2023 rallying thread (WRC, ERC, national and historics)

2023 rallying thread (WRC, ERC, national and historics)

Author
Discussion

greeny12

Original Poster:

312 posts

225 months

Tuesday 3rd January 2023
quotequote all
It's a new year, so time to start a new thread for the rally fans on here!

Not long to the Monte... who's your money on? I fancy Neuville for the win.

df76

3,764 posts

284 months

Wednesday 4th January 2023
quotequote all
greeny12 said:
It's a new year, so time to start a new thread for the rally fans on here!

Not long to the Monte... who's your money on? I fancy Neuville for the win.
I'd be happy with a Tanak win.

greeny12

Original Poster:

312 posts

225 months

Thursday 5th January 2023
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df76 said:
I'd be happy with a Tanak win.
Me too, but the Monte has not historically been kind to him.

As a longtime Delecour fan I'll also be interested in seeing how he gets on in WRC2.

thepawbroon

1,183 posts

190 months

Thursday 5th January 2023
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I'd absolutely love a Tanak win, and a resurgence of M-Sport as a front-running team.

Monte Carlo is unpredictable, so it's entirely possible.

The same weekend sees stage rallying in Great Britain start up for 2023, with the Brands Hatch Stages.

There is already some very interesting machinery and crews on the entry list:

https://www.ewrc-results.com/entries/80085-mgj-eng...


andy97

4,729 posts

228 months

Thursday 5th January 2023
quotequote all
thepawbroon said:
The same weekend sees stage rallying in Great Britain start up for 2023, with the Brands Hatch Stages.

There is already some very interesting machinery and crews on the entry list:

https://www.ewrc-results.com/entries/80085-mgj-eng...
2 x Ferrari 308s - crikey, wonder when the last time that happened was.
Entry list opens for the Snetterton Stages tonight; hope I get an entry and hope the 308s are there for that too.

LukeBrown66

4,479 posts

52 months

Thursday 5th January 2023
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The 308's always seem to enter that event, the entries are much the same as the last few years, smattering of decent stuff then all the clubby guys will enter a bit later. Nice to see Steve Hill out in something, he must have been at it for 40 or so years!

Don Roque

18,060 posts

165 months

Thursday 5th January 2023
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It was announced today that Gus Greensmith will be competing in WRC2 now in a Skoda Fabia. I don't think he'll be back to the top tier but WRC2 could be good for him.

ArnageWRC

2,150 posts

165 months

Thursday 5th January 2023
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First stage event of the year, the former ERC Jannerrallye started today; there is some live coverage (in German) on You Tube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGAHnxRAXQE&ab...



LukeBrown66

4,479 posts

52 months

Thursday 5th January 2023
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Always enjoy the Janner, especially if it is snowy!!

Maxdecel

1,472 posts

39 months

Friday 13th January 2023
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Hyundai announces ex-Renault F1 boss Abiteboul as WRC team principal - https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/hyundai-announc...

mattminiman

7 posts

177 months

Wednesday 18th January 2023
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I’m heading to the Monte for the first time - anybody been?
Trying to plan my days and work out if I can get to more than one stage in a day?
Appreciate there are two runs on the same stage but was hoping to move about a bit but not urge if this is possible - any advice gratefully received.

df76

3,764 posts

284 months

Thursday 19th January 2023
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mattminiman said:
I’m heading to the Monte for the first time - anybody been?
Trying to plan my days and work out if I can get to more than one stage in a day?
Appreciate there are two runs on the same stage but was hoping to move about a bit but not urge if this is possible - any advice gratefully received.
Hope you have a great weekend, very jealous! It’s on the list..

A dry and snowless start to the event.

confucuis

1,307 posts

130 months

Thursday 19th January 2023
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Rally Monte this weekend!!! I don't really agree with splitting rallying into it's own sub forum, don't think the traffic is there for it but anyway..

Interesting start to the rally, Ogier leading with Evans 6 seconds back, then Tanak 15 back and Neuville. Neuville slipped on ice on the last stage and lost a good 10 seconds. So it should be very tight between those but ya never know with Ogier, he could disappear off into the distance. Tanak already having some issue with reliability which isn't good!

Regarding MSport and Hyundai, I really questioned the decision to remove Breen and only give him a part drive in Hyundai and whilst it's only two stages into the first rally, I seem to be proved right.

Rant incoming: As a supporter of my fellow countryman Breen, I'm going to spend the season watching Loubet, Sordo and Lappi like a hawk and comparing them to him!

My thoughts before tonight was that Loubet should not have replaced Breen. He only won stages when he had good road position, but when he had similar road position to Breen, he was losing 10/15 seconds a stage. It doesn't make sense that they gave the drive to Loubet who's best finish was two 4th places, which Msport and many journalits were shouting about it from the roof tops when they were really negative about Breen who secured 7 career podiums, 2 with Msport last year.

Very worried for Msport, Tanak will not tolerate the reliability issues they had which will effect the relationship with the team and Team will come down hard on Tanak if he repeats the crashes he had in Monte in 2021 and others last year. Msport had only one win last year and that was after Ogier got a puncture on the last stage, Toyota had issues and Hyundai had setup problems. If Msport was going to run two full time drivers it should have been Breen and Tanak.

Hyundai decided to give the drive to Lappi and share time Sordo. After only two stages, Sordo is 30 seconds off, Loubet is 40 and Lappi is 41 off, after two! Breen finished 3rd here! I think Lappi is two one dimensional, only really good on loose surface. I wish there was more teams so the likes of Lindholm, Mikkelsen and Kajetanowicz could get drives

ArnageWRC

2,150 posts

165 months

Friday 20th January 2023
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confucuis said:
Rally Monte this weekend!!! I don't really agree with splitting rallying into it's own sub forum, don't think the traffic is there for it but anyway..
I'm the same - fine if it's getting regular comments, but it's as normal. One comment since 'the Monte' started.....really??? The interest, compared to other series/disciplines isn't there. It's hard to justify it's own sub forum......

And then we have the WRC+ All Live coverage dropping out, AGAIN!!....Not good enough, and no wonder the sport can't attract manufacturers, big sponsors...

Slippydiff

15,110 posts

229 months

Friday 20th January 2023
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ArnageWRC said:
I'm the same - fine if it's getting regular comments, but it's as normal. One comment since 'the Monte' started.....really??? The interest, compared to other series/disciplines isn't there. It's hard to justify it's own sub forum......

And then we have the WRC+ All Live coverage dropping out, AGAIN!!....Not good enough, and no wonder the sport can't attract manufacturers, big sponsors...
Get BT Sport the coverage is excellent.
Elfyn’s luck (or lack of it) strikes again frown
No proper service after this morning’s loop of stages, an utterly stupid decision on the part of the organisers.
Limiting tyres another utterly dim decision.
The world’s fastest rally cars hamstrung by idiotic rules.
On the plus side, the stages are dry and stunning, and the views amazing. smile

confucuis

1,307 posts

130 months

Friday 20th January 2023
quotequote all
Slippydiff said:
Get BT Sport the coverage is excellent.
Elfyn’s luck (or lack of it) strikes again frown
No proper service after this morning’s loop of stages, an utterly stupid decision on the part of the organisers.
Limiting tyres another utterly dim decision.
The world’s fastest rally cars hamstrung by idiotic rules.
On the plus side, the stages are dry and stunning, and the views amazing. smile
Evan's just hasn't got any luck at all, great battle with Ogier and it's over after the puncture frown

I actually like the lack of service, to me it kinda brings back the endurance side of things and adds some jeopardy to the rally. Mistakes will have bigger impacts and issues can change up the leader board. Ogier is reporting hybrid issues which he might have to carry for the next 3 stages which might bring Evans/Tanak/Neuville back into it!

LukeBrown66

4,479 posts

52 months

Friday 20th January 2023
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The discussion is not there because people are just not interested, for me this weekend, a weekend normally when Monte fever takes over, it is all about the oar at Daytona, why? new, interesting cars, new tech, not this garbage that WRC trot out, all the cars look the same as last year, the drivers are pretty much the same, as are the events.

it is a tired series in need of drastic change, but the rights holder doesn't give a toss because all they ever do is sponsor the winners getting their name out there regardless.

I am talking about Red Bull oif course

ArnageWRC

2,150 posts

165 months

Friday 20th January 2023
quotequote all
Slippydiff said:
Get BT Sport the coverage is excellent.
Elfyn’s luck (or lack of it) strikes again frown
No proper service after this morning’s loop of stages, an utterly stupid decision on the part of the organisers.
Limiting tyres another utterly dim decision.
The world’s fastest rally cars hamstrung by idiotic rules.
On the plus side, the stages are dry and stunning, and the views amazing. smile
The servicing, or lack of makes no sense. WRC events are now sprints, so allow tyre changes/servicing. If you want an Endurance element, make the event longer so any problems aren't as big an issue as there's plenty of mileage to get time back. One puncture/ minor issue can destroy your event.....it needn't be this way.

At the moment, it's trying to be a bit of both - and doesn't work.......

Slippydiff

15,110 posts

229 months

Friday 20th January 2023
quotequote all
ArnageWRC said:
The servicing, or lack of makes no sense. WRC events are now sprints, so allow tyre changes/servicing. If you want an Endurance element, make the event longer so any problems aren't as big an issue as there's plenty of mileage to get time back. One puncture/ minor issue can destroy your event.....it needn't be this way.

At the moment, it's trying to be a bit of both - and doesn't work.......
Somewhat shocked to see/hear the top drivers expressing their concerns & nervousness over driving in the dark on Thursday night, and saying how tricky/difficult it was.The likes of Röhrl, Blomvquist et all never batted an eyelid at having to drive night stages, likewise Seb Loeb.

I imagine Elfyn, like his dad, cut his teeth road rallying at night on the Welsh lanes, so I thought he’d see any night driving as providing an advantage ?


thepawbroon

1,183 posts

190 months

Friday 20th January 2023
quotequote all
Slippydiff said:
Somewhat shocked to see/hear the top drivers expressing their concerns & nervousness over driving in the dark on Thursday night, and saying how tricky/difficult it was.The likes of Röhrl, Blomvquist et all never batted an eyelid at having to drive night stages, likewise Seb Loeb.

I imagine Elfyn, like his dad, cut his teeth road rallying at night on the Welsh lanes, so I thought he’d see any night driving as providing an advantage ?
I think Elfyn cut his teeth in BTRDA and Welsh forest rallies in a Micra....

Anyway, what I read into the "darkness" comments was more about the weather, specifically the temperature dropping at night and damp patches forming ice after the route note crews had been through.

It is a shame this Monte is a bit more benign than usual, due to lack of snow. But we have the prospect of an Evans and Tanak fight back now.

D