Favourites for the championship?

[RS]

My feeling is that the championship will be tighter than last year with more people competing towards the end.

I expect Kopecky and Meeke to fight at the front again, but this year Hanninen will be right up there too with more asphalt experience and hopefully less accidents.

Behind them Mikelssen, Wilks and Magalhaes could be dark horses for a couple of wins and a possible title bid?

[urabus-denoS2000]

I have a feeling this will be Kopecky's year ;)

[alleskids]

1 Kopecky, 2 Meeke, 3 Hanninen, 4 Mikkelsen 5 Wilks, 6 Magelhaes

[alleskids]

With the 7 best results counting, who will make a run for the championship?
Meeke - Peugeot UK: 12 rallies
Kopecky - Skoda Motorsport: 10-11
Hanninen - Skoda Motorsport: 10-11
Mikkelsen - Ford/Skoda: 9
Magalhaes - Peugeot Portugal: 9
McRae - Proton: 9
? - Proton:9
Wittman - Peugeot: 9
Loix - Skoda/Peugeot: 7-9
Wilks - Skoda UK/Italy: 7
Evans - Peugeot: 6
Neuville - Peugeot Belgium: 6
Garcia-Ojeda - Subaru Spain: 7-9
Al Attiyah - Ford:5-7 ?

[RS]

With the 7 best results counting, who will make a run for the championship?


Anyone with 7 or more I suppose, but those with only 7 cannot afford accidents or retirements!

[HaCo]

Great overview alleskids, thanks!

[Simmi]

With the amount of rounds Kris is running I can't see him being beaten to be honest. I see Monte as a bit of a wild card but from his 12 rallies I can see him winning at least 5 maybe more.

I'm sure also a lot of these programmes can be adapted to do extra rounds if it looks like a driver will be in with a chance of the title.

[Wim_Impreza]

Is it confirmed that Mikkelsen will do 9 rounds and Garcia-Ojeda 6 rounds? Also I doubt Evans will do 6 rounds. Neuville is still not confirmed.

I think it will be a battle between Meeke and Kopecký again. I hope Kopecký can win the title. Hänninen will be a serious contender on the gravel rallies and most of the tarmac rounds.

[Tom206wrc]

If he runs the entire championship, why not Franz Wittmann ;)

[RS]

I'm sure also a lot of these programmes can be adapted to do extra rounds if it looks like a driver will be in with a chance of the title.

Yes, for example I would expect Wilks to do all the early European rounds so that he can add some later if needs be.

[RICARDO75]

Peugeot Portugal would like to do 8 rallyes with Bruno Magalhães, but for now, they only have budget to Monte Carlo, Azores and Madeira

[alleskids]

Indeed Neuville and Loix and Garcia are still not sure, but I still put them in the short list. I left out drivers like Betti (Peugeot), Heloise (Mitsubishi) and Maurin (Ford) who only will do a handfull of rallies. The list is provisionel ofcourse. Stephane sarrazin was planning to do the championship. Also Dani Sola has/had plans for a full season with a Proton

[Mirek]

I think that there are more mistakes in Your list. Meeke won't start in all 12 rounds. Wittmann doesn't have budget for 9 starts etc.

[pettersolberg29]

I think Mikkelsen will win it if he picks Skoda. He has shown he can do well in S2000 machinery already and proved competitive in the WRC - remember he was 4th in Poland until his old Skoda Fabia broke down.

[Simmi]

]I think that there are more mistakes in Your list. Meeke won't start in all 12 rounds. Wittmann doesn't have budget for 9 starts etc.

Motorsport News this week says he will do the first 11. And that Cyprus can be added if it needs to be. So effectively it is a full season budget.

[alleskids]

Wittmann will publish his program this week. the 9 was a guess. the list is just an indication, so others with more information can adjest the list. News on the internet is not always reliable.

[Tom206wrc]

...
Stephane sarrazin was planning to do the championship.



Hey !! That's interesting !!! :eek:

[pettersolberg29]

He was planning, but not now. I think he'd do really well in a whole championship - he is capable of wining every tarmac round in my opinion.

[noel157]

He was planning, but not now. I think he'd do really well in a whole championship - he is capable of wining every tarmac round in my opinion.

Got to wonder how you arrive at these strange conclusions. Will win all asphalt rounds? No.

[pettersolberg29]

Did I say that? No.

He is capable of winning all tarmac rounds, just as Meeke is capable of winning all rounds. Doesn't mean he will.

(He'd do beter than Kresta anyway ;) )

[RJM]

I think meeke will win again this year, hes probably the only driver who will be at the front on every surface, he won a few rallys last year on his first attempt and now he has experience he will be even faster.

[Sulland]

I hope for Mikkelsen, but as others have said - the choice of cars might be critical. We know little of how the Fiesta will work, and its reliability - it is a car straight out of the box, even if its made by M-Sport !

But I think Mikkelsen has the speed to match the best !

[alleskids]

A sort of update after some teams gave provisional programs
Meeke - Peugeot: 11 rallies + Cyprus
Kopecky - Skoda: 10-11> MC-BRA-ARG-ITA
Hanninen - Skoda: 10-11 >MC-BRA-ARG-ITA
Mikkelsen - Ford/Skoda: 9 > BRA-ARG-ITA
McRae - Proton: 9 > from ITA
? - Proton:9 > from ITA
Wittman - Peugeot: 8 European rallies > MC-ITA
Oliveira - Peugeot: 7 > MC-BRA-ARG
Wilks - Skoda: 7 European rallies > MC-ITA
Evans - Peugeot: 6 later in the season
Betti - Peugeot: 5 > MC-BEL-POR-CZ-E

Magalheas - Peugeot: 9? MC-POR-POR
Garcia-Ojeda - Subaru Spain: 7 ?
Al Attiyah - Ford:5-7 ARG?
Loix - Skoda/Peugeot: 7-9 ? wil be known this week

[Mirek]

I think meeke will win again this year, hes probably the only driver who will be at the front on every surface, he won a few rallys last year on his first attempt and now he has experience he will be even faster.

Agree that Kris is the only one capable of regular victories on every surface but on the other hand it's also about the machinery and about support from teammates. This both aspects could play for Škoda guys. Anyway it will be very interesting and I hope the fights stays on stages and aside the green table.

[RJM]

]Agree that Kris is the only one capable of regular victories on every surface but on the other hand it's also about the machinery and about support from teammates. This both aspects could play for Škoda guys. Anyway it will be very interesting and I hope the fights stays on stages and aside the green table.

Yeah its going to be interesting, i think the skodas and the fords will be very strong, i think it will be a great season.

[Buzz Lightyear]

]I think that there are more mistakes in Your list. Meeke won't start in all 12 rounds. Wittmann doesn't have budget for 9 starts etc.

According to UK press, they will do first 11, and Cyprus if nessesary.

[Mirek]

ok, thanks

[dimviii]

i think that the driver with the most possibilities for the 2010 will be again Meeke.But i think that this year is not going to be so easy as 2009.
Also i d like to see a small car manufacturer like Skoda to gain another one world title.it will encourage? them for going forward? to wrc.

@Mirek
offtopic but what about Sibera?is he participating in anyway with rallies?Remember him from Acropolis,and his driving was really extreme!

[RS]

offtopic but what about Sibera?is he participating in anyway with rallies?Remember him from Acropolis,and his driving was really extreme!

I think that Triner was more flamboyant but I always remember them getting their 1.3 litre front wheel drive Favorits in the top 10 at Acropolis!

[Mirek]

Sibera retired many years a go. I don't know exactly, but maybe in 2001...

[Wim_Impreza]

]Sibera retired many years a go. I don't know exactly, but maybe in 2001...

Sibera did the full Czech championship in 2001 with an Octavia WRC from Cartec MB Motorsport. I think his last rally(sprint) was the Autosalon Rally Brno in 2003 with an Octavia WRC from Pro Racing.

[dimviii]

thanks Mirek and Wim! :)

[Mirek]

Sibera did the full Czech championship in 2001 with an Octavia WRC from Cartec MB Motorsport. I think his last rally(sprint) was the Autosalon Rally Brno in 2003 with an Octavia WRC from Pro Racing.

Thanks, You are right. I forgot that one and only start after 2001 ;)

[ZequeArgentina]

But he was so great to watch!!! really spectaculardriver. I remember him with the small Felicias 1.6 doing great shown in Argentinean mountains.

[Langdale Forest]

I think Meeke will win IRC again.

[cut the b.s.]

I think ..etc..etc....

your posting form recently would suggest that this is a rare event! congratulations ;-)

[Macd]

I think Meeke will win IRC again.

+1 I hope so anyway. Mabye he can get into the WRC in the future.

[Langdale Forest]

prehaps when the W.R.C becomes S2000 only.

[Rallytourist]

For me Hanninen is n° 1 for the title

[Tom206wrc]

This is not because he crashed in Monte-Carlo that Meeke is no longer favourite for the IRC10...he remains it to my mind :p :

[pettersolberg29]

I think Mikkelsen must be quite a strong contender too now we've seen how the Fiesta can perform.