The WRC 2012 Thread

[SAGTAFF]

EDLT said:

In their defence the factory drivers were trying to stay less than two and a half minutes behind the leader.

Bit unfair that statement. Doesn't the saying go "to finish first, first you have to finish" and although Novikov and Ostberg did not win you do wonder what they could do if they were given the same spec cars as JML and Solberg. Too many times the factory drivers just handed Citroen things on a plate. I do hope that M-Sport can find sufficient funds to hire two decent drivers and Ostberg and Novikov woud be my choice. Ostberg is ahead of both factory drivers in the championship which ain't bad at all.

[anonymous-user]

Allyc85 said:

Loebs crash from the outside.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z57JkJwt9dk&fea...

Quite a hefty old wack!

[Emeye]

PSBuckshot said:

Allyc85 said:

Loebs crash from the outside.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z57JkJwt9dk&fea...

Quite a hefty old wack!

Nice to see the spectators shifting the stones. Who remembers the good old days when stones or piles of snow would mysteriously appear on line after they favoured local driver had been through?! bloody foreigners....

[TankRS]

From Colin Clarke's twitter account.

“@voiceofrally: Nasser and Qatar to team up with M-Sport in a three car team for the 2013 WRC. Listen exclusively to the interview here

http://www.spreaker.com/user/5030467/nasser_the_sa...


Good news for M-Sport! Nasser has the backing of the Qatar government! Quite the financial backer ehh!

I was wondering what he was going to do next season after citroen announced the Abu Dhabi deal.

[EDLT]

I thought three-car teams were banned, is it going to be two "works" drivers and one "customer"?

[sanf]

EDLT said:

I thought three-car teams were banned, is it going to be two "works" drivers and one "customer"?

For next year all the 'works' teams are being encouraged to run three car teams again, the idea being that the 3rd car will be for an up and coming junior driver. So Ford are likely to have the other 2 as Solberg & Ostberg.

VW are planning to run 3 cars for most of the season providing Jari-Matti doesn't keep binning them!! Sorry they officially said providing there are no problems with the two main cars they will have 3 on a majority of events - likely to be Mikkelsen.

[EDLT]

sanf said:

EDLT said:

I thought three-car teams were banned, is it going to be two "works" drivers and one "customer"?

For next year all the 'works' teams are being encouraged to run three car teams again, the idea being that the 3rd car will be for an up and coming junior driver. So Ford are likely to have the other 2 as Solberg & Ostberg.

VW are planning to run 3 cars for most of the season providing Jari-Matti doesn't keep binning them!! Sorry they officially said providing there are no problems with the two main cars they will have 3 on a majority of events - likely to be Mikkelsen.

Well thats good, banning them led to a few drivers disappearing forever. Loeb was just a third driver at one time.

[Emeye]

EDLT said:

Well thats good, banning them led to a few drivers disappearing forever. Loeb was just a third driver at one time.

Didn't Colin Mcrae get stuffed by that 2 car rule which pretty much ended his career early?

[sanf]

Emeye said:

EDLT said:

Well thats good, banning them led to a few drivers disappearing forever. Loeb was just a third driver at one time.

Didn't Colin Mcrae get stuffed by that 2 car rule which pretty much ended his career early?

Yes - Citroen opted for Loeb & Sainz, Mcrae was on the verge of going back to Prodrive, when Subaru Japan slashed their budget, so he missed out.

[Emeye]

sanf said:

Emeye said:

EDLT said:

Well thats good, banning them led to a few drivers disappearing forever. Loeb was just a third driver at one time.

Didn't Colin Mcrae get stuffed by that 2 car rule which pretty much ended his career early?

Yes - Citroen opted for Loeb & Sainz, Mcrae was on the verge of going back to Prodrive, when Subaru Japan slashed their budget, so he missed out.

IMO that was one of the stupidest WRC rules implemented and was probably the start of the downfall that has led WRC to the mess it is in today.

[Allyc85]

TankRS said:

From Colin Clarke's twitter account.

“@voiceofrally: Nasser and Qatar to team up with M-Sport in a three car team for the 2013 WRC. Listen exclusively to the interview here

http://www.spreaker.com/user/5030467/nasser_the_sa...


Good news for M-Sport! Nasser has the backing of the Qatar government! Quite the financial backer ehh!

I was wondering what he was going to do next season after citroen announced the Abu Dhabi deal.

Fantastic for Ford and for the fans too! Msport will hopefully have a decent budget and we get to watch one of the most spectacular drivers in the WRC on a few events in 2013

[ArnageWRC]

sanf said:

Yes - Citroen opted for Loeb & Sainz, Mcrae was on the verge of going back to Prodrive, when Subaru Japan slashed their budget, so he missed out.

Yes, though, Citroen asked their UK arm for help with funding if they were to run McRae. Unsurprisingly, they weren't interested in using Motorsport for their marketing. And then it looked like Prodrive were interested, however Timo Joukhi went to Subaru Japan, and did a deal with them to run Hirvonen - which was a mistake,as he had a poor season.

[TankRS]

Cracking little vid by youtube genius Antti Kalhola

WRC Ouninpohja

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-NWjMjZlMM&fea...

[anonymous-user]

TankRS said:

Cracking little vid by youtube genius Antti Kalhola

WRC Ouninpohja

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-NWjMjZlMM&fea...

This is something I need to watch at home with sound.
I think? Assuming that it has engine noises.

[YorkshirePudding]

Straight to the point by Marcus Gronholm,

PSBuckshot said:

Assuming that it has engine noises.

More drivers voice overs and music really, still a nice clip,

[Allyc85]

Amazing video, his others are very good too

Looks like the WRC has a new timing and tracking system for 2013. I hope the FIA know what they are doing, dropping the previously bomb proof system...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104088

Edited by Allyc85 on Tuesday 6th November 22:50

[EDLT]

The FIA's motto is "If it ain't broke, fiddle with it".

[ArnageWRC]

EDLT said:

The FIA's motto is "If it ain't broke, fiddle with it".

I really can't understand this decision. Unless it's an obvious reason......like a handful of cash....

A huge kick in the teeth for Stage One Technology who have served the WRC for a decade......

[interloper]

ArnageWRC said:

EDLT said:

The FIA's motto is "If it ain't broke, fiddle with it".

I really can't understand this decision. Unless it's an obvious reason......like a handful of cash....

A huge kick in the teeth for Stage One Technology who have served the WRC for a decade......

Yep they did a great job bar secretly knocking seconds of Leob's times!

In all honesty there are plenty of things that could be fiddled with to possibly good effect but this isn't really one. Lets face it if you end up paying attention to the company doing the timing, it will be because they are doing something wrong!

[TankRS]

ArnageWRC said:

I really can't understand this decision. Unless it's an obvious reason......like a handful of cash....

A huge kick in the teeth for Stage One Technology who have served the WRC for a decade......

Really disapointed for all the Stage One Tech people who i have had the pleasure of working with many many times over the last 6 or 7 years on Wales Rally.


just one question though . . . . has anyone from the new Timing Company been over to Wales and checked their system works in our forests!? some of the stages here are such a blackspot that nothing works!
Often messages have had to be relayed through 2 or 3 of the in stage radio cars between Start & Finish