Three years since Petter Solberg's last victory

[Glee]

To day is three years since 2005 Corona Rally Mexico, witch was the last rally Petter was victorious.

(I'm not counting Rally GB, witch wasn't a real victory)

It has been a long and frustrating time for Petter, his team and for the fans, but is there an end to the misery?

Trivia:
Sometime in 2005 Petter said that he would not cut his hear before he had scored his first victory. He did cut it after Rally Japan, partly because ha was on the track of a victory (before he did hit "The Stone"), and partly on direct orders from his wife. But if he had not cut his hair for three years his hair would be around 40 cm long...

[Mickey T]

the other drivers gang tackled him and cut it for him in perth at the last rally oz...

[leno]

His time has gone maybe it will come back with new impreza. i hope it will

[N.O.T]

His time has gone

bingo...

[Tomi]

Atkinson is already on par with Petter, I hope the team would give more attention to him in the future, Petter has not many good years ahead anyway, this downhill might have effected him too.

[pino]

I still believe Subaru is to blame for all this :p :

[Tomi]

I still believe Subaru is to blame for all this :p :

Why not blame the others, for doing better job than Subaru :)

[pino]

Why not blame the others, for doing better job than Subaru :)

Sorry but I normally don't blame people for being too good ;)

[Tomi]

Sorry but I normally don't blame people for being too good ;)

thats good ;)

[Daniel]

I blame the frm.

[Tomi]

I blame the frm.

Thanks :)

[pettersolberg29]

Petter will win this year - he could have got 2nd in Mexico with an old car without any problems - not caused by him I must add.

With the new car - Petter will challenge for the title. Looking at the '09 calendar, I think he has a pop at the title if the new car is good as there are more gravel rallies, and less tarmac ones.

And we musnt forget that PS has more points this year than at the same stage in 2003 when he won the overall championship, so anyhting is possible!

[N.O.T]

Petter will win this year - he could have got 2nd in Mexico with an old car without any problems - not caused by him I must add.

With the new car - Petter will challenge for the title. Looking at the '09 calendar, I think he has a pop at the title if the new car is good as there are more gravel rallies, and less tarmac ones.

And we musnt forget that PS has more points this year than at the same stage in 2003 when he won the overall championship, so anyhting is possible!

i feel sorry for the competiton already.......

[COD]

Much has been down to the car, but lately Petter has seemed to lost his speed (or motivation) as Chris has beaten him all the time. Maybe (hope not) his time was and is over

[gloomyDAY]

Hang in there Subaru fans! Relief is on its way, maybe.

I think Chris has to bare the burden of taking Subaru to the top. Feeling bad for Petter will not solve a thing. Petter is the reason why I love rallying and he is the first pilot I ever saw race a car in anger during a rally, but if he can't cut the mustard.....

We can only sit on our hands and hope for the best. I'd love to have my support for Subaru swell once again if Petter and Chris begin to win some rallies.

[tmx]

Petter is the reason why I love rallying
me too.

[Gard]

Much has been down to the car, but lately Petter has seemed to lost his speed (or motivation) as Chris has beaten him all the time. Maybe (hope not) his time was and is over

their goals are slightly different this year. Petters task is to keep finishing and bring as many points as possible, until the new car is competitive. Chris has a more free role and can push as much as he like

[Daniel]

their goals are slightly different this year. Petters task is to keep finishing and bring as many points as possible, until the new car is competitive. Chris has a more free role and can push as much as he like
Excuses already? :rolleyes: I want Petter to succeed. I really do. I think it would be good for the series but unless something big happens I think he's past his best. Why would a team lacking performance ask a driver to slow down? If Petter was driving too fast perhaps but he's not. Petter has simply lost his drive to perform because of a few years with a bad car. Only time will tell if he gets it back.

[Tomi]

their goals are slightly different this year. Petters task is to keep finishing and bring as many points as possible, until the new car is competitive. Chris has a more free role and can push as much as he like

In other words atkinson is the nr1 driver, nice to see some improvement in the Subaru team.
I was thinking that maybe his wife has told him to drive slow and carefully.

[Daniel]

In other words atkinson is the nr1 driver, nice to see some improvement in the Subaru team.
I was thinking that maybe his wife has told him to drive slow and carefully.
No no! Definately not! Petter has been told to go slower than what the car can do. Apparently :laugh:

[Koppomsbo]

If Petter hasnt cut his hair for all that time, he could get a part in the Muppet show :D

[COD]

their goals are slightly different this year. Petters task is to keep finishing and bring as many points as possible, until the new car is competitive. Chris has a more free role and can push as much as he like


Yaeh, right. This is based on what??? And why would he do that?

[playmo]

I still refuse to accept the fact that solberg's speed has "gone", but the fact is that his driving style is no longer "friendly" to the car (don't really know if it has ever been...) that AND the fact that the car is NOT reliable has left poor petter "champagne-dry" for so long now.
The driving style fron Atcko is way "easier" on the car (don't know if BETTER), thus, not suffering as much mechanical truble as petter (it seems similar to Loeb-Sordo-C4 situation, who gets the car broken? -NOT broke car-).
I sincerely don't expect the new car to be in any form (performance or reliable) better than the current model, remember that the same people are developing-making 'em...

[pantealex]

I don´t think that Petter will win event this year, maybe 2009 is possible...

[koko0703]

Petter's comeback largely depends on the performance of the new Subaru, but currently Chris seems to get more out of the poorly performing car. So the real question is that can the team stick with Petter even if the new car turns out to be competitive??? Back in 2003-2005, Petter was the guy but with Chris providing more excitement to the team recently, it'll be hard to build Petter's team again.

[Gard]

Yaeh, right. This is based on what??? And why would he do that?

Official statements from SWRT and Petter

[Tomi]

Official statements from SWRT and Petter

Do you have a link to the SWRT one?

[Larry_Japan]

Don't forget Gronholm in the 307... everyone thought he'd lost it, then he's miraculously back "on form" in a Focus. Petter hasn't lost it. It's the car. Put him in a C4, or a Focus, and he's challenging Loeb comfortably.

[cosmicpanda]

The driving style fron Atcko is way "easier" on the car (don't know if BETTER)

although it is faster.

[N.O.T]

Don't forget Gronholm in the 307... everyone thought he'd lost it, then he's miraculously back "on form" in a Focus. Petter hasn't lost it. It's the car. Put him in a C4, or a Focus, and he's challenging Loeb comfortably.

the thing is gromholm was still faster than his team mates in the 307......

[Fang]

Don't forget Gronholm in the 307... everyone thought he'd lost it, then he's miraculously back "on form" in a Focus. Petter hasn't lost it. It's the car. Put him in a C4, or a Focus, and he's challenging Loeb comfortably.

A part of me always thought the 2006/2007 focus's were much better than the Citroen and Gronholm was a little past it and should have taken at least one of the last two titles.

[Viking]

The driving style fron Atcko is way "easier" on the car (don't know if BETTER), thus, not suffering as much mechanical truble as petter (it seems similar to Loeb-Sordo-C4 situation, who gets the car broken? -NOT broke car-).

Where are your statistics from…. last race??

2007 Petter finish in the points 11/16 times 47 drivers and 50 makes points.
Atko finish 10/16 times 31 drivers and 37 makes points.

Last 10 rallys Petter finish 8/10 in the points, 30 drivers points.
Atko 6/10 and 25 points

[Zes]

the thing is gromholm was still faster than his team mates in the 307......

Yes, and he did won 3 rallies with that "crappy" car. Nobody else hasn't won an event with 307.

[Tom206wrc]

Official statements from SWRT and Petter



I can't believe Subaru would have given these orders so early in the season :s


Unless Prodrive imagined Atkinson would more often go outside the roads by attacking allowing Petter to get more points again :laugh: