and this further increases the pressure on the one driver)
Compare that with Toyota this year with all 3 drivers winning a rally often when one or both of the others have a bad day.