Patrik Sandell runs full PWRC season with Red Bull in Skoda Fabia Super2000

[swordsman]

I speculated about it on my blog a few days ago but now it's finally confirmed. Patrik Sandell will do full PWRC season (except Argentina and Australia) in 2009 with the Red Bull Rally team. Replacing Aigner in the team it seems to me like it put's him in the perfect seat going into 2010 with S2000 in WRC.
I posted some reflections in my blog at http://www.maxattack.net

[Salist]

I speculated about it on my blog a few days ago but now it's finally confirmed. Patrik Sandell will do full PWRC season (except Argentina and Australia) in 2009 with the Red Bull Rally team. Replacing Aigner in the team it seems to me like it put's him in the perfect seat going into 2010 with S2000 in WRC.
I posted some reflections in my blog at http://www.maxattack.net

It's a very good news! :)

[Tom206wrc]

;)

[urabus-denoS2000]

Excellent!!!! :)

I suppose ran by BRR (Baumschlager)?

[swordsman]

Excellent!!!! :)

I suppose ran by BRR (Baumschlager)?

Yep

[urabus-denoS2000]

Excellent then!

[Tom206wrc]

Will Sandell be the only one S2000 driver in PWRC09 like last year ??? :confused:

The other drivers/teams if they have such project, are veeeery long to communicate about it... :rolleyes:

[Finni]

What a nerd. Try to win other drivers with superior car... He could as well take irc program against similar cars.

[swordsman]

What a nerd. Try to win other drivers with superior car... He could as well take irc program against similar cars.

Hahaha, nerd or not I think it's quite smart considering the new tech regulations from 2010. When he get's the chance everything else would be just stupid.

[tolis]

They are really good news!!!!Fantastic!!!

[urabus-denoS2000]

If I remember correctly Sousa is still a member of the team,right?

He said he will drive BRR Evo X,right?

So they will have a 2-car team with 2 different cars?

[urabus-denoS2000]

Nerd or not,Patrik rocks.

Considering IRC,I am a big fan of it and I prefer IRC but why would he go to IRC when he can learn WRC stages (he obviously wants to succed at top level in WRC) for next years

[Tom206wrc]

What a nerd. Try to win other drivers with superior car... He could as well take irc program against similar cars.


It's up to the other drivers to let GrNs in garage and take S2000s instead :rolleyes:

[cali]

What a nerd. Try to win other drivers with superior car... He could as well take irc program against similar cars.
I can understand this post if You were being sarcastic. Otherwise this sentence beats me...

[RS]

Good news, pWRC might be interesting for a change :)

I trust the car will be fast, not sure how fast Sandell is, but then looks like pWRC opposition might not be very strong next year, especially with Hanninen and Aigner gone.

It's not Sandell's fault that the pWRC regs say that an S2000 car can run.

[PLuto]

Will Sandell be the only one S2000 driver in PWRC09 like last year ??? :confused:

The other drivers/teams if they have such project, are veeeery long to communicate about it... :rolleyes:

Also Jaromir Tarabus will have S2000 car (Punto).

[Sulland]

What a nerd. Try to win other drivers with superior car... He could as well take irc program against similar cars.

I am not sure if he pays at all, or if this is a package he was offered by RedBull, if so - not a bad deal !

[A.F.F.]

:bounce:

Excellent news.

[JRodrigues]

If I remember correctly Sousa is still a member of the team,right?

He said he will drive BRR Evo X,right?

So they will have a 2-car team with 2 different cars?

Looks like so...

[Simmi]

I can't wait to see a picture of the car I bet it looks soooo sweet in that paint scheme. I am surprised a few more guys didnt take the jump to S2000 for this season when you consider the new regs around the corner. I suppose the Gp N cars are such proven packages that if you have desires to win the PWRC then you need one. Especially when you consider the lack of tarmac in the PWRC.

Hopefully PG can win a few rounds this year and then we may see the balance of power change a bit. It will also double up as great testing for Skoda and I think some of the WRC roads are plenty more demanding then in the IRC.

[pantealex]

I can't wait to see a picture of the car I bet it looks soooo sweet in that paint scheme. I am surprised a few more guys didnt take the jump to S2000 for this season when you consider the new regs around the corner. I suppose the Gp N cars are such proven packages that if you have desires to win the PWRC then you need one. Especially when you consider the lack of tarmac in the PWRC.

Hopefully PG can win a few rounds this year and then we may see the balance of power change a bit. It will also double up as great testing for Skoda and I think some of the WRC roads are plenty more demanding then in the IRC.
PG? It´s Patrik in S2000 (PG will drive Fabia WRC)

[Sulland]

I can't wait to see a picture of the car I bet it looks soooo sweet in that paint scheme. I am surprised a few more guys didnt take the jump to S2000 for this season when you consider the new regs around the corner. I suppose the Gp N cars are such proven packages that if you have desires to win the PWRC then you need one. Especially when you consider the lack of tarmac in the PWRC.

Hopefully PG can win a few rounds this year and then we may see the balance of power change a bit. It will also double up as great testing for Skoda and I think some of the WRC roads are plenty more demanding then in the IRC.

And Skoda will gather a lot of data for 2010 !!!

[RS]

I can't wait to see a picture of the car I bet it looks soooo sweet in that paint scheme. I am surprised a few more guys didnt take the jump to S2000 for this season when you consider the new regs around the corner. I suppose the Gp N cars are such proven packages that if you have desires to win the PWRC then you need one. Especially when you consider the lack of tarmac in the PWRC.



I think S2000s are quicker than traditional N4s on gravel too, but rough WRC roads are suited a little more to cruising around than outright performance.

Agree on the colour scheme, not long to wait :)

[Simmi]

PG? It´s Patrik in S2000 (PG will drive Fabia WRC)

Opps sorry I was getting my Swede's mixed up slightly there in my excitement!

And to RS: I think you are probably right about loose gravel but I think those rough summer gravel rallies that make up a lot of the WRC calendar can be very brutal. I think the 207 looked a bit fragile mechanically at times last year and a bit out of place amongst the rocks. But this will only improve over time.

[urabus-denoS2000]

I know Mirek is coming here quickly to prove you wrong but I will do it before him


Grn N is way more fragile than S2000,because of some production parts

[Mirek]

Simmi: The problem is that when one from one brake, it looks like crap but when 15 from 20 brake, there are still 5 to fight for podium. Argentina or Acropolis had only few gr.N cars from large number without superally or other problems.

[Simmi]

]Simmi: The problem is that when one from one brake, it looks like crap but when 15 from 20 brake, there are still 5 to fight for podium. Argentina or Acropolis had only few gr.N cars from large number without superally or other problems.

Very true that is a good point. I shouldn't really comment on the PWRC I dont really give it the attention it deserves sometimes. Like you I am very much in favour of the S2000 cars. If there were say 5 or 10 of them I think I would enjoy the Production stuff a lot more.

[Mirek]

I watch PWRC more than WRC because there's closer competition (at least last few years) :)

[StevieWonder]

according homepage of patrik, more infos are presented january, 19th
http://www.patriksandell.com/

[tolis]

]I watch PWRC more than WRC because there's closer competition (at least last few years) :)

I also want to watch PWRC more than WRC but unfortunately Greek TV does not show this as you say closer competition...
;( ;( ;( ;(

[HaCo]

I also want to watch PWRC more than WRC but unfortunately Greek TV does not show this as you say closer competition...
;( ;( ;( ;(

You should try to get hold of MotorsTV! :)

[Mihai]

Red Bull has strong connections with the VW Group, it makes no wonder that they will sponsor a Skoda Fabia S2000. I bet it will be a nice livery.

I wonder if Aigner declined the offer to drive the Fabia S2000. Was it the reason why Red Bull dropped their backing ? Or did they chose Sandell because they think he is a better driver ?

[Tom206wrc]

Strange they also sponsor Citroën(PSA) if they have connection with VAG group too(two contenders in automobile market) :s

[FabiaFan]

To Mihai and Tom: The connection between Sandell's Fabia and Red Bull is more through Baumschlager, than through the "VW corporation", I guess. Red Bull sponsors drivers on Audis, VWs, Skodas, Citroens, Mitsubishis, Ferraris, Renaults,...you name it...

[Sulland]

Red Bull has strong connections with the VW Group, it makes no wonder that they will sponsor a Skoda Fabia S2000. I bet it will be a nice livery.

I wonder if Aigner declined the offer to drive the Fabia S2000. Was it the reason why Red Bull dropped their backing ? Or did they chose Sandell because they think he is a better driver ?

He is a better driver, and I think RedBull saw that !

He is like an old fashioned rally driver that are driving on, not giving up for anything, until the car only have on wheel left ! A real fighter !

[Mihai]

Strange they also sponsor Citroën(PSA) if they have connection with VAG group too(two contenders in automobile market) :s

The fact that Red Bull mainly sponsors VW Group cars (VW Touareg in Dakar, Audi A4 in DTM, SEAT Leon in WTCC, Skoda Fabia in WRC 2005, Skoda Fabia S2000 in '09) is a marketing pattern for the Austrian company. A good example is that Red Bull asked Formula 3 teams that are fielding young drivers from the RB Development programme to switch to VW engines in 2009 :

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72599

But aside from the VW connection, Red Bull is one of the most active sponsors in motorsport. They sponsor Citroen in WRC because they want to be part of winning team (not to mention that RB drinks only recently entered the French market), just like they do with the Kamaz trucks in the Dakar.

[Karbonyl]

You forgot KAMAZ :D

[Mirek]

I wonder if Aigner declined the offer to drive the Fabia S2000. Was it the reason why Red Bull dropped their backing ? Or did they chose Sandell because they think he is a better driver ?

I heard that RedBull didn't want to pay all the bills itself. Aigner didn't find some his personal sponsor to pay part of the programme and therefore RedBull stopped his programme...

[swordsman]

]I heard that RedBull didn't want to pay all the bills itself. Aigner didn't find some his personal sponsor to pay part of the programme and therefore RedBull stopped his programme...

Sounds likely. Very likely.