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Allyc85
3,696 posts
55 months
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JML has decided to run near the back of the pack while Hirvonen has gone the oposite way, hoping the forecast rain actually turns up!
Running order
1. Mikko Hirvonen
2. Petter Solberg
3. Sebastien Loeb
4. Ott Tanak
5. Dani Sordo
6. Jari Ketomaa
7. Evgeny Novikov
8. Manfred Stohl
9. Ken Block
10. Armindo Araujo
11. Paulo Nobre
12. Thierry Neuville
13. Jari-Matti Latvala
Loeb has stated he dosnt have to win this rally so im going to say it will be a Hirvonen win, Solberg 2nd and Loeb 3rd!
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PSBuckshot
Original Poster
4,641 posts
28 months
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Block to win...  After Loeb said he doesn't need to win I don't think JML will be going flat out either but I still think he'll be faster than Solberg and Hirvonen. JML to really win. But if Block does win you heard it here first.
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Allyc85
3,696 posts
55 months
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After 2 stages Solberg is 54 seconds off of Hirvonen after he decided to take hard tyres while everyone else is on softs!
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EDLT
14,580 posts
75 months
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Allyc85 said: After 2 stages Solberg is 54 seconds off of Hirvonen after he decided to take hard tyres while everyone else is on softs! Why does he keep doing crap like this?
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GravelBen
10,026 posts
99 months
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Early days yet but I'm feeling smug about NZRC Grp-N cars holding 14-18th overall (after SS3) while the top PWRC competitor is in 21st. Local knowledge helping a bit no doubt.
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EDLT
14,580 posts
75 months
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Meh, PWRC is a bit of a gentleman's cup anyway. It could be that some of the local drivers are just more talented.
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GravelBen
10,026 posts
99 months
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EDLT said: It could be that some of the local drivers are just more talented. Oh they're certainly not slow - Block and A.McRae have both done a few NZRC rounds in the past without matching the local pace, and Paddon had much stiffer competition locally than in PWRC last year. I just didn't want to be too blindly patriotic about it. 
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PSBuckshot
Original Poster
4,641 posts
28 months
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JML is annoying me now, god knows what Ford think.
Loeb will now win this because Citroen won't let Hirvonen push him.
Gr.
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ArnageWRC
591 posts
28 months
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RallyNZ, well Loeb doing what he does so well, Mikko driving consistently. Jari-Matti, as usual, throwing it off the road & Petter making the wrong tyre choice. Normal service.....
Ford really are hopeless – the complete opposite of what we saw last week with Audi.
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PSBuckshot
Original Poster
4,641 posts
28 months
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ArnageWRC said: Ford really are hopeless – the complete opposite of what we saw last week with Audi. Is it Ford or the drivers?...Drivers choose the tyres and make the mistakes do they not?
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ArnageWRC
591 posts
28 months
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Both – there’s only so long you can blame bad luck. When it keeps happening, it’s becuae there’s something wrong, i;e the team, whether it’s management, etc
If Ford are really serious about the WRC – then they need to put their hands in their pockets. I feel they get an easy ride. Citroen are committed, and not just financially....the whole company. When Loeb was wavering last year – senior board members talked him round. I doubt that would happen with Ford.
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Allyc85
3,696 posts
55 months
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So Ford and its drivers have f  ked it up again, brilliant! If the New Zealand stages wernt so brilliant to watch I could almost not bother keeping an eye on the rally! IRC Ypres starts today, I cant believe its a year since I went, its such a brilliant event! Hopefully there will be a proper battle in that event!
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Allyc85
3,696 posts
55 months
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P I Staker
2,315 posts
25 months
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Allyc85 said: The inside wheel digs in with a bit of right hand lock on and it just rotates round it, unlucky I suppose.
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andygo
3,841 posts
124 months
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ArnageWRC said: Both – there’s only so long you can blame bad luck. When it keeps happening, it’s becuae there’s something wrong, i;e the team, whether it’s management, etc
If Ford are really serious about the WRC – then they need to put their hands in their pockets. I feel they get an easy ride. Citroen are committed, and not just financially....the whole company. When Loeb was wavering last year – senior board members talked him round. I doubt that would happen with Ford. I suspect it's Malcolm Wilson thing. They have a long history of 'bad luck'. I feel sorry for Latvala, he seems such a humble and nice guy, he should be nurtured.
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Allyc85
3,696 posts
55 months
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Loeb leads by 6.4 over Hirvonen with team orders set to come in with one day to go. Leading positions after SS15: Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap 1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen 3h27m51.9s 2. Mikko Hirvonen Citroen + 6.4s 3. Petter Solberg Ford + 1m33.3s 4. Evgeny Novikov M-Sport Ford + 2m02.5s 5. Ott Tanak M-Sport Ford + 2m23.8s 6. Thierry Neuville Qatar Citroen + 2m47.2s 7. Dani Sordo Prodrive Mini + 3m05.9s 8. Jari-Matti Latvala Ford + 4m58.0s 9. Armindo Araujo Portugal Mini + 8m21.1s 10. Ken Block Monster Ford + 9m07.6s Very boring, but sensible from Citreon! edit: and just as I write that team orders are confirmed and Loeb will win. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/100609
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PSBuckshot
Original Poster
4,641 posts
28 months
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GravelBen
10,026 posts
99 months
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PSBuckshot said: God I hate team orders. +1, would have been an interesting battle up front otherwise. Good to see Paddon taking SWRC and 12th overall despite a series of car problems, and Kiwi Group-N cars in 13/14/15th.
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PSBuckshot
Original Poster
4,641 posts
28 months
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Have to say NZ is probably in my top 3 rally stages with Finland and Monte.
Just love the sweeping cambered roads.
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ArnageWRC
591 posts
28 months
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How can they even think of dropping New Zealand – the best roads in the WRC. To be replaced by what? Another identikit dry, gravel Rally in India/Brazil, etc It’s simple – use your best events for the WRC and get rid of the poor events.
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