Paris Motor Show showcasing 2017 WRC cars

Hyundai, Citroen and Toyota have all or are alledged to be showing their 2017 cars at this event. I've seen pictures of all 3 and they arent exactly lookers (hyundai was the best to my eyes). Will post pics later.

They look different. Toyota looks like the ice racing cars, hopefully they sound good.

Really like the Citroen

Not doing anything for me.
Like DTM cars for the stages or

They're not doing 'diddley-squat' for me neither, and to be honest, I seem to recall we've seen very much the same albeit about 30+ years ago! In comparison, the latest crop of cars don't even come close to their winged, big arched, aerodynamically appendage ridden, obsolete ancestors from that sorely missed bygone age!...

Pictures on Faceache today of the 2017 Fiesta WRC



I was looking at it thinking it had echos of the Markko Martin Focus WRC - 20 mins later it appears i'm not alone it picking up that vibe!

Hope that's not the final shape

What on earth is that rear arch about!!

Must be something in the regs - looks like Hyundai and Toyora have similar cut offs behind the rear arches

...and now Meeke has full proigramme along with Breen and Lefebvre part of a three car Citroen Team in WRC 2017

http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/october-2016/citroen-2017-drivers/page/3947--12-12-.html

Chris

Great to see Citroen keeping Breen on, IMO they'd have been mad not too, more seats to fill next year and he has been the stand out among the drivers with out full time seats this year

M-Sport will be no where next year the car has great potential but with crap drivers it will be bottom end of top 10

Wilson had no idea what so ever on drivers

srsmodels wrote:M-Sport will be no where next year the car has great potential but with crap drivers it will be bottom end of top 10

Wilson had no idea what so ever on drivers

Who is available that you would recommend that he use?

I personally believe that the Group B shapes looked far better.

MG back for 2017 WRC

David Napier wrote:

srsmodels wrote:M-Sport will be no where next year the car has great potential but with crap drivers it will be bottom end of top 10

Wilson had no idea what so ever on drivers

Who is available that you would recommend that he use?

Well I will state the obvious for you david

He should have had a go at getting drivers like meeke in the team also been was available lappi was available Neville was available
All top drivers now taken

srsmodels wrote:M-Sport will be no where next year the car has great potential but with crap drivers it will be bottom end of top 10

Wilson had no idea what so ever on drivers

I Think Wilson is doing a great job funding it from his business, What it needs is Ford back in with a bigger budget for Malcolm

Reading in MN today clueless Wilson is picking ostberg instead of elfyn Evans for rally GB I rest my case

Dosn't Elfyn have a WRC2 Championship to win though?

srsmodels wrote:

David Napier wrote:

srsmodels wrote:M-Sport will be no where next year the car has great potential but with crap drivers it will be bottom end of top 10

Wilson had no idea what so ever on drivers

Who is available that you would recommend that he use?

Well I will state the obvious for you david

He should have had a go at getting drivers like meeke in the team also been was available lappi was available Neville was available
All top drivers now taken

He could not have got Meeke any time in the last 3 years, Neuville was never leaving Hyundia to join Ford, Lappi likely Tidemand I'd expect to be still held by VAG?
I'd think Wilson crazy if he doesn't make Evans his No1 in WRC next year, and I'd keep Ostberg as No2, the Camilli gamble hasn't worked but any half proven top prospect is held by VAG,Hyundia,Citroen and Toyota.
I don't think anything you told me is correct let alone obvious, but I do think that a team manager who has had McRae, Gronholm, Kankunen, Martin, Solberg, Latvala, Hirvonen, Haninen, Neuville and Sainz can be accused of not trying to get good talent in the car, even Duval was highly enough regarded for Citroen to poach him.
I'm with Mark on this, well done Mr Wilson, and hopefully Elfyn can push them back among the front runners next year.

David Napier wrote:

srsmodels wrote:

David Napier wrote:

srsmodels wrote:M-Sport will be no where next year the car has great potential but with crap drivers it will be bottom end of top 10

Wilson had no idea what so ever on drivers

Who is available that you would recommend that he use?

Well I will state the obvious for you david

He should have had a go at getting drivers like meeke in the team also been was available lappi was available Neville was available
All top drivers now taken

He could not have got Meeke any time in the last 3 years, Neuville was never leaving Hyundia to join Ford, Lappi likely Tidemand I'd expect to be still held by VAG?
I'd think Wilson crazy if he doesn't make Evans his No1 in WRC next year, and I'd keep Ostberg as No2, the Camilli gamble hasn't worked but any half proven top prospect is held by VAG,Hyundia,Citroen and Toyota.
I don't think anything you told me is correct let alone obvious, but I do think that a team manager who has had McRae, Gronholm, Kankunen, Martin, Solberg, Latvala, Hirvonen, Haninen, Neuville and Sainz can be accused of not trying to get good talent in the car, even Duval was highly enough regarded for Citroen to poach him.
I'm with Mark on this, well done Mr Wilson, and hopefully Elfyn can push them back among the front runners next year.

Oh dear open your eyes Wilson is only interested in who brings cash not if they can drive

That is why he's got ostberg and Camilli and why they will still be there next year and no place for evans

The fiesta will be lucky to get in top 10 with those 2 driving very embarrassing tbh

The difference being Wilson is running a business unlike the rest and his budget will be nothing compared to the rest.
Like I said If Ford backed it properly then Wilson could go for the big names. Blame Ford not Malcolm
The thing is he is still in there with what he can afford.
Selling his rally cars to fund his WRC campaign and also whatever sponsors bring in is a good achievement in my book

srsmodels wrote:

David Napier wrote:

srsmodels wrote:

David Napier wrote:

srsmodels wrote:M-Sport will be no where next year the car has great potential but with crap drivers it will be bottom end of top 10

Wilson had no idea what so ever on drivers

Who is available that you would recommend that he use?

Well I will state the obvious for you david

He should have had a go at getting drivers like meeke in the team also been was available lappi was available Neville was available
All top drivers now taken

He could not have got Meeke any time in the last 3 years, Neuville was never leaving Hyundia to join Ford, Lappi likely Tidemand I'd expect to be still held by VAG?
I'd think Wilson crazy if he doesn't make Evans his No1 in WRC next year, and I'd keep Ostberg as No2, the Camilli gamble hasn't worked but any half proven top prospect is held by VAG,Hyundia,Citroen and Toyota.
I don't think anything you told me is correct let alone obvious, but I do think that a team manager who has had McRae, Gronholm, Kankunen, Martin, Solberg, Latvala, Hirvonen, Haninen, Neuville and Sainz can be accused of not trying to get good talent in the car, even Duval was highly enough regarded for Citroen to poach him.
I'm with Mark on this, well done Mr Wilson, and hopefully Elfyn can push them back among the front runners next year.

Oh dear open your eyes Wilson is only interested in who brings cash not if they can drive

That is why he's got ostberg and Camilli and why they will still be there next year and no place for evans

The fiesta will be lucky to get in top 10 with those 2 driving very embarrassing tbh

Wilson is interested in keeping solvent, not a bad aim really. Ostberg has lost his way some but IMO he wasn't much off Mikkelsen a couple of years ago. I'll be very disappointed if Evans doesn't get the WRC drive next year, but I'm disappointed that you read my post and still think Wilson only wants pay as you go talents, he deserves respect for what he's done, IMO he is the Wenger of the WRC

Just back from Rallye Spain.

Apart from day 1 when it rained, it was bright and sunny!!

As ever we went with Rally Travel and each year they have a Rally Forum the day before the rally. Julian Porter is always there with gossip from the service area and this year Mads Osberg and Eric Camilli were there to give some info on the rally etc..

So to answer the questions above...M Sport is NOT supported by Ford so their budget is not as much as the full WRC teams of VW, Citroen, Hyundai etc.. The two Fiesta R5s used in Spain have already been sold BUT they have also to be used on Rally GB and on Rally Australia first!!. The two cars used on the Monte were also pre sold. Clearly with a limited budget M Sport cannot afford the wages for 'better' drivers. In the current form they will not be able to compete for the top positions.

I cant remember what Julian said about the new Toyota and its choice of drivers. About Ogier and the constant moaning about road position he said that Ogier is only interested in winning, coming second is not good enough for him. But points do mean prizes. It was also suggested that the despite what photos or real cars for 2017 that have been released they might not look like that come Monte 2017. Each team is watching each other very closely so not to be seen to be behind. Apparently VW were secret testing in a Scandanavian forest miles from anywhere and still there were spies around.

Of Meeke and Breen at Citroen - Porter said that Meeke was a changed man now he knows he has the seat. He was more relaxed and ready for the challenge, where as Breen had struck gold being in the right pace at the right time.

All works team will have a three car team in 2017 all using the Michelin control tyre. The DMACK team are a private one car team using their own Dmack tyres. They could enter two cars, but probably not a 3 cars in 2017....as they then would have to use Michelins!! Apparently Ott Tanak has highlighted Rally GB as the teams best chance of overall victory, particularly if the weather is poor.

So some insider info that perhaps doesnt always look that obvious to us spectators and enthusiasts...there is always a reason why...

Chris