real life 2020 FIA World Rally Championship

[Pfei 106]

@dwkGravey Tänak drives for Toyota now. Paddon has one foot out the door and Sordo is close to retirement, also known as rallycross. 

[dwkGravey 0]

LudwigVonMises said:

@dwkGravey Tänak drives for Toyota now. Paddon has one foot out the door and Sordo is close to retirement, also known as rallycross. 

Oops meant Toyota wouldn't give up Latvala or Tanak, or M-Sport Ogier.

[bogani 744]

Time to give Tidemand a shot at it!
                                                            

[versedi 39]

Kajto is also joining WRC so there's another contender for the seat. 

[Dytut 75]

I would love to see Tidemand in a WRC, but I wouldn't put him in as a no.1 driver.

[bogani 744]

Dytut said:

I would love to see Tidemand in a WRC, but I wouldn't put him in as a no.1 driver.

Ofcourse, I would love to see him in a third Fiesta to be honest.

On Meeke, I really do hope he gets picked up by another team. I really do.

[Dytut 75]

If Ogier were to change team I'd say Meeke would have a fair shot at M-Sport.

Or maybe, just maybe, if the rumors are true about a Skoda WRC team next year...

[tbtstt 2,274]

Dytut said:

Or maybe, just maybe, if the rumors are true about a Skoda WRC team next year...

As much I would like to be proven wrong, I just cannot see this happening.

The financial commitment required would be absolutely immense.

[Accro2008 27]

tbtstt said:

Dytut said:

Or maybe, just maybe, if the rumors are true about a Skoda WRC team next year...

As much I would like to be proven wrong, I just cannot see this happening.

The financial commitment required would be absolutely immense.

Skoda representatives were presents at the last official wrc manufacturers meeting (Skoda never attended before).

Doesn't confirm anything but it's a pretty big hint.

[DiRTKiNG808 15]

bogani said:

Dytut said:

I would love to see Tidemand in a WRC, but I wouldn't put him in as a no.1 driver.

Ofcourse, I would love to see him in a third Fiesta to be honest.

On Meeke, I really do hope he gets picked up by another team. I really do.

I would love to see Meeke test drive a Fiesta. He could be a great asset to the team. The Ford car is one of the easiest to drive, reliable and fast. It might suit Meeke well. Only time will tell.

[KevM 44]

I think he’d be faster than Ogier on every Rally in a Fiesta, but finish ahead of him rarely! lol

He’d enjoy the Fiesta more which would undoubtedly take ‘some’ pressure off.  M-Sport would have plenty of shells lying about should the need arise.  Ford would be perfect.

[dwkGravey 0]

Accro2008 said:

tbtstt said:

Dytut said:

Or maybe, just maybe, if the rumors are true about a Skoda WRC team next year...

As much I would like to be proven wrong, I just cannot see this happening.

The financial commitment required would be absolutely immense.

Skoda representatives were presents at the last official wrc manufacturers meeting (Skoda never attended before).

Doesn't confirm anything but it's a pretty big hint.

And the rumour I've read is that Skoda have kept Tidemand in WRC2 so he can join WRC with them when they enter.

[SamRWD 2]

versedi said:

Kajto is also joining WRC so there's another contender for the seat. 

He won't be doing full season, just 4 rallies. He would need at least one full season to get experience (WRC2 is very different world from ERC), and then he could be competitive. I like guy a lot, but let's be realistic- if he doesn't get full sponsorship from Lotos, he won't get into WRC. He is too old for factory team to invest into him (again- I would love for that to happen, Kajto is super cool guy, also great driver). 

[Dytut 75]

And just when you think the Yaris couldn't sound better... New engine test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80VM3QukbQs&app=desktop#

[carpa 295]

Dytut said:

And just when you think the Yaris couldn't sound better... New engine test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80VM3QukbQs&app=desktop#

I think the guys over at Toyota have as a primary target to make the car as cool as it can be, performance comes next. I'm totally in love with that Yaris  <3

[Dytut 75]

I wonder how Breen will react to being the impromptu no.1 driver for Citroën for the remainder of the year. If he ever wants to show himself ready to challenge for the championship in 2019 and be a real no.1 driver in the team now's the chance.

[KevM 44]

He’ll not have to worry about 2019, I don’t think Citroen are...

[Dytut 75]

KevM said:

He’ll not have to worry about 2019, I don’t think Citroen are...

Think they'll drop out for 2019? I'd wager they'd at least make a try of it, and if 2019 also goes downhill they'd drop out for 2020. 

[dwkGravey 0]

Citroen haven't written off 2019 yet: Citroen plans talks with Ogier about return to WRC squad for 2019

I'm not sure what Ogier might see in the C3 to choose that over the Fiesta again. But still, imagine Ogier at Citreon versus Meeke at M-Sport...

[Dytut 75]

Ogier going to Citroën isn't impossible. The C3 can be quick, and they seem to have the worst of the handling problems fixed by now. Loeb showed that it can be quite competitive.

I don't think it's easy to lure Ogier away from M-Sport, but if the deal is right... 
I feel like Citroën needs to go for the title next year or they'll have to conceded they built a bad car. And for the moment there are only three drivers that have shown that they can just get in a new car and win rallies, and that's Ogier, Tänak and Loeb.

[Dytut 75]

So predictions for Sardegna?

Ogier will charge hard to beat Neuville, and Tänak will want to try to catch up with the championship. I'd wager at least one of those three will end up in rally 2 during Friday and at least one of them ends up on the podium. Will be a fight to watch to say the least :-D

Will be interesting to see if Mikkelsen finally gets some consistent speed out of the i20, and if Evans can keep the pace up now that he found it Portugal. Hope to see Breen with a good feeling in the car aswell. 

[Dytut 75]

KevM said:

He’ll not have to worry about 2019, I don’t think Citroen are...

Well Citroën is staying for at least two seasons more: http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/june-2018/citroen-confirms-future/page/5506--12-12-.html

[DiRTKiNG808 15]

I agree, I think Ogier will push hard and that Evans will try to show his form from Portugal. It needs to happen if he wants to stick around at M-Sport.

[carpa 295]

I think Paddon is going to be really quick in Sardinia. He showed great pace there last year and he can be quick if he doesn't make any mistakes. Neuville will struggle on Day 1 on the other end but I think he'll have a better rally than Argentina

[Dytut 75]

Well Mikkelsen has found some speed for the morning loop at least :-) 
Neuville getting some help from the rain but still good work holding 2nd place from first on the road. Still very open so the afternoon will be interesting.