2017 World Rally ChampionshipRally 

  • Thread starter Accro2008
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Eh, it's a bit too derivative for me. McRae used to do it to compose himself, to get his heartbeat under control and clear his mind.
 
Ogier have a transmission problem handing over Neuville a comfortable lead of 38,9 seconds. I have a feeling Neuville will probably crawl to finnish consider the drama of Monaco and Sweden where he threw away certain victories will tiny mistakes.
 
Interesting comment during the Corsica power stage - Andreas Mikkelsen doesn't have a WRC drive lined up, but there's a few drivers in the top-flight cars who are struggling, and so Mikkelsen's management may well be knocking on doors ...
 
Quite a lot of changes after the power stage- Ogier up to 2nd, Latvala up to 4th. Neuville finally wins a rally and we have 4 different winners in 4 different cars. Latvala picks up the 5 points for the PS, 4 for Ogier, 3 for Breen, 2 for Sordo and 1 for Neuville.
 
Seems my prayers have come true, 4 different drivers and 4 different manufacturers wins the first 4 rallies, brings me back memories of 2003 season

Last time 4 different teams won consecutive events was in 1987 however it appears this is the first time 4 different teams win the first 4 rallies,
 
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When are Toyota going to get rid of Hanninen do we think?
 
If they got rid of Hanninen I'm sure Mikkelsen wouldn't have to think twice about leaving VAG.
 
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Simmpa
Toyota are with no doubt doomed to finnish last in the manufacturer race.
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Well when you have a car DNF every rally then yeah. But get someone else in there to score points, you never know. Paddon and Sordo haven't looked good. So they could very easily overtake them.
 
Kamuifanboy
Well when you have a car DNF every rally then yeah. But get someone else in there to score points, you never know. Paddon and Sordo haven't looked good. So they could very easily overtake them.
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Isn't Sordo 4th in the championship? He hasn't been brilliant, but he's been consistent.
 
prisonermonkeys
Andreas Mikkelsen will test an i20 Coupe next week and could drive for them in Portugal (though whether he'd be driving a fourth car or replacing an existing driver seems unclear):

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/129050/mikkelsen-closing-on-wrc-return-with-hyundai

Mikkelsen was being lined up to replace Hänninen until this deal came up; speculation suggests Hyundai could be looking at running four cars in 2018.
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Mikkelsen in Hyundai? Future looks bright for Hyundai
 
I still think the i20 is the best car out there. Ogier's consistency still makes him the championship favourite, but with a better driver lineup Hyundai could be dominating.
 
JC_Dude
with a better driver lineup Hyundai could be dominating
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I think they'd be hard-pressed to find better drivers. Neuville might be inconsistent and prone to errors, but he's quick - and it's often bern said that it's easier to teach a quick driver to be consistent than it is to teach a consistent driver to be quick. Paddon is struggling a bit at the moment, but that's largely because he has never driven a car with an electronic centre differential before, and he has limited experience on snow and tarmac; nevertheless, he is very highly-rated - there's a reason why he carries #4, making him the team's de facto lead driver. And while Sordo probably won't be World Champion, he's good at banking points.

The most curious thing for me about this Mikkelsen deal is that Hyundai apparently has a fourth i20 Coupe ready to go, which lends weight to the idea if a four-car assault in 2018.
 
prisonermonkeys
Hyundai confirm that if Mikkelsen drive for them this year, it will be in a fourth i20 Coupe rather than a 2016-specification car:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/129167/rivals-fear-hyundai-could-dominate-like-vw

Mikkelsen is still talking to Toyota about a drive this year and in to 2018.
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I am a bit confused, wasn´t 3 drivers in each squad the limit? Also I think it will be better balanced if Mikkelsen chooses Toyota as they currently only have 1 experienced driver who is a proven winner.
 
3 is the limit for a single team but only the top 2 from those 3 can score points for the team. Hyundai would go back to entering two teams like in previous seasons and have all drivers scoring points.
 
boiltheocean
Hyundai would go back to entering two teams like in previous seasons and have all drivers scoring points.
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No, the rules prevent that from happening. Mikkelsen would be entered separately and unable to score manufacturer points. If Hyundai wanted to nominate him to score, then either Neuville, Paddon or Sordo would have to become ineligible.
 
prisonermonkeys
No, the rules prevent that from happening. Mikkelsen would be entered separately and unable to score manufacturer points. If Hyundai wanted to nominate him to score, then either Neuville, Paddon or Sordo would have to become ineligible.
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What rule stops them entering Hyundai Motorsport and Hyundai Motorsport II? VW and Hyundai both did it last year with both teams scoring manufacturers and drivers points.
 
boiltheocean
What rule stops them entering Hyundai Motorsport and Hyundai Motorsport II? VW and Hyundai both did it last year with both teams scoring manufacturers and drivers points.
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The regulations changed with the introduction of the 2017 cars. Only manufacturers are allowed to enter 2017 cars, and the FIA wanted to crack down on manufacturers entering multiple teams to get additional testing days. Now the rules say that a manufacturer can only enter three cars as a manufacturer team, with the best two results scoring points.
 
prisonermonkeys
The regulations changed with the introduction of the 2017 cars. Only manufacturers are allowed to enter 2017 cars, and the FIA wanted to crack down on manufacturers entering multiple teams to get additional testing days. Now the rules say that a manufacturer can only enter three cars as a manufacturer team, with the best two results scoring points.
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7.2.3 Will be awarded points according to Art. 5.3 of these regulations. For any one Manufacturer, a maximum of three (3) nominated drivers may be eligible to score points of which only the 2 best placed (see Art. 7.2.6) will score points according to their relative position. The third placed cars may neither score nor detract points from the other cars.

The rule is on the drivers, not the number of cars. It's how M-Sport get away with entering privateers in the 2017 car, they enter them under the manufacturer name but not for points in the teams or drivers championship. No rules were put in place to stop a manufacturer entering twice as Team 1 and Team 2.
 
boiltheocean
It's how M-Sport get away with entering privateers in the 2017 car, they enter them under the manufacturer name but not for points in the teams or drivers championship.
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No, that's because of the FIA's rules on who can drive the cars. Given that they're so much faster, the FIA didn't want just anyone to be able to drive them. So they made a rule to say that only manufacturers can enter 2017 cars. That's why Mads Østberg is officially in an M-Sport WRT entry rather than a OneBet Jipocar entry. After all, if M-Sport were able to enter multiple teams and score manufacturer points, don't you think they would have entered Østberg - and maybe even Mikkelsen - to score points?
 
prisonermonkeys
No, that's because of the FIA's rules on who can drive the cars. Given that they're so much faster, the FIA didn't want just anyone to be able to drive them. So they made a rule to say that only manufacturers can enter 2017 cars.
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The FIA don't decide who gets the drive the cars, how do you explain Bertelli if that was the case?

prisonermonkeys
That's why Mads Østberg is officially in an M-Sport WRT entry rather than a OneBet Jipocar entry.
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That's what I said?

prisonermonkeys
After all, if M-Sport were able to enter multiple teams and score manufacturer points, don't you think they would have entered Østberg - and maybe even Mikkelsen - to score points?
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They aren't able to enter multiple teams to score for manufacture points for M-Sport, that's not what I'm saying! I'm saying nothing would stop them paying for two manufacturers entries as M-Sport 1 and M-Sport 2, like VW and Hyundai have done in previous years.
 

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