2023 WRC News & Rumours

[becher]

based on his comments, it's more like 50th birthday (he actually has long way to go for that), but... he is competitor - when helmet goes on and start light says go, probably the theory will be left behind

Of course it is, I meant more that he isn't retired for long whereas the likes of Grönholm, Alen, Salonen were retired for a long time before they came back for their 50th birthday and therefore their lack competitiveness was logic.

[Eli]

https://www.rallye-sport.fr/le-wrc-v...euves-en-2024/

Didn't Chile sign a multiple-year deal?

[satnav]

https://www.rallye-sport.fr/le-wrc-v...euves-en-2024/

Didn't Chile sign a multiple-year deal?

Deals can be broken with a bigger pay check, the WRC rounds are all down to money now, it looks like there's no guarantee that you'll be there if someone offers the promoter more money

[Jarek Z]

Have you ever heard about this visionary?
https://dirtfish.com/rally/rallyings...6zjuZaZeVqL79g

[Rallyest]

Anyone have collected any info or have any indication how different/similar are Lappi's and Suninens driving styles, i mean Hyundai seems to suit Lappi very well, i mean we will know in a few days but, just wondering if anybody has made any "recce" on that?

[becher]

Anyone have collected any info or have any indication how different/similar are Lappi's and Suninens driving styles, i mean Hyundai seems to suit Lappi very well, i mean we will know in a few days but, just wondering if anybody has made any "recce" on that?

Hmm how did they compare at M Sport? Anyone remembers any comments regarding setup?

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The cars are so different I dont think driving styles from the old Fiesta would be very relevant.

Suninen comments after Lõuna-Eesti Ralli test:

"That was really good preparation for the rally, got a good feeling and good preparation for the car. For Estonia, it will be tough to match the pace of the top guys, but to be close would be enough."

[becher]

The cars are so different I dont think driving styles from the old Fiesta would be very relevant.

Suninen comments after Lõuna-Eesti Ralli test:

"That was really good preparation for the rally, got a good feeling and good preparation for the car. For Estonia, it will be tough to match the pace of the top guys, but to be close would be enough."

Of course it does, what a specific driver expects and wants from a car in terms of behavior doesn't change with the regulations, if the car can give him what he wants however does change with that.

[meh]

I expect Lappi to be close to Tänak-Rovanperä and clearly faster than Neuville. If Suninen is faster than Neuville, it's really strong result from him.

South-Estonia rally had 3 loops on 3 stages and Suninen showed some progress - loss per km to Tänak:
1st loop: 1.13, 0.62, 0.89
2nd loop: 0.40, 0.45, 0.79
3rd loop: 0.44, 0.21, 0.30

Tänak was first on the road, always some extra cleaning disadvantage.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Of course it does, what a specific driver expects and wants from a car in terms of behavior doesn't change with the regulations, if the car can give him what he wants however does change with that.

What he said in 2021 about the benefit of driving the Fiesta Rally2 car...

“Next year with Rally1 car, there’s no centre differential and we’re back to a [stick] gearshift and there’s going to be less aerodynamics,” he said.

“For the driving, this is more similar to the current Rally2 cars. OK, there’s no battery and a lot more power coming, like we will have for Rally1, but the actual driving style is maybe like [the] R5 car. To take more experience of driving a car in specification like this is good."