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WRC 2013 & ERC 2013- News & Chat

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    #242
    Robbo
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,560 Mod ✭✭✭✭Robbo


    If Hyundai have recruited well and put serious resources behind this, I can see him being able to do what Ogier has done this year to some extent. I'd still see Atkinson being in the frame for the second Hyundai seat purely for commercial reasons.

    Ford are making serious overtures to Hirvonen and I can see it suiting him. I think the real key now is what Citroen are doing because I think M-Sport are going to end up with whatever's left.


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    #243
    h3000
    Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭h3000


    I have a feeling that Hyundai's effort will be quite a strong one this time round. Hyundai are really trying to raise the image of their brand in general. The talk at the moment is that the second seat will be shared between Atko, Hanninen and Bouffier.

    I am a big fan of Hirvonen but he has really lost a lot of his speed this year in particular. I think he has been over a minute off the lead in every rally this year and often 2 or 3 off. I don't know what went so wrong with him, maybe a move back to M-Sport may give him a lease of life and get some strong results again. There is still a small chance of Meeke in Citroen too which would be great.

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    #244
    wobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭wobbles


    For me Hirvonen is not a natural team leader. He doesnt have the ultimate pace required to be the no 1 and is far more suited to a no 2 role.

    I really hope Hyundai make a proper go of it, however i think Monte Carlo is too soon to expect them to be on the pace. I reckon it will be mid year they get near the podium and a win is asking an awful lot.


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    #245
    mjhickeyie
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭mjhickeyie


    wobbles wrote: »
    For me Hirvonen is not a natural team leader. He doesnt have the ultimate pace required to be the no 1 and is far more suited to a no 2 role.


    Agree with you there.
    He was never really on the pace this year but still has 6 or 7 podiums.

    I think he is the perfect no 2.


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    #246
    Robbo
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,560 Mod ✭✭✭✭Robbo


    Looks like Hirvonen to Ford is a done deal so Citroen have some serious choices to make.

    My main interest this weekend in is in WRC3 where if Keith Cronin can overhaul a 7 point gap to Chardonnet, he'll take the Citroen Top Driver championship and a paid for drive in the new DS3 R5 next year. There's plenty of interlopers like Bouffier, Korhoren and Price who'll be in the mix and eligible to take points away.


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    #247
    wobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭wobbles


    So Hirvonen back to Ford, Neuville to Hyundai leaving a seat empty at Citroen. Matton has already said there was a shortlist of 5 drivers who they were looking at, Mads Ostberg, Kris Meeke and Robert Kubica as well as Dani Soedo and Hirvonen. Sordo will get the no.1 seat now, Mads will stay at Ford i think so that leaves Kubica and Meeke I think it hangs on how Kubica gets on this weekend. If he comes out and is anywhere near the pace, i think he will get the seat ahead of Meeke. If hes well off the pace, then i would hope Meeke would get the seat with Kubica in the second team.


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    #248
    mjhickeyie
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭mjhickeyie


    I think Kubica is pretty certain to get the Citroen seat. His status as an ex f1 driver and his huge polish following give him a big advantage over Meeke in marketing terms.


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    #249
    guyfo
    Registered Users Posts: 485 ✭✭guyfo


    mjhickeyie wrote: »
    I think Kubica is pretty certain to get the Citroen seat. His status as an ex f1 driver and his huge polish following give him a big advantage over Meeke in marketing terms.

    Kubica and sordo, not exactly what i would call a team, might win a tarmac rally or 2 i suppose.


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    #250
    Robbo
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,560 Mod ✭✭✭✭Robbo


    Until Kubica rolled, he'd set faster times than Sordo on all 3 stages he completed. I think Citroen would be wasting their time if they persisted with Sordo on a full time basis.


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    #251
    mjhickeyie
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭mjhickeyie


    Robbo wrote: »
    Until Kubica rolled, he'd set faster times than Sordo on all 3 stages he completed. I think Citroen would be wasting their time if they persisted with Sordo on a full time basis.


    Does Kubicas roll make Citroen consider Meeke again.... I hope so.

    Sordo still gets enough points on a season to be a good number 2.


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    #252
    h3000
    Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭h3000


    Cronin stopped in the stage SS6 :(

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    #253
    Robbo
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,560 Mod ✭✭✭✭Robbo


    h3000 wrote: »
    Cronin stopped in the stage SS6 :(
    Ah ****e. He was on course to take clean Chardonnet and Bouffier at the first 3 splits on SS6 as well.


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    #254
    Robbo
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,560 Mod ✭✭✭✭Robbo


    And so the driver lineups begin to materialise:

    VW: Ogier, Latvala, Mikkelsen
    Hyundai: Neuville, Hanninen (partial campaign), Sordo (likely)
    Ford: Hirvonen, Kubica (Ford have applied for a dispensation to run a modified paddle shift which points to Kubica driving)

    Citroen aren't announcing anything until December 16th and it could well be Meeke and Ostberg.


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    #255
    mjhickeyie
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭mjhickeyie


    Robbo wrote: »
    And so the driver lineups begin to materialise:

    VW: Ogier, Latvala, Mikkelsen
    Hyundai: Neuville, Hanninen (partial campaign), Sordo (likely)
    Ford: Hirvonen, Kubica (Ford have applied for a dispensation to run a modified paddle shift which points to Kubica driving)

    Citroen aren't announcing anything until December 16th and it could well be Meeke and Ostberg.


    Looks like VW will be even more dominant next year.


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    #256
    Robbo
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,560 Mod ✭✭✭✭Robbo


    Motorsport News this week has a story that Toyota are building a Yaris to evaluate a return to the WRC.


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    #257
    wobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭wobbles


    They have been recruiting engine builders for a while now and have a yaris s2000 competing in South Africa. Would love to see them return. They Corolla WRC was years ahead of its time


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    #258
    h3000
    Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭h3000


    I started a 2014 thread here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057098160

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