[ERC] Acropolis Rally 2014

[dimviii]

@wrc1 nice photos mate!

[dimviii]

http://www.ewrc.cz/ewrc/fotogalery.p...4&fotograf=200

[Mintexmemory]

In my opinion the best comparison will come in Ypres and Barum. With Loix and Kopecký Škoda was unbeatable there. If Pugs will be faster then these two there it would be all clear. Also both these events are very high speed...

Loix at Ypres and Kopecký at Barum have so much 'experience' of the local roads that they will be able to compensate in some measure for power differential so I'd still expect them to win (Breen has only done both events once IIRC). The fairest comparison will be Circuit of Ireland. Breen doesn't have any significant experience of rallying in Ulster which will have some significant high speed sections, let's see how he goes against the opposition there. I was surprised from the pickems that so few people gave Breen and Abbring much chance. Both are very quick but have previously been given less competitive machinery than their contemporaries. My view is that the Pug is probably better than the Fiesta and clearly better than the S2000s but in Breen and Abbring they have a team that will use the equipment well.

[Mirek]

Loix at Ypres and Kopecký at Barum have so much 'experience' of the local roads that they will be able to compensate in some measure for power differential so I'd still expect them to win.

That's exactly what I meant. If there is really a significant difference in machinery we will clearly see it on these two events. The nice example is 2012 when local king Loix with Pug was not able to stop Hänninen in Ypres despite Hänninen's poor previous record on the event.

CoI won't show much in my opinion. None of ERC regulars knows the event well so there is too much uncertainties about driver's performance. In fact Breen is the only one who did it in the past.

[Jarek Z]

I was surprised from the pickems that so few people gave Breen and Abbring much chance. Both are very quick but have previously been given less competitive machinery than their contemporaries.

I'm sorry, but it's not true. Breen had works Pug 207 S2000 in last year's ERC and was constantly slower than Bouffier in a private 207. Up until Acropolis he has never won even a single rally in ERC. Also Andreucci's stage times in Ciocco were very disappointing, so most people didn't believe in the combination of Breen and 208 R5 being quick in Greece. Nothing surprising about it. Surprise was that Breen won

[dimviii]

a nice video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc548v7IgUc&hd=1

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I'm sorry, but it's not true. Breen had works Pug 207 S2000 in last year's ERC and was constantly slower than Bouffier in a private 207. Up until Acropolis he has never won even a single rally in ERC. Also Andreucci's stage times in Ciocco were very disappointing, so most people didn't believe in the combination of Breen and 208 R5 being quick in Greece. Nothing surprising about it. Surprise was that Breen won

No, that isnt fair. Breen was beaten by Bouffier last year in a very similar car, BUT Bouffier had and has a huge amount more experience. Breen set fastest stage times on some events and often lost time through punctures and minor offs, not that much on sheer pace. And it was his very first ERC season on events he was driving for the first time.

And he didnt win an ERC event as they were almost all dominated by Kopecky - a better, far more experienced driver, in the top car (the Skoda which has won for years).

This time it was a more level playing field for Breen with a competitive car, some more experience (although not driven Greece before) and he won fair and square.

[mousti]

Breen had I think always an extensive test before every rally.

[EightGear]

No, that isnt fair. Breen was beaten by Bouffier last year in a very similar car, BUT Bouffier had and has a huge amount more experience. Breen set fastest stage times on some events and often lost time through punctures and minor offs, not that much on sheer pace. And it was his very first ERC season on events he was driving for the first time.

And he didnt win an ERC event as they were almost all dominated by Kopecky - a better, far more experienced driver, in the top car (the Skoda which has won for years).

This time it was a more level playing field for Breen with a competitive car, some more experience (although not driven Greece before) and he won fair and square.

Abbring was faster than him until his car broke down though...

[Mintexmemory]

Breen had I think always an extensive test before every rally.

As you would expect of a works driver preparing notes for future use, very similar to Ogier's Fabia year.


By the way I'm a big admirer of Abbring so this year will see both the Pugistes scoring wins I'm sure