2019 Rallying Thread (WRC, ERC and all other)!
Discussion
Scary stuff with the Ostberg/spectator incident yesterday 
https://www.facebook.com/tjenkinson/videos/1015669...
Hell of a fight between Tanak and Neuville, such a shame that the C3 isn't fast enough to get Ogier in the battle, even with the upgrades it's had in the last few rounds.
https://www.facebook.com/tjenkinson/videos/1015669...
Hell of a fight between Tanak and Neuville, such a shame that the C3 isn't fast enough to get Ogier in the battle, even with the upgrades it's had in the last few rounds.
It really looks like apart from some major disasters ( and with the WRC you never know) that Tanak could finally end the Sebastien era. A completely professional performance, fast and clean, and similarly from his team mates to ensure a Toyota podium sweep.
Neuville was slightly unfortunate as he too looked fast before a puncture on the long Panzerplate stage - but still salvaged some decent points. Ogier is increasingly looking resigned to his fate - indeed, he too suffered on Panzerplate.
I spent Sunday on a hot & sunny Epynt (something not too usual) , at the Mewla Rally.....enjoyable club rallying!!
Neuville was slightly unfortunate as he too looked fast before a puncture on the long Panzerplate stage - but still salvaged some decent points. Ogier is increasingly looking resigned to his fate - indeed, he too suffered on Panzerplate.
I spent Sunday on a hot & sunny Epynt (something not too usual) , at the Mewla Rally.....enjoyable club rallying!!
Neuville and Tanak really were a class apart. Especially the latter who you always felt had something in reserve if need be.
Citroen are a funny team at the moment, they seem have made the car average on gravel, but now slow on tarmac. Wonder if Seb will end up bothering to take that final year of his contract.
Germany is an event I wouldn’t mind attending, hopefully it stays on the calendar.
Great video of the event..
https://youtu.be/zpDT86tJSlI
Citroen are a funny team at the moment, they seem have made the car average on gravel, but now slow on tarmac. Wonder if Seb will end up bothering to take that final year of his contract.
Germany is an event I wouldn’t mind attending, hopefully it stays on the calendar.
Great video of the event..
https://youtu.be/zpDT86tJSlI
ArnageWRC said:
Ogier is increasingly looking resigned to his fate
That C3 seems to be going backwards. Both were less than complimentary about it in their stage end interviews, diplomatically of course, but both in a round about way saying the car is s
t. when it used to be good on tarmac!? I wonder if Seb regrets moving to Citroen on what must've been false promises and probably money motivated?I've said, as have others, since it was launched that it was flawed and Kris was scapegoated as being the issue with it crashing so much, of course there is responsibility to Kris in that, but having to drive the car as it was on the edge to get it to work was always going to be risky.
The car for me is just too big and upright to be the competitive package like the Yaris and Fiesta.
It's Tanak's championship to lose now, failing mechanical failures I cant see him throwing it away.
I'll be the first to admit when I heard Toyota was coming back under Tommi's leadership I laughed and thought they'd be half arsed, considering Tommi had never built or run a team on that scale before!
GravelBen said:
While its obviously tough for Evans and nice for Gus to get some experience, it seems a bit odd to me that M-Sport are putting relatively inexperienced pay-drivers in Evans' seat while there are far more experienced drivers like Paddon available who could provide useful feedback for car development as well as a better chance of good results. Maybe they're written off their chances for the season already.
M-Sport need to top up the ballance sheet after funding Ogier for the 2 seasons. Pay drivers like Gus will be welcome. Which is a massive shame to experienced drivers like Paddon & Breen. Gus just isnt showing the pace for me, and yes its "only his 3rd rally in the car" but when hes sometimes a handfull of seconds faster than Rovanpera/Kopecky in R5 cars its frustrating to see. I hear Dovenby Hall is getting some new windows out of the Greensmith deal 
(social media talk, no evidence 
)Elfyn missing Turkey now too is a massive dent in his championship, he has been best of the rest for a large part of the season. So frustrating he got injured on an exhibition event
RyanTank said:
Allyc85 said:
Germany is an event I wouldn’t mind attending, hopefully it stays on the calendar.
I was meant to go this year 
not sure of the truth in it being dropped for next year as rumours of a few regulars being dropped to incorporate the incoming eventsRyanTank said:
ArnageWRC said:
Ogier is increasingly looking resigned to his fate
That C3 seems to be going backwards. Both were less than complimentary about it in their stage end interviews, diplomatically of course, but both in a round about way saying the car is st. when it used to be good on tarmac!? I wonder if Seb regrets moving to Citroen on what must've been false promises and probably money motivated?I've said, as have others, since it was launched that it was flawed and Kris was scapegoated as being the issue with it crashing so much, of course there is responsibility to Kris in that, but having to drive the car as it was on the edge to get it to work was always going to be risky.
The car for me is just too big and upright to be the competitive package like the Yaris and Fiesta.
It's Tanak's championship to lose now, failing mechanical failures I cant see him throwing it away.
I'll be the first to admit when I heard Toyota was coming back under Tommi's leadership I laughed and thought they'd be half arsed, considering Tommi had never built or run a team on that scale before!
GravelBen said:
While its obviously tough for Evans and nice for Gus to get some experience, it seems a bit odd to me that M-Sport are putting relatively inexperienced pay-drivers in Evans' seat while there are far more experienced drivers like Paddon available who could provide useful feedback for car development as well as a better chance of good results. Maybe they're written off their chances for the season already.
M-Sport need to top up the ballance sheet after funding Ogier for the 2 seasons. Pay drivers like Gus will be welcome. Which is a massive shame to experienced drivers like Paddon & Breen. Gus just isnt showing the pace for me, and yes its "only his 3rd rally in the car" but when hes sometimes a handfull of seconds faster than Rovanpera/Kopecky in R5 cars its frustrating to see. I hear Dovenby Hall is getting some new windows out of the Greensmith deal (social media talk, no evidence )Elfyn missing Turkey now too is a massive dent in his championship, he has been best of the rest for a large part of the season. So frustrating he got injured on an exhibition event
MSport have ,and are, doing a fantastic job not helped by having their best driver sidelined by injury but they are there on merit.
GreenSmith is a good driver but isn't a world beater so maybe next season when the bank balance of the team is better then maybe Paddon will be back giving them two capable drivers for a whole season
df76 said:
Does look a great event doesn't it, and not too far from Calais really.
Shortest route is from Dunkirk - both options are 5 hrs non-stop, in reality (done it 3 times) allow 7 hours as there are always road works in Belgium. Also pick the route that goes south of Lille. It takes you through the southern edge of Luxembourg so you can pass the Duchy on the left hand side 
The Citroen looks to be a pig of car, not sure how Ogier kept a lid on his true feelings, but it was clear he was fighting it on pretty much every corner of the event. Dealing with a car with a decent front end that oversteers is one thing, but dealing with what looked like an understeeeeering supermarket trolley around the German roads/vineyards must have made for long, dangerous weekend, all the moreso when you see your title rival in a car that corners on rails and turns like a go kart ..
I seem to recall Ogier had talks with Tommi and viewed (and perhaps even drove the Yaris) before committing to MSport ? Comments on here indicated he laughed at the Yaris after seeing/driving it ... ???
I too was a "Tommi doubter", cleaning the egg off my face has been time consuming
Toyota,Tommi, his team, his drivers and the car, have been exemplary, in short an object lesson in how to bring together a team, then design, build, test and launch a WRC car in a limited time frame. Fair play to all of them, and specifically Tommi.
I can highly recommended Rally Deutschland, I've spectated on it three times, the first back in 2002 when it was included in the WRC calendar for the first time. Spectator discipline was parlous, Walter Rohrl was course car in a 996 GT3, and was incredibly angry (not to mention vociferous) about both the spectators and the organisers at the first service halt. And the spectator control the following year was a very different matter apparently.
I returned in 2013 and 2015 IIRC. I was supposed to be going again this year, but it didn't happen. The Mosel Valley is truly stunning as is that part of Germany generally.
Accommodation is cheap and easy to find, the locals easy-going, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
Access to the stages is straightforward and efficient (who'd of thought it of the Germans ... ??) The marshalls can be over zealous, but the Germans are happy to be herded and do as they're told. I'm constantly surprised by the positions spectators can be seen in on the amateur footage on YT, as in my experience the marshalls and safety commission are draconian in cancelling stages if spectators transgress.
It's well worthwhile recceing a few stages, we did Dhrontal in 2015, it was real eye opener, and all the moreso having watched numerous YT videos of the top guys testing at massive speeds on the same roads through the vineyards.
The weather can be a lottery, but every time I've been. I've got sunburnt ... though on two occasions it's rained either on the Sunday after the event or on the Sunday morning.
To those thinking about it, do it, it's an excellent event.
I seem to recall Ogier had talks with Tommi and viewed (and perhaps even drove the Yaris) before committing to MSport ? Comments on here indicated he laughed at the Yaris after seeing/driving it ... ???
I too was a "Tommi doubter", cleaning the egg off my face has been time consuming
Toyota,Tommi, his team, his drivers and the car, have been exemplary, in short an object lesson in how to bring together a team, then design, build, test and launch a WRC car in a limited time frame. Fair play to all of them, and specifically Tommi.
I can highly recommended Rally Deutschland, I've spectated on it three times, the first back in 2002 when it was included in the WRC calendar for the first time. Spectator discipline was parlous, Walter Rohrl was course car in a 996 GT3, and was incredibly angry (not to mention vociferous) about both the spectators and the organisers at the first service halt. And the spectator control the following year was a very different matter apparently.
I returned in 2013 and 2015 IIRC. I was supposed to be going again this year, but it didn't happen. The Mosel Valley is truly stunning as is that part of Germany generally.
Accommodation is cheap and easy to find, the locals easy-going, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
Access to the stages is straightforward and efficient (who'd of thought it of the Germans ... ??) The marshalls can be over zealous, but the Germans are happy to be herded and do as they're told. I'm constantly surprised by the positions spectators can be seen in on the amateur footage on YT, as in my experience the marshalls and safety commission are draconian in cancelling stages if spectators transgress.
It's well worthwhile recceing a few stages, we did Dhrontal in 2015, it was real eye opener, and all the moreso having watched numerous YT videos of the top guys testing at massive speeds on the same roads through the vineyards.
The weather can be a lottery, but every time I've been. I've got sunburnt ... though on two occasions it's rained either on the Sunday after the event or on the Sunday morning.
To those thinking about it, do it, it's an excellent event.
Tomorrow see the 3 shires rally, on closed roads in England: https://www.threeshiresstages.co.uk/
Sunday, sees the first closed roads rally in Wales: https://www.rbcrally.co.uk/
Also taking place tonight and tomorrow is the promenades Stages on the Wirral: http://promrally.wallaseymc.com/
Sunday, sees the first closed roads rally in Wales: https://www.rbcrally.co.uk/
Also taking place tonight and tomorrow is the promenades Stages on the Wirral: http://promrally.wallaseymc.com/
Ridiculous to have 3 tarmac events on over the same weekend! Especially when there is such a struggle to get sufficient entries and marshals these days!
GravelBen said:
Happy to hear today that Paddon will be back in WRC again - driving the Fiesta R5 in GB and the Fiesta WRC in Aus.
Hoping it leads to a full season next year too.
Good news for Paddon. It seems M-Sport are keen to keep Evans and Suninen, so hopefully there will be enough funds to have Hayden in the team in 2020. Hoping it leads to a full season next year too.
Allyc85 said:
Ridiculous to have 3 tarmac events on over the same weekend! Especially when there is such a struggle to get sufficient entries and marshals these days!
It really beggars belief. Is there no communication between events/ MotorsportUK?? The Promenade is a long standing event in early September, but I wonder why 2 new events have picked the same weekend. Allyc85 said:
Ridiculous to have 3 tarmac events on over the same weekend! Especially when there is such a struggle to get sufficient entries and marshals these days!
The entry for all 3 is good, maximum for the closed roads and 88 for the prom. As far as I know all events are OK for marshals and safety cover. Although they can always do with more.The problem with events clashing is they have to work with the dates they are given by landowners, councils etc
ArnageWRC said:
It really beggars belief. Is there no communication between events/ MotorsportUK?? The Promenade is a long standing event in early September, but I wonder why 2 new events have picked the same weekend.
Events have to apply for a permit from MSUK to run. Presumably MSUK were ok issuing permits for three similar events on the same weekend. It's not like they're all in the same area and on the same day. DelicaL400 said:
ArnageWRC said:
It really beggars belief. Is there no communication between events/ MotorsportUK?? The Promenade is a long standing event in early September, but I wonder why 2 new events have picked the same weekend.
Events have to apply for a permit from MSUK to run. Presumably MSUK were ok issuing permits for three similar events on the same weekend. It's not like they're all in the same area and on the same day. I have to say I'm really quite impressed by the growing number of closed road events, I was sceptical that it would workable with the costs and red tape, but it seems to be doing.
Non competitive closed road Hillclimb in Saltburn on Sea this weekend too.
It's brilliant to see the events worked out. I think my concerns were justified though, especially given how things have gone with UK rallying in the last few years.
The stages on the Rali Bae Ceredigion looked pretty amazing.
https://youtu.be/VKByBi4MXto
The stages on the Rali Bae Ceredigion looked pretty amazing.
https://youtu.be/VKByBi4MXto
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff