Most underrated rallydriver?

[Sulland]

Who is the most underrated past or current rallydriver?

[pettersolberg29]

One who immediately springs to my mind is Dani Sordo. Yes, he's not as good as Loeb but his pace is much, much better than people give him credit for - even on gravel. I get the impression people place him quite a bit below the current 'top 5' drivers in the WRC, but it's my view that if he was given the role of lead driver in a top team (which may happen sooner rather than later with MINI) then he'd compete (not necessarily win, but compete) for titles. Tarmac pace is probably the best in the world, and on gravel I'd put him equal to Mikko and Petter. Unrivalled consistency too.

[tfp]

Good question, although maybe it should be "who deserves a drive" ?
PG comes to mind!

[Plan9]

Delecour & Villagra come to mind. Delecour could have been champion in 1994 if he hadn't had an injury and I really enjoyed watching him on Monte Carlo in the Sierra! Villagra has always been very consistent. I think if the Munchi's team invested more on the car he would have been a better customer driver.

[Plan9]

Delecour & Villagra come to mind. Delecour could have been champion in 1994 if he hadn't had an injury and I really enjoyed watching him on Monte Carlo in the Sierra! Villagra has always been very consistent. I think if the Munchi's team invested more on the car he would have been a better customer driver.

[focus206]

In recent years I'd say Atkinson... his performance with Subaru were very good, but unfortunately he didn't manage to find a seat when Subaru pulled out.

[dimviii]

Jean Ragnotti. Very big driver imho,but his marriage with Renault didn t let him to show us more of his talent.

[tfp]

In recent years I'd say Atkinson... his performance with Subaru were very good, but unfortunately he didn't manage to find a seat when Subaru pulled out.

Atko is another, definetly deserves a seat in WRC!

[Co-driven]

Delecour & Villagra come to mind. Delecour could have been champion in 1994 if he hadn't had an injury and I really enjoyed watching him on Monte Carlo in the Sierra! Villagra has always been very consistent. I think if the Munchi's team invested more on the car he would have been a better customer driver.

I still don't understand Villagra's performance on the WRC. In Argentina and South America, he dominates, but I think that in the WRC he has a more safe approach.

Last week an Argentine website published that Rally Spain will be the Munchi's last rally, they won't be on WRC next year.

Rallynoticias.com (http://www.rallynoticias.com/demo/nivel2.php?lang=es&id_noticia=4620)

[darkstar]

atkinson also comes to my mind first, as i said in another thread before: he was faster then solberg in the last subaru years.

[Plan9]

I was also thinking about Sarrazin and Bryce Tirabassi. They drove for the Subaru squad towards the end of its tenure in the WRC. I think that Sarrazin is a bit wasted in IRC and Tirabassi did well to win the JWRC in 2003. I am unsure to this day why neither got full time drives. I think that Urmo Aava could also be added to this category of "could have been" WRC drivers.

[janvanvurpa]

Jean Ragnotti. Very big driver imho,but his marriage with Renault didn t let him to show us more of his talent.


The question est tout le jours "By who underated?"
If one has eyes one cannot underrate Ragnotti.
He is a genius, a pleasure to watch..


As for other hugely under-rated drivers I'd say ME! of course!

Alas my marriage to Saab V4....you know the rest!

[janvanvurpa]

atkinson also comes to my mind first, as i said in another thread before: he was faster then solberg in the last subaru years.

Maybe, but Petter spent some of his own money, and put together a program.
Atkinson seems to have simply shrugged and be content with playing with his mate Blockie.

[Mirek]

I was also thinking about Sarrazin and Bryce Tirabassi. They drove for the Subaru squad towards the end of its tenure in the WRC. I think that Sarrazin is a bit wasted in IRC and Tirabassi did well to win the JWRC in 2003. I am unsure to this day why neither got full time drives. I think that Urmo Aava could also be added to this category of "could have been" WRC drivers.

Sarrazin is full-time Peugeot driver in Le Mans series. In IRC he usually drives only RMC and once he drove Ypres with early crash. I must admit he's quite an expert on RMC and I quite expect his guest SWRC entry for 2012 event.

Tirrabassi drove almost complete IRC in 2007 or 2008 but if I remember well he only achieved many retirements from all possible reasons. Later there were only few starts with Impreza S14 in some French events including last WRC Tour de Corse. Last time I remember him from Rallye du Var 2010 with same car...

[mousti]

Yep Tirabassi with the S14 from Ipatec serviced by Wevers Sport. Tirabassi is since his nice JWRC outing quite a failure :-/

[urabus-denoS2000]

I was also thinking about Sarrazin and Bryce Tirabassi. They drove for the Subaru squad towards the end of its tenure in the WRC. I think that Sarrazin is a bit wasted in IRC and Tirabassi did well to win the JWRC in 2003. I am unsure to this day why neither got full time drives. I think that Urmo Aava could also be added to this category of "could have been" WRC drivers.

A man driving a Impreza S14 outpaced by Robert Kubica in a Clio S1600 doesn't deserve a full time drive ;)

[N.O.T]

Maybe, but Petter spent some of his own money, and put together a program.
Atkinson seems to have simply shrugged and be content with playing with his mate Blockie.

yes but Solberg was lucky enough and was getting some very fat checks from subaru for many years so he spent a small fraction of them to put that program together...Atko was not that lucky.

[N.O.T]

As for the main question i would say

Auriol
Loix

[Plan9]

yes but Solberg was lucky enough and was getting some very fat checks from subaru for many years so he spent a small fraction of them to put that program together...Atko was not that lucky.

You have to wonder why Atko didn't spend some of his own money to fund a WRC drive. I don't think it fair to say he was underpaid by Subaru.

[Plan9]

A man driving a Impreza S14 outpaced by Robert Kubica in a Clio S1600 doesn't deserve a full time drive ;)

OMG I had no idea it went so far down hill. I only managed to see him on a few events in the WRC/JWRC.

[N.O.T]

You have to wonder why Atko didn't spend some of his own money to fund a WRC drive. I don't think it fair to say he was underpaid by Subaru.

he wasn't paid at all...

if i remember correctly the funds for his drive were from Subaru Oz...i think if he was paid it would be from personal sponsors and i doubt it would be enough.

[Viking]

he wasn't paid at all...

if i remember correctly the funds for his drive were from Subaru Oz...i think if he was paid it would be from personal sponsors and i doubt it would be enough.


Could it have something to do with that he drove four full seasons and more than 60 rallys for Subaru and was faster than his teammate in only an handfull of them??

If you guys keep this up i have to put him on the "overrated" list ;)

[N.O.T]

I do not think Atkinson is underated or overated as far as ability goes...he was unlucky because when he started to be consistently faster than Solberg the Subaru team pulled out...

[N.O.T]

Could it have something to do with that he drove four full seasons and more than 60 rallys for Subaru and was faster than his teammate in only an handfull of them??

If you guys keep this up i have to put him on the "overrated" list ;)

3.5 seasons part of his 2006 run was done with Subaru OZ not the SWRT.

[janvanvurpa]

You have to wonder why Atko didn't spend some of his own money to fund a WRC drive. I don't think it fair to say he was underpaid by Subaru.

I wondered that about good ol Colin Mc who had famously said "I'd do this for nothing" and who it was repeatedly reported that he was "The highest paid driver in the WRC" and yet when no contracts arrived, seemingly shugged and didn't spend a penny --as far as we know---to continue in WRC.
Guess it wasn't so important to him.

[Plan9]

I wondered that about good ol Colin Mc who had famously said "I'd do this for nothing" and who it was repeatedly reported that he was "The highest paid driver in the WRC" and yet when no contracts arrived, seemingly shugged and didn't spend a penny --as far as we know---to continue in WRC.
Guess it wasn't so important to him.

+1. Chris comes from a wealthy Australian family. They could have put some money up for him to do something OR After Ireland 2009 Chris could have put some money forward and done a few events as he is a multi-millionaire himself and waited until something better came along. I wonder if he is as fast now as he was way back when...

[Iskald]

The late Mikael Sundström. As fast as his teammate Juha Kankkunen on his good days.

[tmx]

Jean Ragnotti. Very big driver imho,but his marriage with Renault didn t let him to show us more of his talent. Most spectacular asphalt rally driver I've ever seen.


+1. Chris comes from a wealthy Australian family. They could have put some money up for him to do something OR After Ireland 2009 Chris could have put some money forward and done a few events as he is a multi-millionaire himself and waited until something better came along. I wonder if he is as fast now as he was way back when... Follow Asia Pacific to find out.

[tmx]

My pick would be Markko Martin, a definite world champion if it wasn't for the tragic accident. Unfortunately at the time he didn't get to be in the best cars, Ford 03 - 04 and Peugeot 307 which were not good enough for even 2nd in championship. It's not hard to understand why teams wants him for testing and feedback.

[dimviii]

Ford 03-04 was a rocket mate.

[Nornbugger]

has anyone mentioned Nasser yet? He does a very good job, would be a decent no.2 for any team

[N.O.T]

has anyone mentioned nasser yet? He does a very good job, would be a decent no.2 for any team

looooooooooooooooooooooooool

[tmx]

Ford 03-04 was a rocket mate. Didn't seem to manage to beat the Impreza and Xsara, even in the hands of Duval and Markko.


has anyone mentioned Nasser yet? He does a very good job, would be a decent no.2 for any team Agree. Nassir had some terrible luck this season otherwise he'd been fighting for the S-WRC lead.

[cali]

Didn't seem to manage to beat the Impreza and Xsara, even in the hands of Duval and Markko.

Agree. Nassir had some terrible luck this season otherwise he'd been fighting for the S-WRC lead.

Focus 03 had reliability issues but was by far the quickest car around at that time. In 2003 Märtin had more SS wins than anyone else, but lost the title cause the car broke down in too many occasions. I don't think he was underrated at any point in his career.

[ELPE]

About Chris Atkinsson. Yes, he did often good times, but left the road in every rally one or more times. Play hard to do fast times with so many disembarkation. I definitely think he is one of the overrated.

[Sladden]

Focus 03 had reliability issues but was by far the quickest car around at that time. In 2003 Märtin had more SS wins than anyone else, but lost the title cause the car broke down in too many occasions. I don't think he was underrated at any point in his career.
He was very good with the Ford. But beside Grönholm in Peugeot 307..kind of overrated.

[dimviii]

Focus 03 had reliability issues but was by far the quickest car around at that time. In 2003 Märtin had more SS wins than anyone else, but lost the title cause the car broke down in too many occasions. I don't think he was underrated at any point in his career.
+1

[cardy]

For me Markko Martin and my favourite has to Mark Higgins what a pitty he never got a shot at a full works car