2023 rallying thread (WRC, ERC, national and historics)
Discussion
Great event, if the rest can be like that, it'll be incredible!
Delighted for Breen to get second. Vindication after a tough time last year. I had actually remarked to my father that if Breen dropped to second and Neuville got past Rovanpera to third they might swap them! It made sense for them to swap Breen and Neuville but I was delighted when Neuville made the mistake! If he wants to be champion, he really needs to stop making those silly mistakes, he had a habit of it which Rovanpera and Tanak don't.
Well done to Tanak, great drive and it's great for the championship to have a strong Msport. Last year it was clear the Puma was far better on loose surface events vs tarmac, but Tanak will still be first on the road on Mexico. It's going to be very interesting to see how he does.
Also, Rovanpera doesn't look as imperious as he was in the first half of last year. Evans, Tanak, Neuville and at this event Lappi were all very close to him which bodes well for the championship!
Delighted for Breen to get second. Vindication after a tough time last year. I had actually remarked to my father that if Breen dropped to second and Neuville got past Rovanpera to third they might swap them! It made sense for them to swap Breen and Neuville but I was delighted when Neuville made the mistake! If he wants to be champion, he really needs to stop making those silly mistakes, he had a habit of it which Rovanpera and Tanak don't.
Well done to Tanak, great drive and it's great for the championship to have a strong Msport. Last year it was clear the Puma was far better on loose surface events vs tarmac, but Tanak will still be first on the road on Mexico. It's going to be very interesting to see how he does.
Also, Rovanpera doesn't look as imperious as he was in the first half of last year. Evans, Tanak, Neuville and at this event Lappi were all very close to him which bodes well for the championship!
I bet things have been "interesting" at M-Sport since Tanak arrived - everyone alluded to it yesterday, including Ott and Malcolm!
I doubt he's making many friends there, but that's what winners do. They work until they win, and they expect exactly the same of others. I suspect he's already extracted 10-20% more effort from the team than Greensmith ever managed...
Loving it!
I doubt he's making many friends there, but that's what winners do. They work until they win, and they expect exactly the same of others. I suspect he's already extracted 10-20% more effort from the team than Greensmith ever managed...
Loving it!
I have a lot of time for Craig Breen, he seems a fantastic guy, quick as anyone (as this weekend proved) and a team player.
But, he's not yet experienced enough to be a team leader. Whether that expectation was put on him by M-Sport, or by himself, or even at all, doesn't matter now. But it was unrealistic to expect Craig to lead the driving crew and development of a new car during the season. Monte Carlo 2022 just set expectations way out of line with what could be delivered.
I couldn't fault him for taking the opportunity, he's shown that he can deal with some pretty heavy responsibilities in the past.
A year as "No.3" part time, then a full-time year as No.2 like Lappi, then he will be ready I think.
Tanak on the other hand, just seems to have been waiting for the opportunity to be back as No.1 driver after his spell at Hyundai. And wow did he ever deliver.
This season does look like a cracker doesn't It?
But, he's not yet experienced enough to be a team leader. Whether that expectation was put on him by M-Sport, or by himself, or even at all, doesn't matter now. But it was unrealistic to expect Craig to lead the driving crew and development of a new car during the season. Monte Carlo 2022 just set expectations way out of line with what could be delivered.
I couldn't fault him for taking the opportunity, he's shown that he can deal with some pretty heavy responsibilities in the past.
A year as "No.3" part time, then a full-time year as No.2 like Lappi, then he will be ready I think.
Tanak on the other hand, just seems to have been waiting for the opportunity to be back as No.1 driver after his spell at Hyundai. And wow did he ever deliver.
This season does look like a cracker doesn't It?
LukeBrown66 said:
I would disagree with Breens experience, he is just not a team leader and a development driver as Tanak, Ogier, maybe Neuville mistakenly are.
Breen is a Mikkelsen, Lappi just a decent level driver who doesn't want to or cannot cope with the pressure of being a team leader
theres too much weight put on it anyway. what you end up developing is something which suits one driver only. Look at Marquez on the Honda in motogp. the Honda was great for him as it was built in his image but no one else could make it work. now hes b****xed with injuries and Honda are celebrating 6th place. Breen is a Mikkelsen, Lappi just a decent level driver who doesn't want to or cannot cope with the pressure of being a team leader
From personal experience outside rallying I hated the team leader function. its not for everyone for sure. Breen took the gig as rally seats are like gold dust.
OK, so if a guy is not really able to personally develop a car, he is not a team leader, so he is not on Ogier's Loeb's potentially Tanak now at Ford level.
This is how a driver becomes a multiple champion, he knows what he wants and has the willpower to get it, Sainz was notoriously pushy with his teams to get his cars right and won tons of rallies and perhaps was unlucky to win at least two more titles.
Makinen was a bit of a Stoner, only he could drive that Lancer well, maybe Richard too before he needed to move into a team where he could be number 1 at Subaru, which was his spiritual home.
Guys like Didier, Colin, drive on their talent without maybe really knowing why they were so good!! Bit like a Villeneuve or Peterson in F1, actually more talent
This is how a driver becomes a multiple champion, he knows what he wants and has the willpower to get it, Sainz was notoriously pushy with his teams to get his cars right and won tons of rallies and perhaps was unlucky to win at least two more titles.
Makinen was a bit of a Stoner, only he could drive that Lancer well, maybe Richard too before he needed to move into a team where he could be number 1 at Subaru, which was his spiritual home.
Guys like Didier, Colin, drive on their talent without maybe really knowing why they were so good!! Bit like a Villeneuve or Peterson in F1, actually more talent
Late to the thread, but catching up 
The 308 lost his spoiler later on
I think this is the Retro Power built Chevette, which appeared to be going well
And while we're on Chevette's here's one of a friends HSR on the Riponian (1st in class)
Off to the East Riding Stages tomorrow, doing the usual job on that one - say hello if you see the PH smilie
Tom1312 said:
I think this is the Retro Power built Chevette, which appeared to be going well
And while we're on Chevette's here's one of a friends HSR on the Riponian (1st in class)
Off to the East Riding Stages tomorrow, doing the usual job on that one - say hello if you see the PH smilie
pacenotes said:
fttm said:
Details released today for the Roger Albert Clark Rally , 340 stage miles starting in South Wales and the last day in Kielder before the finish in Carlisle . What I found shocking was the 5K entry fee , take in a car refresh , tyres , fuel, service crew , hotels etc etc what is the budget before turning a wheel in anger ? Crazy money IMHO
But its 5 days and 320 miles. Don't look up how much it was to do Wales rally GB which was about 190 miles and only 3 days. Its not an event you do every year, Some people are now building cars just for it, The money is about.
Paddon's ERC campaign off to a good start, taking the win at Fafe and second in the powerstage just behind Breen (who was pushing hardest most of the weekend but lost time with a puncture and a couple of spins).
Rough luck for Mikko Heikkila, leading for most of the rally and in a close final stage battle with Paddon, but punctured early in the final stage.
Rough luck for Mikko Heikkila, leading for most of the rally and in a close final stage battle with Paddon, but punctured early in the final stage.
Roger Albert Clark Rally - Unseeded entry list -180 Received & 6 Reserves.
http://files.freethought.website/freethought27/fil...
http://files.freethought.website/freethought27/fil...
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