Spirit of Abu Dhabi reward for Rantanen

[A.F.F.]

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=2136&desc=Rantanen%20awarded%20‘Abu%20Dhabi%20Spirit%20 of%20the%20Rally’%20&rally_id=FIN&season=2008

Has this piece of news been here already? Sorry if it has but I'd yet again like to point out Matti Rantanen's superb performance in NORF. First outing with WRC and only a few minor mistakes finishing 7th. But the most important was to a prove his speed with consistency which he IMO managed to do.

We just keep'em coming :D

[Buzz Lightyear]

nahhhh.... load of horses dung.

would it be slightly ford biased?

atkinson for me.

[Torsen]

i was thinking atkinson too myself... except sordo gave up on chasing him but his day 2 proformance was nuts!

[Tomi]

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=2136&desc=Rantanen%20awarded%20‘Abu%20Dhabi%20Spirit%20 of%20the%20Rally’%20&rally_id=FIN&season=2008

Has this piece of news been here already? Sorry if it has but I'd yet again like to point out Matti Rantanen's superb performance in NORF. First outing with WRC and only a few minor mistakes finishing 7th. But the most important was to a prove his speed with consistency which he IMO managed to do.

We just keep'em coming :D

Would be nice to see some of the faster guys from our national series get a try with a proper WRC too, its rumoured Ketomaa would drive WRC next year, I hope its true.

[A.F.F.]

would it be slightly ford biased?



Yes it is. They give the award only for Ford drivers. As I only notice Finns.

[Leon]

Did this guy has a manager Timo Jouhki (?) style or something?

I wonder if he has the money to further his carrer or if he ends up as another Paasonen, Tuohino, Pykalisto etc? AFF give us some info.

Also I wonder if Juha Salo has any plans for rallying abroad.

[Roy]

..
would it be slightly ford biased?



Yes it is. They give the award only for Ford drivers.

No it is not. Loeb recieved the award after rally Italy.
http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=1290&desc=Sebastien%20Loeb%20receives%20Abu%20Dhabi%20S pirit%20of%20the%20Rally%20&rally_id=I&season=2008

[Viking]

No it is not. Loeb recieved the award after rally Italy.
http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=1290&desc=Sebastien%20Loeb%20receives%20Abu%20Dhabi%20S pirit%20of%20the%20Rally%20&rally_id=I&season=2008

And Pirelli, Jordan rally, Subaru Impreza WRC08 and even Conrad Rautenbach who got it for crashing with Loeb?..... no wait, it was for his performance in Argentina :D

[A.F.F.]

Did this guy has a manager Timo Jouhki (?) style or something?

I wonder if he has the money to further his carrer or if he ends up as another Paasonen, Tuohino, Pykalisto etc? AFF give us some info.

Also I wonder if Juha Salo has any plans for rallying abroad.

I actually don't know Rantanen's manager but I do know it's not Jouhki. It may be that Jouhki will not take anybody else as it's very consuming and take very long time to help one to the top.
I hope he won't end up like Paasonen ;) But I'm sure his performance in Finland helped him to further his chances. That was the whole purpose of him to take that risk.


No it is not. Loeb recieved the award after rally Italy.
http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=1290&desc=Sebastien%20Loeb%20receives%20Abu%20Dhabi%20S pirit%20of%20the%20Rally%20&rally_id=I&season=2008

Duh ;)

[Leon]

I actually don't know Rantanen's manager but I do know it's not Jouhki. It may be that Jouhki will not take anybody else as it's very consuming and take very long time to help one to the top.
I hope he won't end up like Paasonen ;) But I'm sure his performance in Finland helped him to further his chances. That was the whole purpose of him to take that risk.



Duh ;)

Thanks, what about Juha Salo futere plans

[A.F.F.]

Thanks, what about Juha Salo futere plans


Oh sorry. :)

Help me out my fellow countrymen. I'm in a belief that Juha Salo had plans to do one or two WRC rally this year. But in the end it all depends of money.

I don't have high hopes on that because what would have been a better place for him to try WRC than NORF. He drives CRC though so he is getting experience from there.

Juha Salo is among the fastest PWRC in Finland. It would be highly interesting see him behind WRC steering wheel.

[jonkka]

I actually don't know Rantanen's manager but I do know it's not Jouhki.

Rantanen is coached by our national sporting authority AKK and that is usually mutually exclusive with being one of Jouhki's proteges.

Jouhki has been targeted by financial regulators for alleged insider trading and might have lost some of his interest and/or available time for court cases he's been involved in.

[Englandsfahrer]

About this Rantanen fella; I can't find any info on him in a language I can understand, so this question goes out to our dear finns:

Is he by any chance related to Pekka Rantanen, who drove a white and blue 911 in rallycross at the end of the 2wd era?

[COD]

About this Rantanen fella; I can't find any info on him in a language I can understand, so this question goes out to our dear finns:

Is he by any chance related to Pekka Rantanen, who drove a white and blue 911 in rallycross at the end of the 2wd era?


Not that I know of, but can not say 100%. Rantanen is a very common name though

[jonkka]

About this Rantanen fella; I can't find any info on him in a language I can understand

Try http://www.mattirantanen.net/, there is english version of it as well.