2023 WRC News & Rumours

[mknight]

Signing Mikkelsen for full season "from nowhere" seemed strange and high risk.

Who knows how Rally1 change would work for him, we have many drivers that struggle (Evans, Sordo, Breen), and some that don't (even old ones like Loeb).

Lappi hasn't shown drop in performance in Rally1, so is clearly a much safer choice and Hyundai need some "safe" drivers. (Specially since Sordo's speed dropped so much).

Part time drive in 3rd car is another question altogether and depends a lot on the driver combinations. There the question is whether Mikkelsen wants to drive for Hyundai if he gets offered only 4-5 rounds, I am not so sure. With 7+ it is likely different.

[Lead]

Maybe its even better for Mikkelsen to drive/get paid by Skoda without stress, advertise new car, winning rallies and settle down a little. You never know, maybe after few years Rally2 cars will be the main class in WRC All he has to do is tune down his ambitions and grab the opportunity when it will present himself.

[Danny0405]

There the question is whether Mikkelsen wants to drive for Hyundai if he gets offered only 4-5 rounds, I am not so sure. With 7+ it is likely different.

I clearly think Mikkelsen would take a 4-5 rounds offer if it has existed; he has no choice, if he doesn’t have a drive next year, it’s as good as over for him (too much time out of main class and not that young in a context with very little seats available).
But anyway, I don’t think Hyundai will give a 4-5 round program next year considering what Moncet said: clearly, Sordo’s season (efficient but a bit rusty) has shown you need some habits on the car and for a newcomer in Rally1 car, 4 rounds is not enough to get these habits. I clearly think they will have a better balance if their 3rd car next year with a 8-6 or 7-7 balance between Sordo and another driver (Breen, Suninen or Mikkelsen).

About Toyota, the best for the balance of the championship would be:
Rovanpera and Evans in the two first cars
Katsuta sharing 3rd car with Ogier
4th car full-time shared between Katsuta (when Ogier in 3rd) and a young driver (when Ogier is not driving) such as Lindholm.

[EstWRC]

Latvalas talk has changed a lot last two weeks https://www-rallit-fi.translate.goog..._x_tr_pto=wapp

[AnttiL]

I would like Mikkelsen to get a Rally1 drive just to prove the ”ladder” works, if you win WRC2 (possibly/almost twice) plus ERC you should be able to progress forwards.

[cali]

Latvalas talk has changed a lot last two weeks https://www-rallit-fi.translate.goog..._x_tr_pto=wapp

Wonder if Jouhki's comments are also changing?

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[meh]

Well, Mikkelsen seems to be likeable guy to have in WRC but actually I don't know the answer, why he is "ignored" or down in the hire-list for teams?

He was too much "till learning the car" in Hyundai and can drive only when car is "accidentally" perfect for him to drive? (Like during VW time).

The same comment I can make to Ostberg direction. But both developed Rally2 cars, so they should have good level development and setup-skills.

[Danny0405]

I would like Mikkelsen to get a Rally1 drive just to prove the ”ladder” works, if you win WRC2 (possibly/almost twice) plus ERC you should be able to progress forwards.

Well, in his case, it’s not totally the real ladder as he is a former manufacturer RC1 driver; for me, the driver who represents the ladder the most at the moment (even if it depends a bit on what will happen next week) is Lindholm.

IMO, as said above, the best deal would be Ogier/Katsuta in shared 3rd car and Katsuta/Lindholm in shared 4th car for Toyota:
- all the investments made by Toyota on Katsuta make sense only if he becomes a real manufacturer driver at one point; a 4th drive for all his career is non-sense ; this solution would allow him to put one step ahead as a manufacturer driver while still doing the full season and limiting the risk for the team with Ogier still in the mix (and Toyota’s Rovanpera-Evans-Ogier/Katsuta line-up has a real possibility of winning the manufacturer title against a Neuville-Lappi-Sordo/Suninen line-up)
- it would show Toyota is still investing in the future of rally and promoting young new drivers at the top level (and it allows to prepare the future whereas the real best 10 drivers in the world so far are all more 30+ years except Rovanpera) and Lindholm is the best young RC2 driver this season.
- Would also show the Next Generation team is not just a fake trick for Japanese drivers but a real stuff, helping to promote driver with potential.
- Toyota is looking for a driver to develop his future Rally2 car? Well, Lindholm fits the bill, he has contributed in the development of the new Skoda, the best brand of the class and he is one of the top guns of Rally2 this season so he could have a deal in 2024 with part-time Rally1 and part-time Rally2 when the RC2 car will be available. And he will know the new Skoda who has a high probability of being the reference to beat.

Yeah, there are other drivers such as Ostberg, Mikkelsen or Suninen (or even Meeke) that could develop the RC2 (and have the development experience in this class) and being a part-time driver; but not sure there gave as much advantages as this solution and they all also represent a risk considering their time out of the main class (and never had made a Rally1 rally).

[meh]

Wonder if Jouhki's comments are also changing?

Jouhki is "funny" guy. First saying, that "he did not expect Tänak to leave Hyundai" - but he did.

... and then he states really clearly that Tänak will stay at home because this is his most realistic option.

Some more surprises to come? (I don't know the answer and don't pretend to know it)

[skarderud]

I would like Mikkelsen to get a Rally1 drive just to prove the ”ladder” works, if you win WRC2 (possibly/almost twice) plus ERC you should be able to progress forwards.

What if, split drive with Ogier and develop/race WRC2 for Toyota?
Probably the best wrc2 driver/developer around these days?

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