World Rally Championship WRC 2019

very eventful.............em............ event lol!! especially at the end....
loeb damaged, meeke damaged, greensmith damaged..
now ogier accusing hyundai of mean tactics..........not long ago we were hearing meeke was out of line for complaining....

well done tanak though, hes managing to keep his head...

breen driving for hyundai, paddon driving for m-sport, in finland.....good opportunity for both maybe?

I think it is Billy. Being selfish, i’d have much preferred it the other way round as i think Breen edges it.

aye, paul, time will tell if they make the most of it... both good pilots indeed but i'd like to see breen getting a good run of events, but who knows what team bosses are thinking/planning for future.... id love to see more marques in the series, would be a great comeback for the sport like btcc which is now a massive spectacle well supported by many manufacturers....

tanak and toyotas excellent, meeke will be gutted (again), wonder if tommi's thinking about kris, tho jml hit same piece of concrete and didnt suffer as much......... well done breen too, remain a class act and deserves a drive....

I was glad when Tanak didn't win the title last year as I felt he had never been tested by running 1st on the road, this year he has made this handicap look insignificant, he's a class act and the title should be a formality for him this year.

Breen has really showed he belongs in WRC, on the other hand, how much more will we see of Paddon and Meeke?

yep, my thoughts exactly david...beginning to wonder if kris is actually capable of driving within himself to get the car home, he def did at start of season, hoping it was just his pace previously in finland that let the blood get to his head a bit...and jml also messed up at same place so if he performs in germany maybe he'l be ok...

Tanak is the future. Kris, as good a driver as he is, may have missed his chance. Paddon just isn’t up to it. Greensmith needs more time in WRC2. Why didn’t Malcolm give Breen his chance? Definitely the best of the rest.

cant argue with any of that paul......ah well time will tell...

What about Tanak, Breen and Rovanpera as a team? I like Breen, I'm not sure he'll ever have Tanak/Ogier like ultimate pace, but I think he can do what Sordo has done for years. I think Meeke and Latvala have done all they will do at WRC level and need to look what to be at next...

aye breen comes across as not only a fine driver but a decent sort of guy too, hoping he gets a fair crack ....be interesting to see what next few months brings as we end this season and think about whos driving for which team next year...

Rovanpera looks good and i’ve been wondering the same but its a big step up from WRC2 to WRC - look at all the drivers who have tried and failed to make the transition.

indeed paul, and was a dreaming when i thought i heard commentator on tv say that F1's Valtteri Bottas is looking a WRC drive in near future??!?   the list of circuit racers who think they can master rallying but fail may be added to.....

Rallye Finland 2019

Just back from Rallye Finland and reporting in to add to the previous comments made about the rally.

Until you have seen them for real you don’t realise how fast this new generation of WRC cars are. My little camera could barely keep up!!

The Toyotas were all very quick until a certain rock came into play. Being first on the road made no real difference to Tanak. Latvala looked good and relaxed until he hit the rock and was told to go for a team finish, never quite the same then. Meeke was visibly quick, but again perhaps too quick. The day 4 crash possibly has ended his run in the WRC?

Craig Breen was on it right from the start. Consistently in the top 6. Booked into a control on Day 4 two minutes late to push Neuville up the order. Interesting body language at the finish amongst the Hyundai drivers. Neuville & Breen best of friends, Mickelson never got out of the car. Has Craig earned himself another run in the Hyundai (at Rally GB perhaps?)

Ford lost Evans before the rally and he will be missing for Germany too. Sunninen was never on the pace and Greensmith was running comfortably for a top 10 until he hit a tree. Who has Evans seat in Germany?

Lappi was very quick all w/end, Ogier never appeared to be on it but was always handily placed.

Julian Porter spoke with us on Thursday afternoon. All drivers want to win the Driver’s Championship whilst Ogier is there. Ogier will retire most likely end of next season. Rumours about Rovenperra to Toyota at the expense of JML or Meeke. The manufacturers preference is for the Manufactures title, the drivers title is of little relevance to them. Which is why team orders will always come into place whether we agree with them or not!! Who goes to Ford, Rovenperra?

End of Day 2 first 9 cars separated by 45 seconds, incredible.
We were on the Ruuhimaki Power Stage jump where we had Russian, Czech, Estonians, Finnish, Swedish, Italian, French, Irish, Welsh & English supporters. Previously, I had been chatting with a chap from Dubai, currently living in Miami and two from Australia. The WRC is truly global!!!

If you have never been to Rallye Finland, put it on your bucket list.

Chris

Thanks for the insights Chris! Im off to Catalunya for my first overseas rally trip later this year. The missus bought it for me for my 50th which was on Monday. Christ i feel old. Seem to recall Billy or some of you gents doing the Barca jaunt before and recommending it. Can’t wait.

Confirmed on WRC

Gus Greensmith to continue in the Fiesta for Germany & that Makinen says Meeke has a contract for the year!!

Rallye Spain have fun, been there about 5 times. Are you on the Rally Travel package? If you are, are you on their coach or in a hire car, or are you making your own plans. My info will be different depending upon which!!

Its easy getting around, never encountered too much traffic. If you move stages morning to afternoon be ware you will have a long walk in as there are still hundreds of cars parked from the morning run.

Chris

I am on a rally travel package but opted for the car rather than mini bus option as she who must be obeyed is with me and I suspect we won’t be watching every single stage!

chris excellent reporting back m8 with some interesting rumours and insights!! will be pleasantly surprised if kris keeps his seat til end, i'd love him to nick a win just to keep his chances up, if team orders permit of course...

paul, yes m8, i and a mate did spain in 2014, it was excellent..though i did it independently, just hired car at airport and went for it...as chris says there are some stages which do involve a bit of uphill walking but nothing a young 50 yr-old like you cant handle....

cris i def want to experience finland, havent a clue about the area, been to helsinki once but thats my finnish experience in total!! def seems to be worth the effort though...must take a look at next years dates...

Paul

Ref Spain you have probably got the best Rally Travel option as you can get a car into places the bus wont go … hurrah!!!

The hotel is on the NW side of Salou. There are a lot of people staying in this hotel. The food is plentiful but not the best.

You can walk to the service area about 25 mins last bit up hill, there is little close parking as its always full.

Best bit the test stage is 5 mins walk from the hotel. Can be very dusty, get there in reasonable time for a very good view into the bowl area.

Rally Travel always have a briefing at the hotel with a WRC driver and Julian Porter with some very good background info. Don't miss it. Last time we had Craig Breen

All stages are easy to get to. The Rally Travel documentation is very good. Read and inwardly digest. Plot where you want to go get there in good time. Sometimes its a long walk up hill to the stage. Be aware if you do a stage in the morning and then choose to change you will get parked behind all those staying in the stage. Take food and drink with you every day.

The stage in Salou is just not worth the effort, so don't bother. First stage is usually back in Barcelona again too far to go back too so perhaps not bother. Don't forget they are on gravel on day 1 & tarmac on day 2 & 3

On the Thursday or Friday take the trouble to go a drive the Terra Alta stage. It is 30+kms of one brilliant stage, keep a note of your time and check it against what the WRC boys do it in!!! The famous hairpin gets very busy with people camping in the day before. So my advice is to avoid the places that have easy access.


Billy ref Finland. Helsinki is a bout 2.5 hours to Jyvaskala. Book via Rally Travel and we stayed at Himos, very close to Day 2 & 3 stages. We actually drove quite a bit of the Ouninpojya stage on Thursday as it was only 10 miles up the road - shame not to really!!?? We took the hire car option and as with Spain the Rally Travel stage info was very good. We did have a car park pass which was a massive help in parking very close on every stage we did (its not what you know - but who you know!!) Every stage have stalls selling food and drink 1 euro for a cup of tea, 2 euros for a makra/hot dog!!!! Service area easy access. Don't for get to visit the Rally Museum near Tampere on the way back.

Anything else let me know

Chris

awk chris you make that sound so enticing!!!

Thanks gents. Very helpful!

Just back from the "auld lads" Finnish rally - Lahti.
Word there was that Meeke & JML gone for next year and being replaced by a Jap whose name I have forgotten and young Rovapera.
Mikkelsen gone from Hyundai next year and possibly Breen in the frame to replace him. No word on Paddon.

Interesting happening during Lahti was competitors observed during Leg 1 of the rally with balaclavas outside the neck of their rallysuits were issued written warnings at the start of day two. Apparently JML was fined 250 euros for this "offence" on Rally Finland.

On Rally Spain remember there are very few junctions on the stages. We did the tarmac stages as part of Slowly Sideways a number of years back - got a run in between the two runs of the WRC. So its easy to see how El Molare is so popular - its only one of maybe 4 junctions with outside access on the entire stage. What I mean by outside is there are a number of other junctions but they are deadend roads. They set up layered seated grandstands at some of the junctions for spectators - the same as you see at football stadiums but I was told you have to pay for each running of the stage separately i.e. you pay twice if you stay for the full day. I have forgotten the stage name but they run a stage over the motorway with a donut around one of the roundabouts - its on top of a hill with unlimited hillside seating. Well worth going to I'm told. My tuppence worth. Danny Boy the Irish pub is the only place to go in Salou. You will meet most of the drivers there after the rally. The town stage passes its front door . I went in there and eventhough I don't drink I had one hell of a job getting out of it - craic is mighty.

JOB wrote:On Rally Spain remember there are very few junctions on the stages. We did the tarmac stages as part of Slowly Sideways a number of years back - got a run in between the two runs of the WRC. So its easy to see how El Molare is so popular - its only one of maybe 4 junctions with outside access on the entire stage. What I mean by outside is there are a number of other junctions but they are deadend roads. They set up layered seated grandstands at some of the junctions for spectators - the same as you see at football stadiums but I was told you have to pay for each running of the stage separately i.e. you pay twice if you stay for the full day.  I have forgotten the stage name but they run a stage over the motorway with a donut around one of the roundabouts - its on top of a hill with unlimited hillside seating. Well worth going to I'm told. My tuppence worth.  Danny Boy the Irish pub is the only place to go in Salou. You will meet most of the drivers there after the rally. The town stage passes its front door . I went in there and eventhough I don't drink I had one hell of a job getting out of it - craic is mighty.  

Very helpful. Thanks James

Been to Spain a few times also, and lucky enough to witness this, hell of a walk due to the crowds though!

'2002 – Panizzi’s bridge too far'

Peugeot’s asphalt king Gilles Panizzi had a comfortable lead in the 2002 rally as he fired the #3 206 WRC into Stage 15, Viladrau, with three more to run. As he approached the huge La Fullaca viaduct, on and around which thousands of fans had waited patiently since sunrise to catch the action at the left-hand hairpin underneath it, Panizzi deliberately ran deep into the hairpin’s run-off area, nipped up the hydraulic handbrake and pirouetted the car neatly through a pair of 360-degree spins. The crowd went berserk as Panizzi donuted underneath them. With approximately 10 seconds lost to his gymnastics, an unflappable Panizzi disappeared up the road to take his second consecutive win of the season, although co-driving brother Hervé looked rather non-plussed after the impromptu performance that hadn’t been in his pace notes!