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Post by Hurricane on Sept 15, 2008 18:23:05 GMT
Ok, it's still quite a way, but I couldn't find a better title for this. I've picked up a rumour that Manfred Stohl will be setting up his own Austrian Manufacturer team for the 2009 season. Lining up 2 Peugeot 307 WRC's with drivers himself and an unknown (to me) Andreas Wimmer. Stohl refuses to comment on it though, but it seems like the Wimmer guy talked too much. Source: RallyBuzz article
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Post by loebfan on Sept 16, 2008 18:46:21 GMT
I hope Stohl will be able to raise a budget to come back in WRC. He's not the best driver in the History but i always enjoyed to see him in action.
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Post by Mixa on Sept 16, 2008 21:05:35 GMT
Good times to come if Stohl and Wimmer would line up the 307´s.. Then by rumours and facts there should be even more cars and teams to go for! By rumours it would mean: more C4´s(some private rumours Vouilloz?,possibly Mikkelsen,Aava and Rautenbach to continue??),More new teams(probably Van Merksteijn Motorsport(Focus),2nd Citroen junior team??,Adapta AS(2 2008 Subaru´s),Stohl´s team?? More Ford privateers! more cars from Stobart?? . Ok only a few things are confirmed so far but it simply looks great when you look whats going on at the privateer side. FINALLY WRC IS COMING TO ALIVE again and I simply love it
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Post by Roo on Sept 17, 2008 12:05:23 GMT
Change the Peugeot 307 to a 207, and the Stohl / Austrian team rumour is a bit more believable, in fact it would be plausible. I just don't think it would be feasible to get the funds together to run two out-dated WRcars (that will turn four years old in 09) to run in the championship. Yes the ol' Pugs are a good WRcar, but they have had their day. What we will see next year will be more than likely the following: 4x Citroen C4 WRCs The Citroen Total outfit will get brand newies of course, and the 08 models will go to the CST drivers. The 07 cars used by CST this year will either be updated to 08 spec, or be sold to private buyers. 4x Subaru Impreza WRC08s The SWRT will get new cars, while this years cars will be given to the two drivers in the Adapta/Olsbergs outfit. However, Adapta may get new cars at some point, as they will be sharing data with SWRT in order to speed up development progress on the car. 2x Suzuki SX4 WRCs Same as last year, I can't see Suzuki funding another team just yet. We'll just have to wait and see whether they opt to compete next year or not. 1,000x Ford Focus WRCs Ok, maybe not that many, but you get the idea. BP Ford, Stobart and Munchis will probably stay the same, so 3, 3, and 2 respectively. Then there will be a number of privateer teams such as Van Merks., and maybe MacHale. I think the most interesting driver changes could involve a game of musical chairs at Ford. Who will get number two spot? Who will get the second Munchi's seat? Who will be promoted and who will be dropped?
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Post by Vivski on Sept 18, 2008 10:22:42 GMT
What will Gigi drive? He contracted to Ford for 2009?
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Post by JJ on Sept 18, 2008 13:31:11 GMT
Malcolm Wilson has already stated (in MN this week) that if Ford stay on next year/2010 or whatever, then he will keep both Mikko and Jari-Matti. He's said that despite Jari's flap over the last few events, he's been impressed. MN predicted this week the teams for next year. They are the following: (Bold indicates confirmed) Citroen (works) Seb Loeb Dani SordoCitroen (junior) Urmo Aava Seb OgierCitroen (PH) Conrad Rautenbach Nicolas VouillozFord (works) Mikko Hirvonen Jari-Matti LatvalaFord (Stobart) Francois Duval Matthew WilsonFord (Munchi's) Federico Villagra Henning SolbergFord (Ramsport) Andreas Mikkelsen Matti RantanenFord (Van Merksteijn) Peter Van Merksteijn Snr Peter Van Merksteijn JnrSubaru (works) Chris Atkinson Petter SolbergSubaru (Adapta) Mads Ostberg Guy WilksA couple of interesting notes to point out here. The drivers, in the order from left to right go Driver 1 - Driver 2. I bring to your attention the Subaru works team Mads Ostberg has also stated that he would like Guy Wilks in his team this week as they are good friends already and his experience is likely to help Mads. Morten Ostberg also stated that a full budget isnt necessary - despite Wilks already raising half a million £ through his campaign. (Back the Brit) Andreas Mikkelsen has recently tested a C4 WRC and look well at home with it. Hence the italics, although its also possible that he could join the PH team and Matti Rantanen still utilises Ramsports services?
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Post by Mitch on Sept 18, 2008 14:21:26 GMT
I'm thinking...
CITROEN 1. Loeb 2. Sordo
PH Sport 1. Aava 2. Rautenbach
Team X? 1. Prokop 2. Ogier
FORD BP Ford 1. Hirvonen 2. Latvala 3. Al Qassimi
Stobart 1. Galli 2. Duval 3. Wilson
Munchis 1. H.Solberg 2. Villagra
VM Motorsport 1. Van Merkstjein 2. Van Merkstjein Jnr
Ramsport 1. Mikkelson 2. Rantanen
SUBARU 1. P Solberg 2. Atkinson ? Tirabassi ? Bengue (has been linked to a Subaru drive before) ? Martin (maybe the win at Burns Rally might encourage him a little)
Adapta AS 1. Ostberg 2. Wilks ? Arai - might have the $$ to buy the 2nd seat for a couple of non European rounds ? Pons – has the $$$ and wanted to drive for Subaru
SUZUKI 1. Gardemeister 2. Andersson
PRIVATEERS Manfred Stohl - Peugeot 307 Andreas Wimmer - Peugeot 307 Gareth MacHale - Ford Focus Xevi Pons - Subaru Impreza Kristian Sohlberg – Subaru Impreza
seems like there is not enough seats at Ford atm in any of their team, if Henning doesn't score decent points in the last two gravel events, he might be in trouble as I'd tip Stobart to keep Galli.
Citroen also have a dilemma on their hands with lots of youngsters on their hands. Ogier, Aava, Prokop, Rautenbach and even Mikkelson. Might launch another team yet, as if anyone remembers, Loeb and Gronholm in 2006 were supposed to be going to privateer Xsaras sponsored by Playstation, can anyone remember the team though?
If PH Sport do become a M2 team and a third Citroen team doesn’t appear, I reckon Rautenbach will be dropped as he has the money to run by himself anyway.
Sohlberg is aiming to be back I have heard, so maybe he and Pons can get together and make a third Subaru team! Juho Hanninen, Andreas Aigner, Kosti Katajamaki also all deserve a drive too.
But wouldn’t it be great if there were over 20 WRC Cars for each event!!!
With the need for seats open, and the current S2000 formula coming in, maybe 2010 will see teams back to 3 point scoring cars like in 2002-03?
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Post by JJ on Sept 18, 2008 15:41:43 GMT
But wouldn’t it be great if there were over 20 WRC Cars for each event!!! It would be good yes, if there was more variety. As good as it is to see so many WRC's out, if they're only from 3 manufacturers it might get boring?
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Post by Hurricane on Sept 18, 2008 17:50:28 GMT
I think with the new S2000 formula coming many new manufacturers will join the fight. Renault, Opel, Skoda, Abarth, Peugeot, MG, VW and many more have already shown interest in joining the WRC. It would be great to see all those manufacturers roll out 2 or more cars on the stages.
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Post by Mitch on Sept 19, 2008 13:19:47 GMT
Weren't Abarth in the wrc for 2009, or is that just a rumour I heard?
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sarah
Chief Marshall
Posts: 79
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Post by sarah on Sept 20, 2008 0:46:02 GMT
1,000x Ford Focus WRCs I think the most interesting driver changes could involve a game of musical chairs at Ford. Who will get number two spot? Who will get the second Munchi's seat? Who will be promoted and who will be dropped? Yay! ♥ Ford musical chairs! And Quote JJ: "I bring to your attention the Subaru works team" Yay! @ko!
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Post by Nick McRae on Sept 20, 2008 10:52:16 GMT
There was a rumour about Abarth being in 2009 - I remember writing the article on the old RS site. I guess until the regs are confirmed then Abarth can't really commit or make an annoucement!
We'll certainly have a lot of cars next season - strange how a expensive sport in the current climate seems to be receiving an influx of the most expensive type of car! But I'm not complaining.
Shame they'll have a pretty naff calendar to compete with.
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Post by tfliprex on Sept 23, 2008 20:49:22 GMT
From WRC News:
Loeb rules out Monte Carlo appearance in 2009 Sebastien Loeb says he will not compete on the Rallye Monte Carlo next year when the event takes a sabbatical from the WRC calendar. Loeb has won the event five times with Citroen in the last six years and speculation was growing that he might tackle the 2009 edition, which forms part of the IRC rally series, in addition to his WRC programme. Loeb, however, says he has now decided not to take part because without his C4 WRC, a car ineligible for the IRC series, he has nothing to gain from participating in the event. “Without the C4 WRC, if I was to compete I would have to use the C2 Super 1600, and while I’ve been over all the options in my mind I can’t see how I could beat the Super 2000 cars with a 1600cc two-wheel drive,” said Loeb. “The only reason I want to run Monte Carlo is to win it. And if I am beaten by one of the IRC drivers I doubt the general public would really understand the differences between the cars. I also know myself; I am sure that in January, when it was necessary to leave for the recce in the middle of my holidays, I would have regretted my decision!”
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sarah
Chief Marshall
Posts: 79
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Post by sarah on Sept 24, 2008 21:34:11 GMT
Yeah I read that. I reckon it would have been fricking hilarious to watch Loeb try and thrash a C2 to keep up with the S2000's though!
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Post by Vivski on Sept 25, 2008 10:28:03 GMT
Yeah, me too, and he's probably good enough... but I don't blame him for wanting to take a holiday.
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