WRC 2007

[MikeT]

Well come-on, put your reputation where your mouth is, who is going to win this year?

I'm saying Loeb, failing that Sordo.

Anyone else a fan ( except you Ryck, that goes without saying [] )

[Madmat]

Sordo is a possibility but i'm going to give Gronholm a go this year!

 

Can wait for the Irish stage only 298 days to go[] 

[supergreg]

Well the season has started boing as it can be: 2xCitroen, 2xFord, 2xSubaru make the top 6. I hope it will get mixed up a little in the next stages. I think Loeb will be champion again. But hopefully Subaru gets back into business when they bring their Impreza 2007 in march (still a big fan of Petter!).

[MikeT]

Watched it again last night, Day time in Monte Carlo!

The impreza's were having a problem spinning out on the tight tracks i noticed?

Hope to see Loeb take the championship again, hopefully his shoulder will be alright!

Mike

[Sideways-King]

Loeb will win it without a shadow of a doubt. He's got to be one of the all time greats and it's only his 5th full time WRC season (I think?) not many anyway.

The thing is with the WRC I think ALL the drivers are great characters and come across, on camera at least, alot more enthusiastic about their Job, more so at the end of a stage when their sweating buckets and a dozen microphones are shoved through the door! Other Motorsport drivers seem a little dull when being interviewed - with the odd exception.

Did anyone else notice how much traction the C4 was getting out of the tight corners! I've heard it mentioned before that the modern technological advances in WRC cars have made them as quick as the old Group 'B' cars they replaced and I certainly thought they looked even quicker this year at the weekend.

Here's to a great 2007 WRC and I also am looking forward to Ireland 16th-18th November....roll on[6]

[MikeT]

Yes, i noticed it around the Hairpins at Monte, BUT:

I think technique plays a huge roll in all of this, the way Loeb brings the car into the corner facing the wrong way ( Scandanavian Flick ) and then powers out!

IIRC - The Scandi Flick wasn't around in the times of the fire-breathing Group.B cars?

Anywho - untill Sweden you can have a watch of this video-

Walter Rohrl showing his Left-Foot braking in the Quattro!

I've just had my Escort Rally Car out, with my new springs ( Tamiya Blue Progressives ) and got caught out on the hairpin on my street track ( ala Monte! ) and broke a shock tower and lost a dogbone. ****. LOL!

Mike-Rally.

[Wrc action]

Ahh what a find a nice thread all about the art of rally [] stuff of dreams lol

 Still back to topic and I so hope this season is better that last seasons two horse race - I gave up for the middle and didnt bother to watch as it was so boring compared to the Golden years 2003 and 2001

And mike thats not because they where both won by Imprezas of Solberg and Burns - Or due to my calander compo win frm autosport

But because there was a 4 way title fight on the final round - Nt like todays 4 rally winning margian.

Loeb - Is he the fastest and best ever - Im not 100% sure - One of the best certainly but one must remember that for the last 2 years the xsara has been the pick of the cars by someway - Like the 206 before it in 2002? Look at 04 and you will see solberg on gravel beating loeb 3 times straight from  japan to sardinia including the 20+ seconds he pulled out to win GB on one stage dwn to margam park.

Still hopefully we can have a more balanced fight this year and next year a mitsubishi and Suzuki challenge - Come on Solberg.

Cheers Ryck

 

[MikeT]

Ryck, like i said on MSN fella, if the Subaru team are going to compete for #1 this year ( Hirvonen or Solberg ) Then we will see when the 07 Impreza is ran in Mexico.

[Sideways-King]

I think technique plays a huge roll in all of this, the way Loeb brings the car into the corner facing the wrong way ( Scandanavian Flick ) and then powers out!

I agree technique does play a huge part in this BUT being an asphalt event they're isn't that much Scandanavian Flicks going on but more handbrakes on the tighter corners - I'm talking more about the sheer grip the little blighter was getting out of the corner catapulting down the track.

IIRC - The Scandi Flick wasn't around in the times of the fire-breathing Group.B cars?

 ???? This I'd have to disagree with me 'ol china sorry - The Scandanavian Flick has been around since the day dot, well early rallying days - I'm talking Volvo PV544 and SAAB 96V4 days way, way before Group 'B' was even thought of and it's used on non-asphalt events also. Your right it is the pendulum motion to unsettle the car under braking into sliding round the corner but on asphalt this slows the car down way to much. The older cars were that heavy and underpowered, at least by todays standard, thats what made them flick the cars round to save time and speed.

Also you dont really see loads of Scandanavian Flicks, in the WRC at least, anymore because theres that much electronic gizmo's on board and the cars are that light to keep her straight and narrow the more it's facing sideways the more time you waste getting to the checkpoint.

Think of them old mammoths above and, at least I think anyway, the MK1 & 2 Escorts and that's Scandanavian Flicking at it's finest - B. Waldegaard was swinging left to right to left to right to left to right before he even got to the bend..............ye ha, make's them Duke boys look like wusses![Y]

I'm sure glad theres more rally fans on here[]

[Wrc action]

Ryck, like i said on MSN fella, if the Subaru team are going to compete for #1 this year ( Hirvonen or Solberg ) Then we will see when the 07 Impreza is ran in Mexico.

Since when has hirvonen driven for subaru - not from 2004 when he was usless in a car that was the fastest on gravel rallies in that year.

best regards Ryck  

[stulec52]

Excellent,  A rally thread !!

  My only trouble with WRC is that there just isn't enough teams in it.

  That said, Gronholm is really the only guy with a decent chance of taking the title from Loeb.

 As for bestest driver ever?  oooo  well, it's an era thing I suppose, like who was the best of their day, and having been around rallying for a long time I have a few ideas - Jimmy McCrae / Russel Brooks/ Tony Pond was always a fun race to see who was fastest !! 

 Juha, Stig, Carlos of that era were great, Ari Vatenan was outstanding, but for me, although his life and career were cut tragically short, Henri Toivenan was the best all round rally driver, most know about how he drove Lancias, but I remember seeing him throw a Sunbeam Lotus around . WOW !!

 

[MikeT]

Sideways - I'm far too young to even remember the group B cars, but i wasn't sure, hence the IIRC ( If i recall correctly! ) , Thanks for that anyway!

Pff- Ryck - I didn't mean Hirvonen, i meant Chris Atkinson, LOL!

Stu - You've mentioned some classics there, but you've missed my all time favourite out! Walter Rohrl! Also though, Richard Burns was a legend.

Mike

[stulec52]

Go Buy Classic Ford, it's got a huge RS200 spread this month, that should give you a nice Group B fix !

  and as for Richard Burns, I don't think he quite got to legend status before being taken from us far too early, his first year in Peugeot was only so so ( imho) But, certainly Walter Rohrl was incredible, there's a vid out there just of his feet driving I think Audi, like ballet on the pedals !

 

 And Mike, thanks for explaining IIRC,  that's been buggin me for ever.....

[MikeT]

Yes stu, it's on Youtube! It's named Walter Rohl ( Spelt wrong, LOL ) and it shows the vid of him tap-dancing ( left foot braking ) and some footage of the audi in action!

Enough talk -

Top driver, and yes i agree, Richard Burns was taken far too early!

Mike.

[Sideways-King]

Cheers Mike for the, IIRC ( If i recall correctly! ), I don't know all the abbreviations hence my waffle on[] Top man[Y]

Your all right about the era thing. It's the best drivers and cars of the moment so in the dream team scenario of putting different drivers in different cars of the era it would be a hard call. I'll stand by my thought on Loeb being of Legendary status still, you just can't argue with them stat's bottom line. My favourite driver of old though is 'King' Carlos Sainz 'El' Matador'. He said one of the best lines ever which was "There's only 3 REAL MEN sports in this world - Bull Fighting, Mountaineering and Motorsports - Everything else you can do as a schoolboy and don't grow up!" Classic.

Nobody's mentioned Makinen yet? 4 straight drivers titles??

Oh and my favourite ever rally moment? Panizzi donuting mid stage in Spain......I was out of my seat watching that, the wife confirmed I was a loony!!

[MikeT]

Sideways - That was when he was driving the Pug 206 wasn't it?

Can't wait untill the 9th Feb, SVEDEN!

[Wrc action]

Makinen - Yes and unlike loeb he didnt have a nice easy ride with only a little competition. 1998 and 1999 was full efforts from ford, subaru, toyota with the corolla along with some others that I have surely missed out.

Burns I dont ever think that the 206 was his car tho 2003 was very consitent and could have had the title easily on those two tarmac rallys with his constant 2nd and 3rds of that year.

My personal favorites are burns in GB 2000 the P2000 impreza was amazing - also autosports all time top rally car in this weeks edition.

As well as Solberg down the margam park stage to win rally GB in 2004. Amazing 20 secs + from loeb in a single stage.  

Best regards Ryck  

[Sideways-King]

Sideways - That was when he was driving the Pug 206 wasn't it?

Yeah, I always replicate it on WRC4 on the Playstation2 even if I am down on time for the badword of it!

Makinen - Yes and unlike loeb he didnt have a nice easy ride with only a little competition. 1998 and 1999 was full efforts from ford, subaru, toyota with the corolla along with some others that I have surely missed out.

Burns I dont ever think that the 206 was his car tho 2003 was very consitent and could have had the title easily on those two tarmac rallys with his constant 2nd and 3rds of that year.

My personal favorites are burns in GB 2000 the P2000 impreza was amazing - also autosports all time top rally car in this weeks edition.

Your right the Mid to Late 90's were cracking seasons with lots of manufacturer input plus better coverage of the KitCar classes.

I recommend the Richard Burns Story by Haynes which he says he had trouble in the 206. He mentioned he sat too far back for his liking, basically in the middle of the car, which rather being a neccessity for weight balance was due to how tall he was. The Impreza's rear end stuck out further so he felt he could feel the car more. Interesting it follows him from humble beginings until his sad departure.

Whilst on about Burnsie. What do you think of the RB320 Impreza. I must say it's a corker but I'm biased having worked with Prodrive on some of the parts. Even on the development cars the subtle changes made all the difference. Point to point across the B-Roads it annihilates the 470bhp Aston Martin DB9 Pack they were doing but that's another story......

[MikeT]

I hope you all watched Rally Sweden?

Was good to see them on snow, shame Loeb was making excuses about the Helicopter!

[fatboyslim]

Not yet!!

TV program is on ITV4 at 6pm tonight!!

[MikeT]

Sweden is over..

Loeb on 18pts, Gronholm on 16pts!

Come on Loeb!

[Sideways-King]

It was a good rally and with another snowy number on the way next they should all be on an even field being a new rally. I suspect however the Scandinavians will rule as always though - So....Come on Gronholm!!!

Nowt wrong with a little freindly rivalry hey MikeT[Y]

[Fantuzzi]

Back again to the Rally-Bingo.

I think that Loeb will do it again this year. I haven't seen a driver-package as complete as this before - no faults - no technical failures - on different surfaces. He is so pumped up with self-confidence.

The only thing that can stop him from winning is a young gun like Sordo. His fast times in the Monte seem to make Loeb a bit nervous.

[Sideways-King]

Ooooo I love this rally stuff.

I agree as I've said in earlier posts that it's open to debate Loeb is argubly one of the greatest legends of Rallying so early on in his career and IS still the likely favourite. However.................2 rallies in a new car is hardly a complete package and relatively easy going rallies at that. Once in Greece, Mexico or Argentina it will show up any problematic signs.

Sordo I think is a star in the making but lost his bite he showed early on with his bump midway last season and will take him definatley passed this season to build that up again. The only real contender is without doubt Gronholm. A seasoned veteran at least and with a car that won the manufacturers title last season is the most likely to suceed.

Remember the C4 has 2 WRC's under it's belt (virgin), the Impreza is due for change (old timer) and the Focus is on a charge (Prime). I've SO wanted a Ford Driver to win the championship overall since I was watching the Sierra's in the 80's as I dont know about you guys, but I always associate the winning driver as being the best car/manufacturer. I certainly always over rule the Manufacturers title as being separate!?!? Funny isn't it.

Mind you Fantuzzi I bet that Gardemeister shook them all up a bit early on in the Evo!![]

[Wrc action]

Back again to the Rally-Bingo.

I think that Loeb will do it again this year. I haven't seen a driver-package as complete as this before - no faults - no technical failures - on different surfaces. He is so pumped up with self-confidence.

The only thing that can stop him from winning is a young gun like Sordo. His fast times in the Monte seem to make Loeb a bit nervous.

Ahh the commentators curse and look whats happened in Norway lol - Still Will lighten up the championship I soo want another one like 03 or 01 which went down the final rally with 4 drivers that could have won.

Just needs a Good Impreza now []

ryck