RE: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sebastien?

[anonymous-user]

http://www.citroen-wrc.com/en/season/2011/rally/un...

Very very interesting.

[jetpilot]

zeb said:

I genuinely believe that loebs dominance would not have been so total over recent years if burns was still about.

Well i guess no one can challenge that statement as its a matter of opinion and "pub talk", however, while Burns was good a Loeb he is not. Loeb almost won the title in his first year of WRC and from his 2nd year has been the world champion, in 2006 he didnt even do the last 4 rounds and still won, from my knowledge Burns was in WRC for 6 years and one title, not sure how you think he would beat Loeb?

[zeb]

jetpilot said:

zeb said:

I genuinely believe that loebs dominance would not have been so total over recent years if burns was still about.

Well i guess no one can challenge that statement as its a matter of opinion and "pub talk", however, while Burns was good a Loeb he is not. Loeb almost won the title in his first year of WRC and from his 2nd year has been the world champion, in 2006 he didnt even do the last 4 rounds and still won, from my knowledge Burns was in WRC for 6 years and one title, not sure how you think he would beat Loeb?

What I said was 'loebs dominance would not have been so total' - I'm the first to accept that burns was no loeb, and yes, we'll never know how well he would have done....but if hirvonen could have won this years wrc despite not even driving as well as jari matti latvala then my synopsis that burns was more canny and a thinker about the championship still remains valid, then maybe that would have been more of a challenge to loeb.

Whilst i'm happy to debate this all week long, I'm still strongly disagreeing with the previous post about 'fairly handy'

you do not get to be world champion in anything by being fairly handy

[m8rky]

ELUSIVEJIM said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqGUD6Wz14w

Anyone who does not feel Richard Burns was a top driver watch the above video.

10 Years since he won his World Championship.

At the time I was gutted as being a Scot I wanted Mcrae to win.

Unfortunatly Richard had a fight which he could not win and its pretty hard watching the above video

RIP Champion

I have to admit I have never thoght what would have happened had Richard Burns not been cruelly taken from the sport.I watched that video the other day,it is one of the most moving films I have seen.I am a massive Loeb fan and I can't believe people on hear are dishing out anti Burns sentiments.Richard had his life cut short in awful circumstances and with devastating effects on his family and friends.He was a worthy champion,a decent bloke and a good sportsman.

R.I.P Richard.

[zeb]

+1

[McCrash]

A little snippet about RB and further proof of what a top top guy he was. While attending the Rally GB in 1998 we went along to get his autograph at a meet and greet - it was late and we were nearly last in with one guy behind us and a dad and his young son behind him. The PR guy was about to close the door on the dad and his son and RB spotted this and made sure the young lad got in to see him. He was in a rush and didn't need to do it, but he did. I've never forgotten that and despite McRae being my hero I always liked RB too. These were the days when the top 2 drivers were British - compare that to today! RIP RB.

[IainW]

jetpilot said:

Which begs the question, why are they not still in WRC?

Is it the Evo and Imprezza have simply run their course, was it very early 90's they came into production? Have they literally taken that design/name as far as they can and to build a new car from scratch rather than update must cost millions? Nothing lasts for ever, name in point the Delta, Celica, 205/206 etc

I'm guessing because they didn't have the funding the other WRC-spec teams had and could never get to grips with the switch from a Group A to a WRC car. By the time the Evo WRC arrived, everyone else had at least 3 years of a headstart on them.

Liked the Delecour video, he's another character I miss. Of the current crop the one that excites me most is Latvala. He's your typical flat-out Vatanen/McRae/Delecour-style driver. Remember watching him when he was 17 doing the BRC in a Focus WRC and he was very spectacular to watch. Sadly the current breed of cars don't like going sideways.

Great article by the way. If only Loeb had taken up the VW offer, then we'd have seen if he was just as good in different surroundings.

[JB!]

Cracking article.

For me, motorsport peaked in the 90's

BTCC/Supertouring

F1

Rallying


All half the sports they used to be athough at least BTCC is getting good fun to watch again!

I love Rallying, used to work in JWRC as an apprentice, there is something so much more raw about a rally car than any open wheeler or tin-top, the problem is, to joe public, these beasts look tamed by Mr Loeb, and the lack of coverage/publicity/road specials doesnt help!

[marcosgt]

IainW said:

jetpilot said:

Which begs the question, why are they not still in WRC?

Is it the Evo and Imprezza have simply run their course, was it very early 90's they came into production? Have they literally taken that design/name as far as they can and to build a new car from scratch rather than update must cost millions? Nothing lasts for ever, name in point the Delta, Celica, 205/206 etc

I'm guessing because they didn't have the funding the other WRC-spec teams had and could never get to grips with the switch from a Group A to a WRC car. By the time the Evo WRC arrived, everyone else had at least 3 years of a headstart on them.

Liked the Delecour video, he's another character I miss. Of the current crop the one that excites me most is Latvala. He's your typical flat-out Vatanen/McRae/Delecour-style driver. Remember watching him when he was 17 doing the BRC in a Focus WRC and he was very spectacular to watch. Sadly the current breed of cars don't like going sideways.

Great article by the way. If only Loeb had taken up the VW offer, then we'd have seen if he was just as good in different surroundings.

I don't see the current cars are any less happy going sideways than the Focus WRC.

No 4WD car is at its best going sideways (in fact, no matter how 'cool' it looks, no rally car is at its best going sideways or flying), but the latest cars seemed to be an improvement visually to me, both in terms of how they look themselves and in terms of 'on the road' presence.

M