The 2016 WRC has been quite the game so far, looking quite unlike the previous three years in some ways, yet sounding comfortably familiar in others. There have been the usual mix of outstanding individual performances and own goals. Intra-team sniping and unexpected empathy. Astonishing success and epic fails. And as the 2017 season with its changes and challenges heaves into view, this is as good a time as any to cover off a few of the highs, lows and the head-scratchingly unexpected. So let's have at it...
Six Different Winners In Seven Rounds
Finally the tedium of seeing a single marque and a single driver in the "Win" column virtually every round has gone. Regardless of your particular preferences for driver or make, you must still agree that 2016 has been a pleasant departure from the predictability of the past 12 years.
So far we have seen two wins from Ogier, and one win each from Latvala, Meeke, Paddon, Neuville and Mikkelsen. And while the main VW team has three wins to its credit over the two wins from the Hyundai #2 team, Citroen's semi-works effort and the VW2 team victory, the appearance of some machinery sans the VW logo in the winner's circle generates hope that this season will end a lot closer than we've seen for a very long time. Gotta be good for the sport
Way To Push Privateers Out Of The Sport
Ignoring the weirdness surrounding the stewards' decision to penalise Martin Prokop for a gearbox seal infringement which had been present on earlier events (mainly choosing to ignore said weirdness because Martin had already announced his intention to pull back from the WRC to go play in the Dakar and indulge in other pastimes, so it was already moot and the penalty was overturned anyway), the proposed 2017 season regulation that will ban most if not all "gentlemen drivers" from piloting the new-spec cars, is seen by most as a given.
If a privateer team such as Bertelli's fuckmatie squad cannot get their hands on the same spec vehicle as their opposition, they'll have two thirds of three fifths of stuff-all chance of being in the match at all. The FIA/WRC have subsequently let it be known that they're considering imposing their restriction on a case-by-case basis, rather than a blanket ban.
However, without a so-called "Super Licence" style qualification programme in place, the ad-hoc nature of the WRC's proposed regime seems to invite potential unfairness and cronyism. Let's hope they see the merit in a more formal qualification plan if they confirm the implementation of the pseudo-ban.
The '17-Spec Cars Will Be Deadly In The Wrong Hands?
Apparently so.
Yes, you could be forgiven for thinking that surely that also applies to the '16 spec weapons (which mysteriously avoid being banned from privateer use). And you would be correct. Presumably then, you'll be even more dead after mishandling your 2017-spec WRC car, than with the 2016 jobbie. Even though the aero packages, track enhancements and electronic centre diffs of next season's models are expected to make the beasts easier to drive at pace than the current versions.
The vexed question of how the galactically less-skilled WRC2 bods will bridge the newly-embiggerated gap to '17-spec divinity, has forced the WRC steering committee to consider yet another class of competition, this time between WRC2 and WRC, (WRC2+ maybe? Or WRC Minus?) using all the pre-'17 spec WR Car cast-offs that the constructors no longer want or need. Hmmm... not sure that's going to appeal to the likes of VW and Hyundai.
Whatever they decide, the whole notion of the 2017-spec cars being death-traps for anyone but the WRC elite, smacks of bovine effluent. The regs as revealed thus far suggest a measured increase in performance rather than a return to Group B arms-race lunacy.
Can you say "overreaction"?
Jut Like That Old Time Rock 'n Roll
Jari-Matti Latvala looked for all money like he had Argentina in the bag on the Saturday with a demonstration of pace that reminded the unbiased observer of the JML of old. A pity then that the nearly-irresistable force that is the VW Polo R WRC met the immovable object of a largish piece of bedrock in the Finn's driving line with the result that the Polo lost that bout and JM-L lost the rally.
The car's front right strut was smacked upward, piercing the top-mount and bonnet, and destroying the Polo's steering. The spectacular rolls that followed finished the job for the unfortunate crew. Up to that point, he was a shoe-in for the top spot, but instead of scoring his second victory of the season, he was out and history records that Paddon took his first ever WRC win. It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good, as my Mum would say.
Following his Argentina victory, Paddon was in buoyant mood for Portugal, setting quick times and looking strong for a good placing. Unfortunately for the Kiwi, on the second running of Ponte de Lima, his pace was his undoing. Unknown to the WRC contenders, following the first loop, a large hole had opened up on the racing line. This menace was obscured until the drivers were upon it, so all the leading WRC cars were at risk and each one in turn had a moment.
In Paddon's case, his greater speed launched the i20 through the air and into collision with the raised rockface on the inside edge of the road. The impact spun the Hyundai around and it exited the track backwards down a bank, flipping before landing back on its wheels.
The crew evacuated the car just in time to avoid being immolated in a subsequent fire ignited by the i20's hot exhaust, and the Hyundai was totally burnt out. A very big consequence for what was really a tiny misstep. Ott Tanak had the same experience with a very similar result, although with the help of the Kiwi crew, spectators and marshalls, they saved the Fiesta from the flames. Only Mads Ostberg's slightly slower pace had prevented his demise at the same spot.
Tanak was lucky that his Fiesta RS WRC survived, but his luck took a turn for the worse two events later in Poland while leading the rally by 18 seconds over Andreas Mikkelsen. With just two stages left, a puncture robbed him of his first win at the WRC top level, a victory that all who saw his performance agreed would have been a just reward for an outstanding drive over the rally's three days.
One can but commiserate with the Estonian and his DMACK team that they came so close. And M-Sport's Malcolm Wilson must have been gutted in missing out on the Fiesta's first rally win since 2012, a result that the Cumbrian firm sorely needs. At least the pace Tanak showed in Poland will give them great heart for a decent placing in the similar conditions of Finland.
The Resurrection Of Thierry Neuville
The Belgian has seen his fortunes change for the better as the season has progressed and the Hyundai squad has accordingly reaped the benefits of his improved performance. Especially as far as the Motorsport N team is concerned.
So far, both wins for the Korean manufacturer have been by the #20 entry, which, against expectations, have given the N team a healthy points boost. Not what M. Nandan would have preferred, I'm sure, but the same applies to Mikkelsen's win for the VW second team so not so disadvantageous as it seems at first glance.
So far this season, Neuville has bagged 61 points, currently sitting in 7th place which you might have thought unlikely viewing his performances at the conclusion of the 2015 season. So what's changed? According to Thierry, they've finally given him a competitive car.
A mechanical glitch here and there, a wee fuel miscalculation and the occasional less than perfect tyre choice have all conspired to disguise quite how much the Belgian has improved in 2016, but improve he did. A first, a third, a fourth and a sixth all contributing to his renaissance in the World Rally Championship.
At the half-time drinks break, Thierry has shown that he's going to challenge the leaders in the second half. A new, more positive attitude, a faster car, a boost in confidence and the desire to improve his value for the silly season approaching have come together to make him more competitive, more results-focused than we've seen for a while.
Whether or not Thierry is doing this with the team in mind, the benefits to Hyundai Motorsport GMBH will be tangible. But will he stay with the team for another three years? Doubtful. Particularly because much interest has already been expressed by the other teams toward the Belgian and he's heading into the prime years where he'll command the highest salary.
Still, you never know - Hyundai is serious about their WRC ambitions and they're well-funded, so in a bidding war they will be competitive. If they believe their future requires Neuville, then don't count them out. But my gut tells me that the rocky road that is the Hyundai/Neuville relationship has seen too much ego puncturing to navigate easily. We'll know in just a few weeks time, I think...
The Silly Season Arrives Early This Year
So having touched on the topic of factory seats, now seems as good a time as any to take a deeper look. Let's start with VW - because they're the easiest.
Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen are all confirmed as driving for Volkswagen Motorsport in 2017. Whether the rules mandate a three car team or the current two-team structure, there will be no driver changes for next season.
However, VW team boss Capito has suggested that their World Champion might retire from the sport should the start order not be changed so that the Frenchman is no longer disadvantaged. Unlikely, given that changes are mooted, and Ogier still has unfinished business in the WRC. But good for talking points...
Hyundai has yet to finalise their lineup for 2017. Paddon is contracted to the end of 2018, Sordo has signed anew until the end of 2018 but Neuville has yet to commit. Hyundai boss Nandan has let it be known that his preference is to have the same crews as for the past two years, meaning Thierry is welcome to remain, but it's up to the Belgian to choose his home for the next two seasons.
Right now, the possibilities are for Citroen and Hyundai to provide berths but there's an admittedly faint possibility that M-Sport could also be in the frame. Toyota-Gazoo looks unlikely at this point in time though.
My bet? Neuville will join Meeke at Citroen. We shall have to wait and see...
Citroen has been adamant that they won't be running a third car in their 2017 campaign. With Meeke confirmed for 2017 and 2018, there will be just a single space for three prospective candidates for the second seat. Neuville, as mentioned, LeFebvre or Breen.
Breen is seen as a bit of an outside chance, talented but not yet a sure bet. Being French, LeFebvre is a favourite to score a place in the French squad - in addition to his speed, the Frenchman has the inside running due to the historical preference by Citroen to promote their countrymen.
If Neuville bags the second drive though, it's not at all unlikely that PH would run a semi-works team for LeFebvre, and perhaps even another car for Breen.
TMR-Gazoo is the big mystery. Here are the drivers who won't be in the 2017 team:
Loeb. Petter Solberg. Mads Ostberg. Thierry Neuville. So, besides Juho Hanninen, Makinen's current favourite, who else might headline the Toyota team's efforts in 2017? So far, the probables seem to be from a trio of talented newcomers to the WRC; Suninen,
Lappi and Tidemund.
Who'll get the seats? It's a coin-flip I'm afraid.
And last, but never to be counted out, M-Sport is developing a 2017 spec car based on the yet-to-be-released 2017 model-year Fiesta. So don't doubt for a moment that Wilson will enter at least two cars next season. But there's a catch...
DMACK tyres apparently approached M-Sport with a deal for next year. What form that deal takes is unknown but speculation is rife that in turn for M-Sport using DMACK's tyres exclusively, the tyre maker will fund a two-car WRC challenge in '17.
But this is where it gets complicated - both Ott Tanak and Elfyn Evans were dumped from M-Sport's 2015 main squad and were replaced by Mads Ostberg and Eric Camilli. It seems likely that the DMACK deal would require Tanak and Evans to take over the main team seats from Ostberg and Camilli, leaving both of those latter drivers either out of a job, or at best, in a second string M-Sport team. Not a happy circumstance for either driver.
But what if M-Sport doesn't go for the DMACK deal?
DMACK could run its own team again, this time with both Tanak and Evans, in whatever car they can negotiate. And that isn't necessarily a Ford. In fact, Citroen has the head start in development to be in a position to build six cars prior to the Monte - one each for Meeke, Neuville, Lefebvre, Breen, Tanak and Evans if they so wished.
There's no doubt that the Citroen Racing firm would be able to run three cars if it felt the need, and the semi-works PH Sport team could do the same. Or Citroen could stick to two cars while PH Sport could run a team with Tanak, Evans and Lefebvre.
Of course, DMACK have a history with M-Sport - Tanak in the Fiesta RS WRC and Evans in the R5 version - so it's entirely possible that they'd stick with the Cumbrian constructor. Probable, in fact. But so far it's certainly not a given.
Like I said, the silly season is early this year.
Showing posts with label Tanak. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tanak. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
WRC '16 - A Mads Mystery
There's a universal adage that reads something like this...
"If you're not going forward, you're going backwards".
It's a truism that could have been written for Mads Ostberg. You see, the popular Norwegian driver has always been there or thereabouts when it comes to pace, with moments when he really looked the business behind the wheel of whatever rally weapon he happened to inhabit at that time. But the WRC doesn't stand still as clearly demonstrated in the results achieved by the current crop of talented stage-winners. It's not enough just to be quick - you have to be challenging for the stage win. Or the rally win.
Sadly, Mads isn't in that category. Despite his speed and consistency, Mads hasn't looked like a winner all season. Why is that? In a word, "stagnation". He has reached a plateau in his performances while most of his competition have improved. And there are also a clutch of guys whose experience and skills have yet to reach the rally-winner level, but who are already threatening to out-perform Mads in speed on a consistent basis.
That sounds really dire, I know, but is it as bad as it sounds? Well, that depends on Mads. This WRC ace thing needs more than natural ability and big cojones. It takes practice and an awful lot of hard work - just ask the Paddons, Breens, Evanses, Camillis, Tanaks and Mikkelsens (to name a few) of the WRC world. They're not sitting back, confident in their ability and expecting to be victorious. They're doing their utmost to improve - on every event.
Paddon is a classic example. Two seasons ago, he was seen as fortunate to have gained a foothold in the WRC, a surprisingly competent antipodean who punched above his weight and a bit of a David to virtually everybody else's Goliath. No longer.
The Kiwi's consistent and rapid gains in speed and skill have impressed every team boss in the WRC and the greater mass of the skeptical rally supporters worldwide. Yes, Hayden possesses the native talent to be competitive, but it's also due in large part to his unquenchable thirst to improve himself - to strive to be the best.
So he invests as much of his free time as he can in improving his skills. On tarmac, on gravel, in analysing conditions, in car set-up, learning from the performances of his rivals and probably most importantly, in being honest with himself as to his weaknesses and asking for help to overcome them. In a sport where ego is a huge component in motivation and success, the sort of self-analysis Paddon applies in his chosen career is key to the rate at which he has improved in his time in the WRC. Hard work trumps innate ability sometimes. And asking for help is rare at this level of competition.
But back to Mads - at the half-way point of the WRC season, the Norwegian's performance is neatly summed up by his place in the drivers' championship. Sixth overall compares poorly with the 3rd place he held after seven events last year. Yet the M-Sport lead driver has consistently voiced his satisfaction with his driving, despite the lacklustre times he's been posting. How can that be?
Mads has hinted at times that the Fiesta RS WRC is not capable of delivering more, that he has felt content with the performances he's putting in but the car is limiting the times they can achieve. Which may or may not have seemed a realistic interpretation until Rally Poland, where Ott Tanak, in a virtually identical vehicle, led the rally for three days, losing the victory only through time lost to a puncture and relegating the Estonian to second overall. But Tanak's performance across the event certainly undermines Mads's theory of the car being the limiting factor.
It's time for Mads to face the fact that he's slower because everybody else is now quicker. If he wants to get a factory seat in 2017, something that must be in serious doubt right now, then he will have to prove that this stagnation he's exhibiting is temporary and that he's capable of improving his own performance to once again match or better still, exceed, that of his peers. It's time for Mads to put in the required effort.
He's been a well-liked and respected competitor for ten plus years - it would be a shame to see him leave the World Rally Championship at this point in his career.
"If you're not going forward, you're going backwards".
It's a truism that could have been written for Mads Ostberg. You see, the popular Norwegian driver has always been there or thereabouts when it comes to pace, with moments when he really looked the business behind the wheel of whatever rally weapon he happened to inhabit at that time. But the WRC doesn't stand still as clearly demonstrated in the results achieved by the current crop of talented stage-winners. It's not enough just to be quick - you have to be challenging for the stage win. Or the rally win.
Sadly, Mads isn't in that category. Despite his speed and consistency, Mads hasn't looked like a winner all season. Why is that? In a word, "stagnation". He has reached a plateau in his performances while most of his competition have improved. And there are also a clutch of guys whose experience and skills have yet to reach the rally-winner level, but who are already threatening to out-perform Mads in speed on a consistent basis.
That sounds really dire, I know, but is it as bad as it sounds? Well, that depends on Mads. This WRC ace thing needs more than natural ability and big cojones. It takes practice and an awful lot of hard work - just ask the Paddons, Breens, Evanses, Camillis, Tanaks and Mikkelsens (to name a few) of the WRC world. They're not sitting back, confident in their ability and expecting to be victorious. They're doing their utmost to improve - on every event.
Paddon is a classic example. Two seasons ago, he was seen as fortunate to have gained a foothold in the WRC, a surprisingly competent antipodean who punched above his weight and a bit of a David to virtually everybody else's Goliath. No longer.
The Kiwi's consistent and rapid gains in speed and skill have impressed every team boss in the WRC and the greater mass of the skeptical rally supporters worldwide. Yes, Hayden possesses the native talent to be competitive, but it's also due in large part to his unquenchable thirst to improve himself - to strive to be the best.
So he invests as much of his free time as he can in improving his skills. On tarmac, on gravel, in analysing conditions, in car set-up, learning from the performances of his rivals and probably most importantly, in being honest with himself as to his weaknesses and asking for help to overcome them. In a sport where ego is a huge component in motivation and success, the sort of self-analysis Paddon applies in his chosen career is key to the rate at which he has improved in his time in the WRC. Hard work trumps innate ability sometimes. And asking for help is rare at this level of competition.
But back to Mads - at the half-way point of the WRC season, the Norwegian's performance is neatly summed up by his place in the drivers' championship. Sixth overall compares poorly with the 3rd place he held after seven events last year. Yet the M-Sport lead driver has consistently voiced his satisfaction with his driving, despite the lacklustre times he's been posting. How can that be?
Mads has hinted at times that the Fiesta RS WRC is not capable of delivering more, that he has felt content with the performances he's putting in but the car is limiting the times they can achieve. Which may or may not have seemed a realistic interpretation until Rally Poland, where Ott Tanak, in a virtually identical vehicle, led the rally for three days, losing the victory only through time lost to a puncture and relegating the Estonian to second overall. But Tanak's performance across the event certainly undermines Mads's theory of the car being the limiting factor.
It's time for Mads to face the fact that he's slower because everybody else is now quicker. If he wants to get a factory seat in 2017, something that must be in serious doubt right now, then he will have to prove that this stagnation he's exhibiting is temporary and that he's capable of improving his own performance to once again match or better still, exceed, that of his peers. It's time for Mads to put in the required effort.
He's been a well-liked and respected competitor for ten plus years - it would be a shame to see him leave the World Rally Championship at this point in his career.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
WRC '16 - Mexico can't be as bad as 2015...
At least we hope not. The Guanajuato-based event in 2015 was, to be blunt, utter carnage. The list of those who crashed out on the first full day makes for depressing reading:
1: Ott Tanak
2; Hayden Paddon
3: Robert Kubica
4: Kris Meeke
5: Lorenzo Bertelli
6: Thierry Neuville
7: Benito Guerra
Way to hand Sébastian Ogier the rally on un plato, amigos. Where the World Champ should have been doing some heavy-duty road-sweeping on the morning of the second full day, instead he left that chore up to the miscreants comprising the start list above. The Frenchman thus benefitted big time from his 8th position through the stages, and despite his professed belief before the rally that he had absolutely no chance of winning in Mexico, he romped home. If you're interested in my analysis of last year's Rally Mexico, click here.
This year though, Hyundai have come to la fiesta dressed as if they mean to get a decent result. In the main team, newly-invigorated Thierry Neuville and the ever-reliable Dani Sordo will be ably supported by the sensational Hayden Paddon with his B team entry, all three drivers steering the evolution NGi20 model cars from the Korean constructor. Already, the greater performance of the new car is evident and barring mechanical issues, they should all apply some badly-needed pressure to the Volkswagen Polo R boys.
Kris Meeke, in his "gap year" guise, would have had no point-scoring pressure and thus would have been able to push right from the start, to go head-to-head with VW's Ogier in the semi-works Citroen DS3 WRC. This car is more or less in identical spec to last year's Mexican entrant, so Kris would tell you that the German team would have the advantage in hardware, but he'd also admit that his road position would cancel that out, and he'd be in no doubt that he was in with at least a podium shot - maybe the win. But of course, he's not entered, so that's a battle we'll have to watch on another day.
Mads finished runner-up last year, through profiting greatly from the mistakes of others it must be said, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he can equal the feat it he stays out of trouble again this year, as M-Sport's lead driver. In fact if things go well for him, you can't with hand on heart exclude the Norwegian from the top podium step. While questions may be raised about his outright speed versus SebO and Jari-Matti, Mads's consistency credentials are undoubted.
Having tasted the reservoir water on the previous Rally Mexico, Ott Tanak will be reluctant to repeat the experience, so it would be absolutely reasonable to expect a highly-focused performance from DMACK's new signing. He'll be running the same spec car as M-Sport's Ostberg and Camilli, so his speed on this event will likely be in the same ballpark as his Michelin-shod competitors.
But here's a wee wrinkle that might put el gato among the pigeons - the road order this year has its share of jokers. See below...
1: Ogier
2: Mikkelsen
3: Ostberg:
4: Paddon
5: Sordo
6: Tanak
7: Neuville
8: Latvala
9: Camilli
10: Prokop
11: Bertelli
Both Neuville and Latvala have a significant theoretical road position advantage over the first three on the road, perceived wisdom suggesting that the lower-ordered pair may threaten Ogier for victory in the event - we shall see it that turns out to be the case.
Despite all that, Sébastian Ogier is still odds-on favourite to take maximum points on the stages of Guanajuato, his blend of driving skill, racecraft and luck making his defeat improbable despite his road-sweeping duties. But a win isn't a given, regardless of what the commentators, fans and bloggers may believe, and Mexico might, just might, give us a result that turns this championship on its head.
And no matter who you support, that wouldn't be a bad thing at all.
1: Ott Tanak
2; Hayden Paddon
3: Robert Kubica
4: Kris Meeke
5: Lorenzo Bertelli
6: Thierry Neuville
7: Benito Guerra
Way to hand Sébastian Ogier the rally on un plato, amigos. Where the World Champ should have been doing some heavy-duty road-sweeping on the morning of the second full day, instead he left that chore up to the miscreants comprising the start list above. The Frenchman thus benefitted big time from his 8th position through the stages, and despite his professed belief before the rally that he had absolutely no chance of winning in Mexico, he romped home. If you're interested in my analysis of last year's Rally Mexico, click here.
This year though, Hyundai have come to la fiesta dressed as if they mean to get a decent result. In the main team, newly-invigorated Thierry Neuville and the ever-reliable Dani Sordo will be ably supported by the sensational Hayden Paddon with his B team entry, all three drivers steering the evolution NGi20 model cars from the Korean constructor. Already, the greater performance of the new car is evident and barring mechanical issues, they should all apply some badly-needed pressure to the Volkswagen Polo R boys.
Kris Meeke, in his "gap year" guise, would have had no point-scoring pressure and thus would have been able to push right from the start, to go head-to-head with VW's Ogier in the semi-works Citroen DS3 WRC. This car is more or less in identical spec to last year's Mexican entrant, so Kris would tell you that the German team would have the advantage in hardware, but he'd also admit that his road position would cancel that out, and he'd be in no doubt that he was in with at least a podium shot - maybe the win. But of course, he's not entered, so that's a battle we'll have to watch on another day.
Mads finished runner-up last year, through profiting greatly from the mistakes of others it must be said, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he can equal the feat it he stays out of trouble again this year, as M-Sport's lead driver. In fact if things go well for him, you can't with hand on heart exclude the Norwegian from the top podium step. While questions may be raised about his outright speed versus SebO and Jari-Matti, Mads's consistency credentials are undoubted.
Having tasted the reservoir water on the previous Rally Mexico, Ott Tanak will be reluctant to repeat the experience, so it would be absolutely reasonable to expect a highly-focused performance from DMACK's new signing. He'll be running the same spec car as M-Sport's Ostberg and Camilli, so his speed on this event will likely be in the same ballpark as his Michelin-shod competitors.
But here's a wee wrinkle that might put el gato among the pigeons - the road order this year has its share of jokers. See below...
1: Ogier
2: Mikkelsen
3: Ostberg:
4: Paddon
5: Sordo
6: Tanak
7: Neuville
8: Latvala
9: Camilli
10: Prokop
11: Bertelli
Both Neuville and Latvala have a significant theoretical road position advantage over the first three on the road, perceived wisdom suggesting that the lower-ordered pair may threaten Ogier for victory in the event - we shall see it that turns out to be the case.
Despite all that, Sébastian Ogier is still odds-on favourite to take maximum points on the stages of Guanajuato, his blend of driving skill, racecraft and luck making his defeat improbable despite his road-sweeping duties. But a win isn't a given, regardless of what the commentators, fans and bloggers may believe, and Mexico might, just might, give us a result that turns this championship on its head.
And no matter who you support, that wouldn't be a bad thing at all.
Monday, September 14, 2015
WRC '15 - Coffs and snivels?
As a dyed-in-the-wool Kiwi, sport, you can probably imagine how much it hurts to say this, but s'truth mate, the Aussies put on a hell of a show for their Coates Hire Rally of Australia this last weekend.
There was absolutely somethin' for everyone during three days of the closest-fought loose surface motorsport we've seen all bloody season. The drama was there even before shakedown, and it continued right up to the last moments of the power stage that saw Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia take their third WRC championship, and their Volkswagen team clinch the constructor's championship for the third year on the trot. Fair dinkum, Blue.
The top five drivers finished inside a one minute spread, something that hasn't happened since Dame Edna drove a Capri convertible. And it's the kind of result that suggests that despite the moans and bleats about road position, look-alike machinery and long-haul events, the formula bloody well works!
It was the best rally of the season to these eyes, despite any bias over the preferred finishing order.
So what made it the Sunday treat that it turned out to be? So many things that just didn't go according to the script. And it started early.
On recce day #1, Mads and Jonas took on a logging truck and lost. The Norwegian crew didn't make it to Shakedown and Citroen's apprentice team, "Stephane squared", got bumped into starting as #2 crew for the double chevron marque. Bet they didn't see that coming. (See what I did there? Huh, huh?... oh please yourselves).
Then, when the rally proper kicked off, Dani Sordo and Marc Marti, demoted to the second tier Motorsport N team usually inhabited by Hayden Paddon and John Kennard, took full advantage of their road position and won all of the first three stages. 'Oath, mate. And the Spanish-speaking fans worldwide were over the flamin' moon.
It wasn't to last, but for a glittering moment, Hyundai again led a WRC round. But not all the fans were delighted. Those that had trekked from the Eastern side of the ditch had their hearts set on another Hyundai driver leading the event - Hayden Paddon. Instead, Northern Irishman Kris Meeke took the leader's mantle from Sordo and the Citroen fans went wild.
Kris held the top position until the penultimate stage of the day, but it was SS8 where the tide turned and the snivels began. You see, the organisers had given in to the demands of the promoter to include a night stage for added, um - "gimmickry" springs to mind - although they might prefer "interest". Whichever, only the first two or three cars completed the stage without being hampered by hanging dust. So it was here that Citroen's Meeke lost time to his rivals and he was not a happy lad.
Of course, he wasn't alone in his moan about the dark and the dust - also fellow drivers Neuville and Tanak, to mention a couple, had harsh words for the organisers' choice of stage time, especially since there had been requests to drop that night stage before the event began. It wasn't rocket surgery that it was going to be an issue for both spectacle and safety, the drivers reasoned. So at the finish of SS8, Latvala led Meeke by two seconds while Ogier took fastest time.
Day two flickered into life with a nice breeze and brilliant sunshine, just the right formula for a Kiwi on a mission. Paddon took the win on the first two stages of the day, delighting the legions of Kiwi followers who probably felt they were robbed the previous day. Although the Hyundai crew showed they were serious, the times weren't quite enough to improve their fifth place. But they opened the gap to Tanak who was lurking like a goanna on steroids one place behind.
Latvala struggled with a 6th place on SS9 and handed the lead back to Meeke, the spot the Northern Irishman kept until SS11, losing it to the resurgent Ogier on SS12. Despite Meeke's best efforts, his less advantageous road position showed in his 4th best time and he slipped to third overall.
Sunday saw Ogier in awesome form. He won every one of the five stages, his advantage increasing from 5.1 seconds on SS13 to 12.3 seconds on the power stage. Quite an extraordinary display of driving, and the best possible way to win the rally, the 2015 championship and the constructors' championship. A privilege to watch. And a credit to the Rally Australia organisers that they broadcast Wedding Bells live on both runs through the stage.
So the event concluded, with emotions of joy, contentment, relief and disappointment depending on who you were. Naturally, SebO and his co-driver were in the first category but what of the others?
Jari-Matti Latvala seemed to vacillate between contentment and disappointment, understandably, with another great drive mostly but beaten by his teammate Ogier. He must be wondering how to catch a break, but the Finn will continue to fight for the win until the championship is over.
Kris Meeke's only mistake on this rally was his choice of tyres on day one and that was really more of a calculated risk, so he was chuffed to podium and relieved to get through the weekend without the issues of recent rallies. A great drive, but the sniveling after the night stage didn't endear him to fans, organisers or the FIA reps present.
Andreas Mikkelsen took it to his teammates and rivals with a fine performance, and it was only the uncharacteristic late check in to service and its 10 second penalty that stopped his charge for the third podium spot. Yet it's tempting to think that despite his pace, Andreas was in the disappointed category. It can't be long before he gets a win though.
Hayden Paddon finished fifth, fastest Hyundai by a long shot. Paddon admitted that his Friday morning all-softs tyre choice was the wrong one, suggesting that two hards would have made a positive difference. His charge for a podium was also hampered by differential issues affecting the handling of the #8 i20, problems that were corrected in service. The remainder of the rally, the Kiwi's times were competitive with stage wins on SS9 and SS10, and he finished less than a minute from Ogier's winning time after 300+ km of competitive stages. No ambiguity here - contentment from the Kiwi.
Ott Tanak struggled to get to grips with the slippery road surfaces of Coffs in this, his first shot at the round in a full-spec WRC car. Normally trading times with Paddon on the loose, Ott was noticeably off the pace for most of the event, and his own differential problems didn't help. SS4 and SS8 saw the Estonian drop to 8th overall. However, some spirited driving on SS9 got him third fastest time, and a second fastest on SS10, and he moved up to 6th, the position he held until the finish and some 43 seconds behind Paddon. A mixture of disappointment and contentment, I'd say.
Thierry Neuville commented at the end of the power stage that he was happy with his performance which at first glance might sound strange coming from the number one Hyundai driver who was beaten by the runt of the Hyundai litter by a significant 73 seconds. But he too had handling issues during the weekend and a worse road position than Paddon for the first two days, so perhaps in that light, it wasn't such a bad result. So maybe contentment works for Thierry. Not so sure how it feels for Michel though...
Dani Sordo kicked arse on day #1, with three stage wins on the trot. I can say with certainty that it was joy that he was feeling as he headed into SS4. And why not? Spectacular performance on his first ever run at Coffs. But reality began to bite from SS9 on, with rear brakes deserting the Spaniard and his golden run fading quickly away. Finally on SS12, his team leader Neuville passed him in the overall stakes and with team orders in play, Sordo was destined to remain where he was until the finish. From joy, then, it was a descent into disappointment. This experience will have given him confidence for next year though and he'll be a force.
Elvyn Evans is another whose emotions about Rally Australia will be unambiguous - disappointment all the way. The Welshman simply couldn't get to grips with the surfaces in either sense of the word. A spin and the resulting puncture effectively removed him from competition but he was upfront about his lack of rhythm even before that incident. Another event in what has been a sequence of disappointing results that Evans will want to forget, but he must relive to establish what went wrong and find a fix. M-Sport's boss was clearly unhappy with his protege and at times, Elvyn looked and sounded to be on the verge of tears. Not so much disappointed then, as devastated?
Stephane Lefebvre always had a big task ahead of him on this event; practically without preparation, borrowed car, helmets and overalls, partial pacenotes and all. And a head-on collision during recce. An inauspicious beginning to the youngster's gravel rally career. A consistent run of 8th, 9th and 10th place times ended with a broken suspension on SS8, effectively dropping the Frenchman out of the points. Happily for Citroen though, his 13th overall put him in 10th manufacturer placing so he gave his team a much-needed single point which kept the deficit to Hyundai as it was pre-rally. Contented.
So there it was in Oz. A really exciting round despite the sniveling from some and arguably the most dramatic of the season. Certainly the closest finish in decades. Now if the other teams can get their machines and crews a bit closer in performance to the all-conquering VW Polo WRC machines, it can only get better. Looking forward to it.
There was absolutely somethin' for everyone during three days of the closest-fought loose surface motorsport we've seen all bloody season. The drama was there even before shakedown, and it continued right up to the last moments of the power stage that saw Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia take their third WRC championship, and their Volkswagen team clinch the constructor's championship for the third year on the trot. Fair dinkum, Blue.
The top five drivers finished inside a one minute spread, something that hasn't happened since Dame Edna drove a Capri convertible. And it's the kind of result that suggests that despite the moans and bleats about road position, look-alike machinery and long-haul events, the formula bloody well works!
It was the best rally of the season to these eyes, despite any bias over the preferred finishing order.
So what made it the Sunday treat that it turned out to be? So many things that just didn't go according to the script. And it started early.
On recce day #1, Mads and Jonas took on a logging truck and lost. The Norwegian crew didn't make it to Shakedown and Citroen's apprentice team, "Stephane squared", got bumped into starting as #2 crew for the double chevron marque. Bet they didn't see that coming. (See what I did there? Huh, huh?... oh please yourselves).
Then, when the rally proper kicked off, Dani Sordo and Marc Marti, demoted to the second tier Motorsport N team usually inhabited by Hayden Paddon and John Kennard, took full advantage of their road position and won all of the first three stages. 'Oath, mate. And the Spanish-speaking fans worldwide were over the flamin' moon.
It wasn't to last, but for a glittering moment, Hyundai again led a WRC round. But not all the fans were delighted. Those that had trekked from the Eastern side of the ditch had their hearts set on another Hyundai driver leading the event - Hayden Paddon. Instead, Northern Irishman Kris Meeke took the leader's mantle from Sordo and the Citroen fans went wild.
Kris held the top position until the penultimate stage of the day, but it was SS8 where the tide turned and the snivels began. You see, the organisers had given in to the demands of the promoter to include a night stage for added, um - "gimmickry" springs to mind - although they might prefer "interest". Whichever, only the first two or three cars completed the stage without being hampered by hanging dust. So it was here that Citroen's Meeke lost time to his rivals and he was not a happy lad.
Of course, he wasn't alone in his moan about the dark and the dust - also fellow drivers Neuville and Tanak, to mention a couple, had harsh words for the organisers' choice of stage time, especially since there had been requests to drop that night stage before the event began. It wasn't rocket surgery that it was going to be an issue for both spectacle and safety, the drivers reasoned. So at the finish of SS8, Latvala led Meeke by two seconds while Ogier took fastest time.
Day two flickered into life with a nice breeze and brilliant sunshine, just the right formula for a Kiwi on a mission. Paddon took the win on the first two stages of the day, delighting the legions of Kiwi followers who probably felt they were robbed the previous day. Although the Hyundai crew showed they were serious, the times weren't quite enough to improve their fifth place. But they opened the gap to Tanak who was lurking like a goanna on steroids one place behind.
Latvala struggled with a 6th place on SS9 and handed the lead back to Meeke, the spot the Northern Irishman kept until SS11, losing it to the resurgent Ogier on SS12. Despite Meeke's best efforts, his less advantageous road position showed in his 4th best time and he slipped to third overall.
Sunday saw Ogier in awesome form. He won every one of the five stages, his advantage increasing from 5.1 seconds on SS13 to 12.3 seconds on the power stage. Quite an extraordinary display of driving, and the best possible way to win the rally, the 2015 championship and the constructors' championship. A privilege to watch. And a credit to the Rally Australia organisers that they broadcast Wedding Bells live on both runs through the stage.
So the event concluded, with emotions of joy, contentment, relief and disappointment depending on who you were. Naturally, SebO and his co-driver were in the first category but what of the others?
Jari-Matti Latvala seemed to vacillate between contentment and disappointment, understandably, with another great drive mostly but beaten by his teammate Ogier. He must be wondering how to catch a break, but the Finn will continue to fight for the win until the championship is over.
Kris Meeke's only mistake on this rally was his choice of tyres on day one and that was really more of a calculated risk, so he was chuffed to podium and relieved to get through the weekend without the issues of recent rallies. A great drive, but the sniveling after the night stage didn't endear him to fans, organisers or the FIA reps present.
Andreas Mikkelsen took it to his teammates and rivals with a fine performance, and it was only the uncharacteristic late check in to service and its 10 second penalty that stopped his charge for the third podium spot. Yet it's tempting to think that despite his pace, Andreas was in the disappointed category. It can't be long before he gets a win though.
Hayden Paddon finished fifth, fastest Hyundai by a long shot. Paddon admitted that his Friday morning all-softs tyre choice was the wrong one, suggesting that two hards would have made a positive difference. His charge for a podium was also hampered by differential issues affecting the handling of the #8 i20, problems that were corrected in service. The remainder of the rally, the Kiwi's times were competitive with stage wins on SS9 and SS10, and he finished less than a minute from Ogier's winning time after 300+ km of competitive stages. No ambiguity here - contentment from the Kiwi.
Ott Tanak struggled to get to grips with the slippery road surfaces of Coffs in this, his first shot at the round in a full-spec WRC car. Normally trading times with Paddon on the loose, Ott was noticeably off the pace for most of the event, and his own differential problems didn't help. SS4 and SS8 saw the Estonian drop to 8th overall. However, some spirited driving on SS9 got him third fastest time, and a second fastest on SS10, and he moved up to 6th, the position he held until the finish and some 43 seconds behind Paddon. A mixture of disappointment and contentment, I'd say.
Thierry Neuville commented at the end of the power stage that he was happy with his performance which at first glance might sound strange coming from the number one Hyundai driver who was beaten by the runt of the Hyundai litter by a significant 73 seconds. But he too had handling issues during the weekend and a worse road position than Paddon for the first two days, so perhaps in that light, it wasn't such a bad result. So maybe contentment works for Thierry. Not so sure how it feels for Michel though...
Dani Sordo kicked arse on day #1, with three stage wins on the trot. I can say with certainty that it was joy that he was feeling as he headed into SS4. And why not? Spectacular performance on his first ever run at Coffs. But reality began to bite from SS9 on, with rear brakes deserting the Spaniard and his golden run fading quickly away. Finally on SS12, his team leader Neuville passed him in the overall stakes and with team orders in play, Sordo was destined to remain where he was until the finish. From joy, then, it was a descent into disappointment. This experience will have given him confidence for next year though and he'll be a force.
Elvyn Evans is another whose emotions about Rally Australia will be unambiguous - disappointment all the way. The Welshman simply couldn't get to grips with the surfaces in either sense of the word. A spin and the resulting puncture effectively removed him from competition but he was upfront about his lack of rhythm even before that incident. Another event in what has been a sequence of disappointing results that Evans will want to forget, but he must relive to establish what went wrong and find a fix. M-Sport's boss was clearly unhappy with his protege and at times, Elvyn looked and sounded to be on the verge of tears. Not so much disappointed then, as devastated?
Stephane Lefebvre always had a big task ahead of him on this event; practically without preparation, borrowed car, helmets and overalls, partial pacenotes and all. And a head-on collision during recce. An inauspicious beginning to the youngster's gravel rally career. A consistent run of 8th, 9th and 10th place times ended with a broken suspension on SS8, effectively dropping the Frenchman out of the points. Happily for Citroen though, his 13th overall put him in 10th manufacturer placing so he gave his team a much-needed single point which kept the deficit to Hyundai as it was pre-rally. Contented.
So there it was in Oz. A really exciting round despite the sniveling from some and arguably the most dramatic of the season. Certainly the closest finish in decades. Now if the other teams can get their machines and crews a bit closer in performance to the all-conquering VW Polo WRC machines, it can only get better. Looking forward to it.
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