Nothing in the Czech Republic so far. How is in other countries? I hope its going to change in a no time. What it would be for a winter rallies if there is no snow? What about Janner rally? I cant even imagine.
2011 World Rally Championship
- Thread starter Christophe Berton
- Start date
Talk about it mate, barely any snow here in "Southern" Quebec... There's a little but it always melts down or becomes slush...
I'm sad
I'm sad
Warren Dawes
Premium
No snow in Australia yet either.
We can ship you some snow if you wish Warren
We have a little bit snow in Norway, but with all the rain and warm weather it is slowly starting to disappear. But if it start to freeze up and come down say 25cm of snow now, we might get the optimum icebase on the roads for the winter rallying
More often than not in rallying you lose rather than win. For example this year Hirvonen lost the championship, more so than Loeb won it if you get what I mean. The 2006 season similar. Loeb had the last 4 off because of his mountain biking accident. Gronholm should have taken the title. But he didn't and lost out by one point. Then again Loeb is one of a few drivers who can truly win, in the sense that he is the fastest and nobody else can touch him and he doesn't win because of someone else's misfortune. Was it Italy this year where he won running first on the road? That was pure skill. But of course part of rallying is staying on the road so winners won't always win, losers just crash. I do think the calibre of competition has dropped in the last few years. In any given season now there only four drivers winning rallies as opposed to ten or so years ago when there were 6 or 7. Part of this I think is lack manufacturer entries and backing/financial support. Also teams used to run as many as four cars, now only two.
Loeb can be beaten. I don't want to see him retire, because then we'll never know if he actually can be. It looks now as if Jari Matti is the one to do it. But that is in Fords hands now. Also if Petter gets a factory seat he could win a rally for the first time since 2005 which would be cool. Running his own team has clearly impacted his performance because there were times this year where he had speed. I think up until mid season he had the most stage wins for 2011.
Loeb can be beaten. I don't want to see him retire, because then we'll never know if he actually can be. It looks now as if Jari Matti is the one to do it. But that is in Fords hands now. Also if Petter gets a factory seat he could win a rally for the first time since 2005 which would be cool. Running his own team has clearly impacted his performance because there were times this year where he had speed. I think up until mid season he had the most stage wins for 2011.
Ford Europe just announced they have contract with M-Sport for next two years. The team will be put together from Jari-Matti Latvala (and Miikka Anttila) with Peter Solberg (and Chris Patterson) as a teammate. Peter has a contract with Ford for only 1 year though. Both drivers will attend in 13 events, which is whole season.
Bri-lli-aaaaant!
Just saw the news. Petter Solberg finally signed with Ford for next year WRC. No more privateer Citroen, now is Ford Fiesta RS time
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96752
Latvala with Petter and Loeb with Hirvonnen. Next year looks promising!
[arggh.. OK just posted about it 4mins ago while I was writing. You can delete this so]
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96752
Latvala with Petter and Loeb with Hirvonnen. Next year looks promising!
[arggh.. OK just posted about it 4mins ago while I was writing. You can delete this so]
Xosé Estrada
Premium
I still miss his fan club singing:
Peeeeeeeeeeter Solberg! Peter Solberg! Peeeeeeeeeeter Solberg! Peter Solberg!
Peeeeeeeeeeter Solberg! Peter Solberg! Peeeeeeeeeeter Solberg! Peter Solberg!
Exactly, and I love the livery too!
Warren Dawes
Premium
That looks like good news, and will certainly strengthen the Ford team I think.
Still hoping for good news about MINI.
Still hoping for good news about MINI.
A nice move, according to Petter it was either Ford or a change to something else on the motorsport branch. Will be exciting to see how he will do back in a works car
Best driver on paper, but it could be said that since Gronholm left, there's been very little competition for him. It'll be great to see what Latvala does as main driver for Ford, he's a very quick lad just inexperienced and accident prone (and arguably in an inferior car). And let's not forget Solberg with a comfy seat at Ford for 2012 .
He'll retire to Le Mans soon with a perverted amount of records though
Harry has a good point. For a couple of seasons now, it's been the pressure getting to other drivers that have won him championships when it goes down to the wire. Gronholm in Ireland in 2007 and Australia in 2006 as well as Hirvonen this year, for example. He's damn good but so are other drivers. It's more a case of him knowing how to keep a cool head, and with that comes consistent success.
.He'll retire to Le Mans soon with a perverted amount of records though
Harry has a good point. For a couple of seasons now, it's been the pressure getting to other drivers that have won him championships when it goes down to the wire. Gronholm in Ireland in 2007 and Australia in 2006 as well as Hirvonen this year, for example. He's damn good but so are other drivers. It's more a case of him knowing how to keep a cool head, and with that comes consistent success.
Might aswell add the second best driver
Tomi Mäkinen.4 Championships and a few legendary cars named after him
Prodrive has got a lot of customers using the MINI WRC already this year. It may be a good way of getting some extra cash for their own WRC team. Today Rickard Göransson announced he will drive a MINI in Rally Sweden: http://www.richardgoransson.com/201...n-kor-kungaklassen-wrc-i-svenska-rallyt-2012/
This is so awesome, I've been a huge fan of him ever since I saw his maximum attack driving style in Formula Fords in the 90's.
And as a BMW Motorsport fan, I think it's a bit sad to see them putting all efforts into DTM (and a bit of development for the Z4 GT3). It's good they're back in DTM, but not at the expense of their WRC, WTCC and other customer programs.
This is so awesome, I've been a huge fan of him ever since I saw his maximum attack driving style in Formula Fords in the 90's.
And as a BMW Motorsport fan, I think it's a bit sad to see them putting all efforts into DTM (and a bit of development for the Z4 GT3). It's good they're back in DTM, but not at the expense of their WRC, WTCC and other customer programs.
Tommi's car
Colin's car
Carlos's car
Richard's cars
and oh dear Loeb's car... Its a normal citreon c4 with his signature on the side. Top gear summed it up pretty well. http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/c4-loeb-2009-03-24
How can loeb be the greatest rally driver if that is his special car. Its pathetic.
FIA need to bring homologation specials back. I want a road going version of a Fiesta RS WRC.
Colin's car
Carlos's car
Richard's cars
and oh dear Loeb's car... Its a normal citreon c4 with his signature on the side. Top gear summed it up pretty well. http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/c4-loeb-2009-03-24
How can loeb be the greatest rally driver if that is his special car. Its pathetic.
FIA need to bring homologation specials back. I want a road going version of a Fiesta RS WRC.
Manuel De Samaniego
3X Race Department Rally Champion
LOOOOOOOOL that car has nothing to do with Loeb being the best or not, like the special car decided how the driver was.
Loeb IS THE BEST AND MOST SUCCESFULL RALLY DRIVER EVER and 8 world Rally championship titles in a row and more than 60 victories prove it.
And these are Loeb's cars
Loeb IS THE BEST AND MOST SUCCESFULL RALLY DRIVER EVER and 8 world Rally championship titles in a row and more than 60 victories prove it.
And these are Loeb's cars
