WRC, ERC, National rallying 2016 - News & Chat

h3000

An update here from Stéphane and Gabin
https://m.facebook.com/notes/stéphane-lefebvre/stéphane-lefebvre-and-gabin-moreau-back-as-soon-as-possible/1094553497248608

jelutong

WRC + free for October. That takes in Corsica, Catalunya and Rally GB.

alfaromeo84

/\ /\ /\ /\.....More info please, is that on BT, how do I get it.

h3000

alfaromeo84 wrote: »

/\ /\ /\ /\.....More info please, is that on BT, how do I get it.

https://plus.wrc.com/

mr potato head

I use WRC+ on my phone and I really like it; live timing, videos, radio and live stage stream all work well.

Just went to the site on my PC... what a mess of a site, WRC really need to sort out their website for 2017!

h3000

Great news from Breen and Citroen this morning. He will share a car with Leferbve for the first few rallies then they will have a three car team later next year.

https://twitter.com/Craig_Breen/status/783535504469950465

https://twitter.com/CitroenRacing/status/783533275293818880

mjhickeyie

Great news for Breen. It's well deserved after the results he's had this year.

h3000

Neuville to stay with Hyundai too

https://twitter.com/HMSGOfficial/status/783577848028200960

afatbollix

Silly season was a bit short this year.

h3000

Hanninen is confirmed with toyota for 2017.

http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/october-2016/hanninen-toyota/page/3993--12-12-.html

mjhickeyie

Power stage of Rally GB is live on Channel 5 today.
Stage starts at 12.08.

liam7831

VW pull the plug in WRC from end of season

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport-wrc/volkswagen-quit-world-rally-championship?utm_content=buffere88cf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

h3000

It's going to be a massive blow to WRC if VW do pull the plug. Particularly if they do it so quickly. Some rally journos say they heard all is good until end of 18 but others saying VW agreed to pull the WRC. M-Sport and Toyota could end up with Ogier, JML and Mikkelsen.

h3000

Well VW are gone after Australia. Such a shock and a shame for WRC. As much as I hate to say it but Breen's and Lefebvre's seat at Citroen could now be in doubt if Ogier is on the market.

https://twitter.com/autosport/status/793421996587712512

Paddy@CIRL

h3000 wrote: »

Well VW are gone after Australia. Such a shock and a shame for WRC. As much as I hate to say it but Breen's and Lefebvre's seat at Citroen could now be in doubt if Ogier is on the market.

https://twitter.com/autosport/status/793421996587712512

Surely not if he (Breen) is just after signing a two year deal?

h3000

Paddy@CIRL wrote: »

Surely not if he (Breen) is just after signing a two year deal?

I'd be very fearful of an Ogier clause in the contract though. I really do hope it's not the case. Many people suggesting that Ogier might take this opportunity to walk away from the WRC now.

Robbo

Any chance, I wonder, would someone who's toyed with the idea of returning to the WRC and is somewhat agnostic about the badge on the car going up to Wolfsburg with a cheque and buying the car and whatever other bits they require?

A Prodrive or similar.

h3000

Robbo wrote: »

Any chance, I wonder, would someone who's toyed with the idea of returning to the WRC and is somewhat agnostic about the badge on the car going up to Wolfsburg with a cheque and buying the car and whatever other bits they require?

A Prodrive or similar.

It's possible alright. I believe Prodrive already work with VW in china. Could possibly be rabadged as Skoda too.

liam7831

h3000 wrote: »

I'd be very fearful of an Ogier clause in the contract though. I really do hope it's not the case. Many people suggesting that Ogier might take this opportunity to walk away from the WRC now.

I doubt he he will walk away, he has 4 titles but they don't mean much, he won them in an era where WRC was a joke. His only competition were his team mates, Latvala who he beat well or just crashed out and Mikkelsen who is a pay driver.

alfaromeo84

h3000 wrote: »

I'd be very fearful of an Ogier clause in the contract though. I really do hope it's not the case. Many people suggesting that Ogier might take this opportunity to walk away from the WRC now.

Not a hope I'd imagine that Ogier would go from the WRC, he has his sights on beating Loeb's tally, you can sense it in him when Loeb is mentioned. Hr hates Loeb and is open about it.

Why else did he leave Citroen for a year before going to VW, they couldn't work together.

And yes I would be fearful of a clause by any manufacturer in the case Ogier became a free agent.

liam7831

Robbo wrote: »

Any chance, I wonder, would someone who's toyed with the idea of returning to the WRC and is somewhat agnostic about the badge on the car going up to Wolfsburg with a cheque and buying the car and whatever other bits they require?

A Prodrive or similar.

Prodrive don't do anything without works-factory backing as their history suggests

recyclebin

I would doubt that Breen is guaranteed races in his Citroen contract. Either that or he could be payed off very easily. Ogier could slip into any team if they wanted him.

Do VW not already have most of the car ready for next season? Seems like an awful waste of resources to pull out at such short notice.

Someone like D-mack would surely be interested in putting Tanak in a VW WRC car.

mjhickeyie

This is a big blow for the wrc. VW really kept the whole thing going for the last while.

It wouldn't surprise me if Ogier walked away. His motivation seems up and down at times.
Don't like the guy but I hope he stays.

h3000

I think there is a much bigger chance that Ogier could walk away than ye seem to think. He has often complained about how the WRC is run, road order being his biggest gripe. I really hope he doesn't. It would be awesome to see him in M-Sport.

Colin Clarks views here

https://www.facebook.com/voiceofrally/videos/659461530883180/

alfaromeo84

Watch the VW group rebadge that Polo as a Fabia

h3000

alfaromeo84 wrote: »

Watch the VW group rebadge that Polo as a Fabia

That would be great and I hope it's what does happen but I'm not too convinced just yet.

liam7831

alfaromeo84 wrote: »

Watch the VW group rebadge that Polo as a Fabia

Not a hope, Skoda will be lucky if their programme is not cut back too never mind increased.

I can see Ogier go to Citroen, Latvala to Toyota, Mikkelsen maybe limited programme with Toyota

h3000

liam7831 wrote: »

Not a hope, Skoda will be lucky if their programme is not cut back too never mind increased.

I can see Ogier go to Citroen, Latvala to Toyota, Mikkelsen maybe limited programme with Toyota

If M-Sport got more backing from Ford or even a big money sponsorship deal to develop car and team Ogier would go there. He really respects Malcolm Wilson and has said he would like to work with him.

jelutong

Paddy@CIRL wrote: »

Surely not if he (Breen) is just after signing a two year deal?

I reckon Craig Breens contract is watertight. It would take more than 6 weeks pay per year of service to buy him out!

h3000

Well it's official now
https://www.volkswagen-media-services.com/en/detailpage/-/detail/Volkswagen-realigns-motorsport-programme/view/4159083/7a5bbec13158edd433c6630f5ac445da?p_p_auth=ublbR7q7

h3000

https://twitter.com/RallyingUK/status/793842365047922688

https://twitter.com/RallyingUK/status/793837620618866688

h3000

Running orders changed for next year
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/126982/controversial-wrc-running-order-rules-changed

Charlie-Bravo

http://www.motorsport.com/general/news/motorsport-network-acquires-motors-tv-851620/

I'm popping this news in this thread as I think it might be of interest to this core of Motorsport fans. Not sure what it means TBH but the main thing is that Motors TV will be broadcast is HD from March 2017.

I don't watch the channel at all as it's not on VM but if there's anyone else who thinks this news is useful and what it means in broader terms, please do let me know.

mjhickeyie

Ogier tested the Yaris in Spain on Wednesday and the Fiesta at Walters arena today.

Robbo

mjhickeyie wrote: »

Ogier tested the Yaris in Spain on Wednesday and the Fiesta at Walters arena today.

The Toyota looked quite prone to understeer.

Looks like privateer VW or M-Sport for Ogier, Latvala to Toyota and no clue for Mikkelsen.

Now who'd have the wherewithal to run a works spec car at short notice?

mjhickeyie

Robbo wrote: »

Now who'd have the wherewithal to run a works spec car at short notice?

I read somewhere that Gronholm was still testing 2017 VW even after they announced their withdrawal?? Can't find article now but would be interesting if true.

h3000

mjhickeyie wrote: »

I read somewhere that Gronholm was still testing 2017 VW even after they announced their withdrawal?? Can't find article now but would be interesting if true.

The last Polo test was only a few days ago. There are plans to homologate the car for the WRC. Some VW head said they is a possibility of making it available as a customer car.

It looks like JML to Toyota and Ogier to M-Sport at the minute.

h3000

JML to Toyota is a done deal apparently.

h3000

Ogier to M-Sport. 2017 is going to be awesome https://www.redbullcontentpool.com/international/AP-1QEYKPF392111

mjhickeyie

Looking forward to seeing Ogier in the Ford. The car looks great.

Anyone know what happening Mikkelsen?

h3000

mjhickeyie wrote: »

Looking forward to seeing Ogier in the Ford. The car looks great.

Anyone know what happening Mikkelsen?

Not looking very promising for Mikkelsen right now. If Al-Attiyah can get the VW deal done he will most likely be there. There are rumours of Al-Attiyah, Mikkelsen and Ostberg in the VW. Even the seasoned WRC journalists don't seem to have any idea what's going on.

jelutong

World Rally Championship on Red Bull TV next year. Looks promising.

h3000

I started a 2017 thread here