Wonderboy Sordo, part II

[A.F.F.]

Is it just me but is he getting faster and more consistent by the rally on fast gravel? I think his performance in Finland was rather good and now he was right there behind the top. This is what folks here expected to happen but little earlier. I think he developing to a good allrounder after all ;)

[N.O.T]

he sure shows improvenment in the last few rallies, but i think he still needs time in order to achieve the level of the Ford drivers and challenge them when conditions are equal.

[Buzz Lightyear]

was he the only one of the top four not to run first on the road all weekend? this helped him look slightly better than he actually did. but still improving non the less, but he will never match finns or loeb on gravel.

[Woodeye]

Is it just me but is he getting faster and more consistent by the rally on fast gravel? I think his performance in Finland was rather good and now he was right there behind the top. This is what folks here expected to happen but little earlier. I think he developing to a good allrounder after all ;)

No it's just you. :D

Maybe there's a little improvement, but not much. I would happily see someone else in the other Citroen.

[pino]

Yes it's just You A.F.F :p : I've been a supporter of his for a couple of years, but he disappointed me many times. He still is a great tarmac driver but he will never be fast on gravel and consistent for the whole season. I would like to see Aava on that car next year ;)

[Donney]

Obviously he's not a natural gravel driver, but I think he is doing wondersl, he has just finished second in New Zealand, it is true he never looked like a challenge for the top dogs but I would say his gravel season so far has been rather impressive.

[ShiftingGears]

Excellent drive :up:

[Leon]

For the moment, I find him a better option than Aava for Citroen. (but not from Rautenbah) :)

[turves]

As a #2 driver he's doing a pretty good job, and if I were boss at Citroen I wouldn't be looking to replace him, unless maybe Petter became available, but even then who is higher in the championship...?

[Tom206wrc]

Petter would never accept to be #2 driver for servicing Lord Loeb :p :

Maybe his old brother Henning :D

[Finni]

Sordo has developed sure but I would want to see some lightning fast stages sometimes - like Atkinson and Latvala. To me it seems that Dani has never done gravel stage right on the limit. He has no enough aggression in his driving. On asphalt he has not developed since the end of his first year.

I would rather see Atkinson beside Loeb.

[cut the b.s.]

I thought he had a great rally, his pace in similar road conditions to Loeb and Mikko yesterday when they were fighting for the win was very good.
He is the best #2 driver in the championship, but I'm not convinced he will ever be a good #1

[Finni]

I thought he had a great rally, his pace in similar road conditions to Loeb and Mikko yesterday when they were fighting for the win was very good.
He is the best #2 driver in the championship, but I'm not convinced he will ever be a good #1

Loeb was struggling with his car and Mikko was second whereas Dani was fourth so there certainly was no similar road conditions for them.

[tmx]

Dani has greatly improved his pace on gravel this year especially shown in rally jordan and I'm impressed with his performance. He may be behind Loeb, Mikko and Latvala but a little more consistent than Latvala. Unlike Latvala I think he doesn't put so much pressure on himself and in that way he can slowly improves himself. Since he's still young he have the time to increase his speed. His learning style is taking time rather than go super fast. His role this year was done as good as Mikko for Marcus last year. If he drives well and consistent in Japan and Gb and I think Citroen title will be likely. Also he has a great codriver, Marc Matti. Surprised he haven't won a rally yet.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Surprised he haven't won a rally yet.

that is the issue.

[cut the b.s.]

that is the issue.


It isn't an issue if you understand that Dani is the #2 driver and you remember Loeb has won all the tar since Dani moved up to a WRC. Dani is a tar specialist who is learning to be decent on gravel.

[Buzz Lightyear]

It isn't an issue if you understand that Dani is the #2 driver and you remember Loeb has won all the tar since Dani moved up to a WRC. Dani is a tar specialist who is learning to be decent on gravel.

He has been driving a WRC car for 3 full years now.

Read this... http://www.autosport.com/journal/article.php/id/1717

He is under pressure from Citroen to win. The thing that still surprises me, is that Citroen knew he was a one trick pony when they signed him.

[koko0703]

Sordo is improving significantly on gravel but he's yet to be a real threat to Loeb, Ford boys, or even Subaru's (when things are going well although it doesn't happen that often these days).

Part of the reason he doesn't look as good is because his teammate wins everything. I'd say give him little more time. If Loeb stays, Citroen can win the manu title with Sordo's improving performance.

[Karukera]

He has now a good and consistent pace although not close to the Ford guys on gravel and i don't see signs of change.

If we except MC (engine problem) and Mex (off) he scored 4 manu points twice, 4 podiums plus 5x3 pts in Gr, Tk, Fi. His manu tally is 54 pts so far, that's 38.3% of Citroën's account.

Moreover, he interfered 3 times between Loeb and Hirvonen and took away 4 drivers points off the Finn.

Odds apart... :s tare: we can assume he'll have his share of big points on the next tarmac rallies and a couple in Japan and GB. If Citroën/Loeb is to win one or both titles they will certainly say a big Muchas Gracias Dani. :)

[dimviii]

for me there are two points.
first one is if Dani have helped citroen to collect points for them and ''take'' points from ford guys.the answer is yes.
second point is if he is good enoygh after these years in the top team in wrc.
i d expect more from him.
just imagine if he had to be at subaru....or at ford the old days with reliability probs.
if we have to ''ask'' results from Dudu or Gigi without even test program(and almost years without driving a mile),what about Dani with so much tests in a top team-car,beiing slower than the completely no testing Henning?
thats why i expected much more from him. :)

[crazy]

Where did you see that he was slower than Henning ?
As far as I now Henning was way behind in the start order and he had nearly nothing to lose just look at what happen to Latvala when you put too much pressure on him...

[dimviii]

at day 1 Henning had steering and turbo problems
day 2 and 3 way faster than Danni.
beiing slower than an non A team driver with no tests doesn t looks like an improovement for me.
Danni had clean road all 3 days but he didn t won any ss
Henning won 6 stages.
at day 3 when citroen need to push ford boys(ford crews 1-2 at current time)again Henning was faster than Danni winning stages.
at this time sordo was just 1-3 seconds behind ford boys and HAD to be fast as loeb was behind him
also Danni had no mechanical problems.
look again at day 3 ss times. ;)

[jure dvorsek]

Looking from my point of wiev:
Dani has made in this season bigger step in his speed on gravel as in both two previus seasons. He can match with Gigi, Henning, Toni, Urmo on every gravel rally, but he is much faster than all this guys on tarmac. So for me his is a superb second driver in a Citroën Team. Ok, Mikko and J.M.L are still much faster on gravel, but J.M.L will need many years to be equal on tarmac as Dani....
And another thing-nowebody of us does not not the true Dani speed, because he knows excatley his job-to ensure the manu title and therefore to take no unnssesery risks (as J.M.L. did...). It is a quite same story with Mikko in years 06, 07, as he was second driver.
Be prepaired for Spain this year-Loeb is now 95% sure world champion for this year and therefore he does not need to win in Spain, so Dani has a wide open door to take his first win....

[Tom206wrc]

One thing is sure about Sordo, and even Finns and Ford fans must admit it, Dani has suddenly become a better 2nd driver than...Latvala :p :

[Viking]

One thing is sure about Sordo, and even Finns and Ford fans must admit it, Dani has suddenly become a better 2nd driver than...Latvala :p :

For sure, when you are a clear 2nd driver in a team your job is not to set blazing stagetimes, trying to set 1`st driver under pressure and then go off the road (Latvala and Duval type).

Sordo is doing a fine job this year and will play a big part in Citroen taking manu title!

[Zes]

Yes, Dani is doing great job as a 2nd driver for Citroen, just like Mikko did last year. But if you don't try to win and search your limits, will you ever learn to win? I am afraid Mikko will never be a world champion. Now Loeb is too strong and when Loeb retires, JM is already faster and more reliable(?). Same thing for Dani, there's Ogier and others coming up.

[Priorat]

Perhaps he will not be a legend but I don't think that Mikko, Petter Solberg or Duval to name but three, were much better than him at this stage of career.
And if you see that he has almost no mistakes this season and has to secure points, it means that there is some speed left (remains to be seen how much).
If both titles are secured for Citroën after Catalunya and Corse, perhaps we can put some light to the doubts.

[Finni]

Perhaps he will not be a legend but I don't think that Mikko, Petter Solberg or Duval to name but three, were much better than him at this stage of career.
And if you see that he has almost no mistakes this season and has to secure points, it means that there is some speed left (remains to be seen how much).
If both titles are secured for Citroën after Catalunya and Corse, perhaps we can put some light to the doubts.

Petter beated Mäkinen consistently with that experience.

[Karukera]

Petter beated Mäkinen consistently with that experience.

Certainly not :) Mäkinen was in a pre retirement mood when he joined Subaru. He pocketed big Scooby Buck$ and let Petter doing the show, which was great to watch.

Although being a fast and reliable driver, Petter never reached Mäkinen's raw speed and ability to be an all rounder winner.

[Fischer]

Ford without Gronholm is finished.

[Simmi]

There was an article in Autosport a few weeks ago that was pretty critical of him. I think the link is in this thread. It said that he hasn't really endeared himself to the team in the way you'd expect him to.

He gives off a laid back attitude which doesn't make him seem particularly passionate about his rallying, but that is no doubt just the way he is as a person.

The lack of a win is the problem. He had a big chance in Greece this year but wrecked his tyres to the teams dismay. He has improved this year but I think until he wins there will always be a question mark over him.

You cant help but feel sorry for him, as his situation as a number two to the best tarmac driver in the world means he isnt going to win on his best surface unless Loeb makes a mistake. But I'd have him over Latvala in my rally team any day.

[A.F.F.]

One thing is sure about Sordo, and even Finns and Ford fans must admit it, Dani has suddenly become a better 2nd driver than...Latvala :p :

Sordo and Latvala have different elements to develop. Latvala's main purpose is learn to drive slow enough. Fortunately that is very teamboss' favourite problem ;)

[Finni]

Certainly not :) Mäkinen was in a pre retirement mood when he joined Subaru. He pocketed big Scooby Buck$ and let Petter doing the show, which was great to watch.

Mäkinen was 37 year old and not happy by being danced over by norwegian disco dance champion. :) He was not older than Marcus last year and was not more in "pre retirement mood" than Sainz and Mcrae at that time.


Although being a fast and reliable driver, Petter never reached Mäkinen's raw speed and ability to be an all rounder winner.

Just because Subaru was on incompetitive tyres. Petter obviously is not "loeb" on asphalt but compared to Mäkinen he was as comprehensively better on asphalt than on gravel.

[A.F.F.]

Petter obviously is not "loeb" on asphalt but compared to Mäkinen he was as comprehensively better on asphalt than on gravel.


No offense but I don't understand what you mean by this sentence? Better than Mäkinen on tarmac or he (Petter) was better on tarmac than on gravel?

[Buzz Lightyear]

Just because Subaru was on incompetitive tyres.

ahhh the memories..... "our tyres are the problem".....that old chestnut... it taken them 2 years to realise it wasnt the tyres.

[DonJippo]

He was not older than Marcus last year and was not more in "pre retirement mood" than Sainz and Mcrae at that time.

And you know this for sure? Care to tell the source of this information?

[DonJippo]

ahhh the memories..... "our tyres are the problem".....that old chestnut... it taken them 2 years to realise it wasnt the tyres.

Yeah, they went one component further from the ground then...it's these damn dampers that are failing...wonder how many years that will take...

[pino]

...... But I'd have him over Latvala in my rally team any day.

Then you will be a bad Team-manager :p :

[White Sauron]

I don't think that Latvala is faster than Hirvonen afterall. Except maybe for Sweden, he's always been slower than Mikko, while running in similar road position. As for Mikko himself, I think, in contrast, since the start of the year he has proven so many times he's a real #1 driver, especially in tight fights as in Jordan, Finland or New Zealand. And by the way, many people might say that he lost main battles, but wait - is it easy to push to the limits, when you know that your team-mate crashed, and you now can not afford any mistakes? Had Latvala been at least as reliable as good boy Sordo, we would have probably seen a different result in Finland.