Where to now for Craig Breen?

[Spud303]

As a very proud Irish Rallying fan and especially proud of Irish Drivers, I have to fear that this fantastic SWRC champion will go no further up the ranks. Is it possible for true talent like Breen to flourish in a WRC factory team in the coming years, without a huge sponsorship deal to bring to the table?

[Georgi]

He is a talented driver but he also needs to find the funding (like you say 'big sponsorship deal') to step up to WRC car. I think his best option is the Prodrive Mini or MSport Fiesta.

[MJW]

Simples - he needs to bring money or get a management team who are prepared to bank roll the programme in a WRC car for several years until they get their payback when or more like IF he does eventually get a paid drive. Only other way is Motorsport Ireland do what FFSA, KNAF and a few other ASN's do and put up the money or at least part of the money required.

[PLuto]

I would prefer to see him in ERC next year. For full attack in WRC he still has a lot of time...

[MJW]

I would prefer to see him in ERC next year. For full attack in WRC he still has a lot of time...
Yes - sensible option, running headlong into WRC if you can not afford it is wasting time and money. Breen should definitely consider an ERC programme.

[AndyRAC]

Isn't it depressing? Driver who has won 2 'Support' Championships, and isn't guaranteed a drive next year - and will have to find funding for any drive. Would it be any different if he was French, Finnish or Spanish?

However, I agree with the others - a ERC campaign would be a good idea - and with some events possibly becoming WRC events; he might get a head start on the others. If he can raise funding.

[EightGear]

Well look at Robin Frijns in circuit racing. He won 3 different championships in a row but still needs to pay to get into F1.

$¥£€€£¥$

[BDunnell]

Isn't it depressing? Driver who has won 2 'Support' Championships, and isn't guaranteed a drive next year - and will have to find funding for any drive. Would it be any different if he was French, Finnish or Spanish?

However, I agree with the others - a ERC campaign would be a good idea - and with some events possibly becoming WRC events; he might get a head start on the others. If he can raise funding.

One wonders what 'support' championships exist for, in all forms of motorsport, if it's so impossible then to make the next step up. Even then it's proved incredibly hard for any graduates truly to shine at the top level of rallying.

[Hartusvuori]

Isn't it depressing? Driver who has won 2 'Support' Championships, and isn't guaranteed a drive next year - and will have to find funding for any drive. Would it be any different if he was French, Finnish or Spanish?

One word: Hänninen.

[MikeD]

Well look at Robin Frijns in circuit racing. He won 3 different championships in a row but still needs to pay to get into F1.

$¥£€€£¥$

So did Ayrton Senna getting into Toleman with the backing of Segafredo and for Schumacher with the backing of Mercedes and Tic Tac sponsorship. Motorsport has always been like this and I bet you wouldn't be so focused on it if Frijns wasn't from your country, right?

Fact is, that if you are good enough you will get the seat, but you have to be really really good as this is WRC, F1, MotoGP and all those who are already there are the best in the world, so for Frijns to get a seat in F1 or for Breen to get a factory seat in WRC they have to be better than the best in the world.

[EightGear]

Motorsport has always been like this and I bet you wouldn't be so focused on it if Frijns wasn't from your country, right?


I was just giving a comparable examble. I know it is normal to bring money. Good results in lower categories are unfortunately no guarantee for a drive in 'the big league.'
Yes Frijns is Dutch, but if he would have been from Tahiti I would still compare his situation with Breen.

[Allyc85]

Well according to Slowson Breen is well funded so he will have no trouble getting a WRC car ;)

Seriously though I agree that the ERC would be best. He is only 22 and has loads of time to gain experience before hitting the big time.

[MikeD]

I was just giving a comparable examble. I know it is normal to bring money. Good results in lower categories are unfortunately no guarantee for a drive in 'the big league.'

Of course not, as you also have to evaluate the opposition and the category. In case of Breen, then he did beat WRC cars in an S2000 car into 6. position. That result will carry a lot of weight, in his fight for backing for a WRC car. That result is worth far more that winning the SWRC title against a relatively poor field.

Frijns won the WS 3.5 title, which is a lower series than GP2 and against a field of rather poor drivers. Had he won the GP2 title against strong opposition then it would be a different matter. Frijns won against Jules Bianchi who couldn't make it with GP2's most successful team ART Grand Prix (Now Lotus GP). If Frijns wants to get into an F1 team (except those three "F2" teams at the back of the grid), then he has to win the GP2 title in his first attempt.

Winning a lower category is always evaluated by who you beat. Just claiming the title is no guarantee. The same can be said for Valsecchi as he has also won the GP2 title against really poor opposition and in his 5th attempt. That title carries very little weight for the F1 team bosses.

I can say that as I worked as a journalist in F3000 from 1997 for Team den Blå Avis under David Sears and after that under Paul Jackson at iSport and the Petrobras Jr. Team. After that I worked in GP2 in the series first 3 years from 2005-2008. I have seen true potential and also seen all those who thought they were.

So summa sumarum, I think Breen will make it into WRC, whereas Frijns should focus on winning a proper title if he wants to make it into F1 - and win it in his first attempt.

[A FONDO]

Pffft come on, is that your highest level of conversation - to look with a magnifying glass for a single incorrect or partly incorrect word and jump on it and derail the main topic?

[Spud303]

Is it possible for true talent like Breen to flourish in a WRC factory team in the coming years, without a huge sponsorship deal to bring to the table?
I guess being a loyal countryman this worry has come to mind just really wanting an Irishman to support from Start to finnish of a season in the wrc. But! "are huge talents not reaching their potential due to lack of funding" is what the out and out wrc fan in me is saying?

[Spud303]

Well thats not the sort of info I can get a hold of, but for now its the most positive. So I'll run with that, and yes the ERC is also a fantastic option. I suppose Id just really like to see him push to the wrc while he's on the boil as such.

[vino_93]

Frijns won the WS 3.5 title, which is a lower series than GP2 and against a field of rather poor drivers. Had he won the GP2 title against strong opposition then it would be a different matter. Frijns won against Jules Bianchi who couldn't make it with GP2's most successful team ART Grand Prix (Now Lotus GP). If Frijns wants to get into an F1 team (except those three "F2" teams at the back of the grid), then he has to win the GP2 title in his first attempt.


just look at the drivers in FR3.5 and those in GP2 this year ... there were more good drivers in FR3.5 than in GP2, which costs too much now for a lot of young drivers, and teams ... maybe that Bianchi and Bird never win GP2 champ with ART and good cars, but they were top drivers in the championship all their years. I'm sorry but it has nothing to see with Valsecchi or Razia (even if Bianchi isn't mature at all).

both championship are at the same level, one step before F1. The only good point for GP2 is to be with F1 every week ends, but it costs so much for what it is.
The only problem for Frijns now is that F1 costs a lot, and mainly that there is no real place for him ... there's not a lot of interesting place for the moment, 'cause a lot of drivers are very young in F1.
I hope for him at least a 3rd driver place, as did Bottas this year. Best way to promote his skill now.

[Wasted Talent]

One word: Hänninen.

Two words: Haydon Paddon.....

WT

[Wasted Talent]

... for Breen to get a factory seat in WRC they have to be better than the best in the world.

Breen may be good, or even very good, but he only just won WRC Academy from Kaur last year and has done a solid enough job to win in SWRC with a reliable car (compared to others) but didn't have any spectacular results.

It is only my opinion but Elfyn Evans probably has more talent but less money (see his times last season in an R2 Fiesta against the Academy crews, plus previous results)....

WT

WT

[Mintexmemory]

Breen may be good, or even very good, but he only just won WRC Academy from Kaur last year and has done a solid enough job to win in SWRC with a reliable car (compared to others) but didn't have any spectacular results.

It is only my opinion but Elfyn Evans probably has more talent but less money (see his times last season in an R2 Fiesta against the Academy crews, plus previous results)....

WT

WT

In the first 3 of 2011 Academy CB was spectacularly quicker than Kaur but crashed /broke the car. Once he learned to drive at a 'just fast enough' pace he won sufficient events and stages to claw back the handicap. To win as he did in Wales by taking the vital number of stages cannot be under-estimated.
What he learned last year has been the decisive factor in his SWRC campaign - he hasn't broken the car (which is why it has been reliable) and has been ahead when it mattered. Haydon is perhaps quicker than Craig but appears to be over the limit sometimes
Yep Elfyn is a big talent but as to having less money than Craig - as they are both expending 10s of Ks as the unit of currency I'm not sure that is necessarily true. Remember he had free tyre choice against the Academy crews in 2011 - and with the Academy won I'd expected him to give Suarez more of a run in Catalunya this year. Still someway to go perhaps (he's not the messiah, he's a very ...)

Oh yes, less I forget - great game of cat and mouse in the last Forward Charm round ;) come on the Rankers!

[Sami]

If everyone winning a support championship should have a paid drive in a factory car there should be dozens of factory cars or drivers retiring in two years. Or the maths just doesn't match.

In my opinion winning Al-Rajhi and Kaur in similarly competitive cars isn't just much of an accomplishment. Craig is a really fast driver, no question about it, but really to fight for wins in WRC, I think never. Sorry about that.

About Elfyn Evans, don't know yet, he is absolutely amazing especially in BRC, but it's a totally different thing to drive a proper rally car. He's skills are still not known...

How about Keith Cronin?

[gravelman]

Breens achievements have been remarkable considering the circumstances of his season. I personally feel that it might be a season too soon for a wrc car. Since his accident, he has been busy practically every weekend rallying or preparing to rally. Now h has free time again, I hope to god this doesn't happen, he may start thinking about the events of the past year again. This is just something hypothetical and I pray it doesn't hit him hard again and that he is strong enough for it not to happen, but IF it did the added pressure of a season in a wrc car could be a lot. I feel that a season in erc ( paid works hopefully) would benefit him greatly, as the irc results he had were a great measure of his real pace against his peers in equal o better cars; ie not a proton. Either way I wish him well for next year and that his career continues to blossom.

[Wasted Talent]

Oh yes, less I forget - great game of cat and mouse in the last Forward Charm round ;) come on the Rankers!

Damned Tanak let me down, if he'd kept it on the road for the final morning I reckon I would have got enough points for MSport to have just edged it....

Fair play to the White Rankers though

WT

[Wasted Talent]

In the first 3 of 2011 Academy CB was spectacularly quicker than Kaur but crashed /broke the car. Once he learned to drive at a 'just fast enough' pace he won sufficient events and stages to claw back the handicap. To win as he did in Wales by taking the vital number of stages cannot be under-estimated.
What he learned last year has been the decisive factor in his SWRC campaign - he hasn't broken the car (which is why it has been reliable) and has been ahead when it mattered. Haydon is perhaps quicker than Craig but appears to be over the limit sometimes
Yep Elfyn is a big talent but as to having less money than Craig - as they are both expending 10s of Ks as the unit of currency I'm not sure that is necessarily true. Remember he had free tyre choice against the Academy crews in 2011 - and with the Academy won I'd expected him to give Suarez more of a run in Catalunya this year. Still someway to go perhaps (he's not the messiah, he's a very ...)


Back on topic, I take a lot of your points, and don't underate Craig's achievements in Wales 2011, but even though he was forced to drive at maximum to get stage wins he was being well beaten by Elfyn before he was forced out with damage on that stupid jump near the end.

Craig has also had the benefit of having sufficient funding to run a S2000 Fiesta on over a dozen internationals in 2010 before doing the Academy and it is always beneficial to driving a less powerful car once you have experience in a higher power one as you have spent more time approaching corners faster, whereas I would assume that the Academy is the limit of what Evans' funding could go to. It was only winning the Pirelli star drive that enabled him to run the BRC in the Grp N Impreza in 2011.

Also I don't think Paddon was to blame for most of his retirements in the SWRC this year, the car didn't seem to be very reliable, so much so he might as well have been driving a Proton.

Still it will be interesting to see how things pan out, I would hope Evans goes for the SWRC prize route next year as I cannot see doing all the WRC events in a R2 Fiesta next year will showcase his talent

WT

[noel157]

Would tend to agree with some points. I'm not fully convinced Breen has the total package, too early to say and he really hasn't had much competition in SWRC. His career path over the past 4 odd years has been strategically chosen in a very safe way. One make championships and a reasonably fortunate SWRC win. Sure, the Academy win was good but the level of reliability in the cars was poor. It was good to see him spending the prize money on random IRC events (and the odd other event). If Paddon had a more reliable car and even including his 2 (??) offs things may have been different as may've been if the Protons were able to make it to the finish line without falling apart. That aside Breen does have a measure of speed, I just don't know how much. The boy has matured over the past year or so and the Gareth Roberts tragedy will perhaps help him although as Gravelman mentions let's hope the memories and the traumatic experience does not stall matters.
The ERC would be ideal for Breen, with an expected good level of competition and being able to have to fight harder for stage and rally wins it would help progress his career. At the moment he has no budget for 2013 so let's hope he can get something together.

[sollitt]

Haydon ... appears to be over the limit sometimes
Not so. For the speed that he generates he has always been remarkably relaxed and reliable driving well within himself.

[Wasted Talent]

Not so. For the speed that he generates he has always been remarkably relaxed and reliable driving well within himself.

That would be my view, I don't actually think he has the ultimate speed of others but until this season I thought he was always driving well within his limits

WT

[Mintexmemory]

That would be my view, I don't actually think he has the ultimate speed of others but until this season I thought he was always driving well within his limits

WT
In the flesh he reminds me of a Kiwi McRae - He doesn't have any setting other than 11 but has such exquisite car control that it looks effortless. I am a big Haydon fan but CB has different, though equally good, attributes.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Breen has done well, especially this year after the terrible accident, but it does all come down to funding these days.

I have followed Breen for several years and started following him because he was one of the first with a Fiesta S2000.

But I wondered at the time how a young kid managed to get into this mega new machinery when the rest
of the Irish Championship were still in old Subaru's, Evo's and even Corrola's ?? I presumed that he had either a rich family or mega sponsorship.

Does anyone know which ? It may be the latter lookin at A listing of Craig's Partners (http://www.craigbreen.com/partners.php) ... so hopefully they will stick with him and keep him running in the ERC where I think he is best suited with his tarmac ability...

[MJW]

[quote="Fast Eddie WRC"]Breen has done well, especially this year after the terrible accident, but it does all come down to funding these days.

I have followed Breen for several years and started following him because he was one of the first with a Fiesta S2000.

But I wondered at the time how a young kid managed to get into this mega new machinery when the rest
of the Irish Championship were still in old Subaru's, Evo's and even Corrola's ?? I presumed that he had either a rich family or mega sponsorship.
Does anyone know which ? It may be the latter lookin at A listing of Craig's Partners (http://www.craigbreen.com/partners.php) ... so hopefully they will stick with him and keep him running in the ERC where I think he is best suited with his tarmac ability...
/QUOTE

http://www.keltechengineering.com/about.php
Keltech Engineering is Craig's father's business.

[Kalm]

Breen`s answer to estonian jounalist question about what`s next was : "for the moment nothing, I have no budget, we have a very small family business, it has supported me greatly for the past gouple of years and with the help and support of the Academy prize money from last year we got full season this year, now we starting from zero again, which is not a good position to be in , but I hope this title will help things"

[Shirley anne]

I don't think we're going to have to worry about Craig trying to run before he can walk.
I think he's clever enough to know his limits.
He's just one of those drivers you feel there's something about them that makes them stand out, isn't he...?
He's fast, although a bit rash sometimes, clever, funny and he knows how to talk to the media.
Let's just hope he's not going to be left on the shelf and that he can find some funding somewhere for next year.

[James Graham]

What about a works drive in the ERC in a Peugeot R5?

I agree with Wasted Talent; Breen doesn't look like he has a massive amount of speed but he is deceptively quick and can turn it up a notch when needed.

I think the most important thing is that he is consistent and consistency wins championships (and keeps the bills down a bit). I bet M-Sport wish they'd had him in one of the factory Fiesta's a few times this season.

I hope we see him moving his career forward again in 2013.

[noel157]

What about a works drive in the ERC in a Peugeot R5?

I agree with Wasted Talent; Breen doesn't look like he has a massive amount of speed but he is deceptively quick and can turn it up a notch when needed.

I think the most important thing is that he is consistent and consistency wins championships (and keeps the bills down a bit). I bet M-Sport wish they'd had him in one of the factory Fiesta's a few times this season.

I hope we see him moving his career forward again in 2013.

WT was referring to Paddon.

[Wasted Talent]

Breen has done well, especially this year after the terrible accident, but it does all come down to funding these days.

I have followed Breen for several years and started following him because he was one of the first with a Fiesta S2000.


As MJW says Keltech is the family firm, which must have been doing well enough to support Ray Breen, Craig's father, running a Subaru S5 WRC in 2004 and then a WRC Focus for a few seasons.

Running the first Fiesta S2000 probably wasn't much more expensive than the later WRC Subarus, maybe less but I'm only guessing.

Before the financial downturn Ireland was booming - just consider the number of WRC cars competing there was probably higher than over here in Britain, in a much smaller country. Things have been much tighter since.

Don't get me wrong I'm not suggesting Craig isn't fast, he's very fast, just that I consider him to be of similar pace to Paddon, and I rate Elfyn a touch higher, but until they meet again in similar cars (and after Evans has gained some experience in an S2000/R5 car), we can only speculate.

WT

[sollitt]

Paddon has the ability to up the pace when necessary. I'm not sure that Breen has. There is no limit to Paddon's speed.

[BDA Cosworth]

As a very proud Irish Rallying fan and especially proud of Irish Drivers, I have to fear that this fantastic SWRC champion will go no further up the ranks. Is it possible for true talent like Breen to flourish in a WRC factory team in the coming years, without a huge sponsorship deal to bring to the table?

In the perfect world he would get a drive. However I must point out that he was not the quickest driver in the SWRC this year. On tarmac he was getting trounced by Hayden who has less experience on the black stuff. He overcame a huge hurdle to win the championship but following the bad luck he had he had a lot of good luck when the other drivers cars failed or got stuck in the mud. He is a talented driver. I just think he needs to show a little more speed to cut it with the big boys. And yes, I know....as a private team sometimes you can't push 100% becauase of funds and the results of a big off ruining your funding for the season.

[Spud303]

I love how lucky is getting thrown around when Breen is mentioned, as if to deem him an unworthy champion, and unlucky for Padden as if thats all that held him back from winning the championship. Padden wasn't even in contention come the last round in spain, there where three drivers who where, but I suppose they where just lucky. Loeb has been so lucky to get his car to the end of nearly all events with next to no damage. Come on! Luck has very little to do with this level of competition, getting your car to the finish line is the first step to success.

[BDA Cosworth]

I love how lucky is getting thrown around when Breen is mentioned, as if to deem him an unworthy champion, and unlucky for Padden as if thats all that held him back from winning the championship. Padden wasn't even in contention come the last round in spain, there where three drivers who where, but I suppose they where just lucky. Loeb has been so lucky to get his car to the end of nearly all events with next to no damage. Come on! Luck has very little to do with this level of competition, getting your car to the finish line is the first step to success.

I suppose facts need to be thrown out on this one.

Monte - Paddon wasn't there to compare
Sweden - Paddon's first event on snow, slower then Breen on most of the stages which he finished (stuck in snow bank on SS3)
Portugal - Paddon fastest on most of the stages they competed (by quite large margins as well e.g 15-20 secs) on before both struck trouble (Breen out for good)
NZ - Breen wasn't there to compare, PG Faster then Hayden on Day1 until retiring ,Hayden fastest on day 2 and 3 for most stages (after PG rejoined) (even with faulty gearbox)
Finland - Paddon faster then Breen but not faster then Lappi before mechanical dropped him out.
GB - Paddon leading after one, mechanical issue forced out for rest of day, Day 2 and 3 Paddon quickest again by a good margin.
France - Paddon leading by 12 secs during day 2, good battle up to that point, then Breen seemed to loose time, Paddon leading by a good lead and then got stuck in a ditch at 10kmph when finish line in site.
Spain - Paddon taking it very easy through day 1 in slippery conditions, got stuck in the mud again at very slow speed. Day 2 and 3 times were blisteringly fast on tarmac. Beating quite a few WRC cars in the process.

But if you take away all the stigma and look at the facts. Then Paddon was the fastest driver in the SWRC this year.
What I wonder though is had PG had a reliable car and Paddon not had bad luck (mechanically and the two small errors in the mud) then how good would the battle have been!

So please don't think I am taking away from him his victory. I'm purely basing this on stats and who won the most stages. :)

[James Graham]

I suppose facts need to be thrown out on this one.

Monte - Paddon wasn't there to compare
Sweden - Paddon's first event on snow, slower then Breen on most of the stages which he finished (stuck in snow bank on SS3)
Portugal - Paddon fastest on most of the stages they competed (by quite large margins as well e.g 15-20 secs) on before both struck trouble (Breen out for good)
NZ - Breen wasn't there to compare, PG Faster then Hayden on Day1 until retiring ,Hayden fastest on day 2 and 3 for most stages (after PG rejoined) (even with faulty gearbox)
Finland - Paddon faster then Breen but not faster then Lappi before mechanical dropped him out.
GB - Paddon leading after one, mechanical issue forced out for rest of day, Day 2 and 3 Paddon quickest again by a good margin.
France - Paddon leading by 12 secs during day 2, good battle up to that point, then Breen seemed to loose time, Paddon leading by a good lead and then got stuck in a ditch at 10kmph when finish line in site.
Spain - Paddon taking it very easy through day 1 in slippery conditions, got stuck in the mud again at very slow speed. Day 2 and 3 times were blisteringly fast on tarmac. Beating quite a few WRC cars in the process.

But if you take away all the stigma and look at the facts. Then Paddon was the fastest driver in the SWRC this year.
What I wonder though is had PG had a reliable car and Paddon not had bad luck (mechanically and the two small errors in the mud) then how good would the battle have been!

So please don't think I am taking away from him his victory. I'm purely basing this on stats and who won the most stages. :)

Always good to have well researched facts to back up a point of view but as the old adage goes; 'to finish first, first you must finish'.

If you were a team owner and were forced, right now, to make a decision between Paddon and Breen then who would you take?

That's all a bit OT though.

I hope Breen can put a deal together for 2013. I am sure we'll see him out in something. If he keeps plugging away at it he'll get the breaks he needs.

[PLuto]

There is one important thing. Actual SWRC system was not about to be fastest, but about to be in finish and take points...

[Nornbugger]

I suppose facts need to be thrown out on this one.

Monte - Paddon wasn't there to compare
Sweden - Paddon's first event on snow, slower then Breen on most of the stages which he finished (stuck in snow bank on SS3)
Portugal - Paddon fastest on most of the stages they competed (by quite large margins as well e.g 15-20 secs) on before both struck trouble (Breen out for good)
NZ - Breen wasn't there to compare, PG Faster then Hayden on Day1 until retiring ,Hayden fastest on day 2 and 3 for most stages (after PG rejoined) (even with faulty gearbox)
Finland - Paddon faster then Breen but not faster then Lappi before mechanical dropped him out.
GB - Paddon leading after one, mechanical issue forced out for rest of day, Day 2 and 3 Paddon quickest again by a good margin.
France - Paddon leading by 12 secs during day 2, good battle up to that point, then Breen seemed to loose time, Paddon leading by a good lead and then got stuck in a ditch at 10kmph when finish line in site.
Spain - Paddon taking it very easy through day 1 in slippery conditions, got stuck in the mud again at very slow speed. Day 2 and 3 times were blisteringly fast on tarmac. Beating quite a few WRC cars in the process.

But if you take away all the stigma and look at the facts. Then Paddon was the fastest driver in the SWRC this year.
What I wonder though is had PG had a reliable car and Paddon not had bad luck (mechanically and the two small errors in the mud) then how good would the battle have been!

So please don't think I am taking away from him his victory. I'm purely basing this on stats and who won the most stages. :)

thats all lovely, but I think no one would disagree with me if I were to say that a Fiesta S2000 is not as quick as a Fabia S2000

[Co-FIN]

thats all lovely, but I think no one would disagree with me if I were to say that a Fiesta S2000 is not as quick as a Fabia S2000

Well Lappi showed some pace with non works fiesta @ norf.. I dont think its that much slower?

I think Breen is very fast and made wonderful comeback this year after accident. But still i dont think that he has the speed to highest level. In my opinion Elfyn Evans is fastest uprising Brit atm.

[Mirek]

In my opinion Fabia is faster only on asphalt. On gravel it's in my opinion very close, maybe Fiesta is even a bit faster.

[pettersolberg29]

Well Lappi showed some pace with non works fiesta @ norf.. I dont think its that much slower?

I think Breen is very fast and made wonderful comeback this year after accident. But still i dont think that he has the speed to highest level. In my opinion Elfyn Evans is fastest uprising Brit atm.

Breen reminds me a bit of Richard Burns - calm, consistent, fast and very strong mentally. He may not have the outright pace of others but I can see him forming a career a bit like Mikko's if he gets the right opportunities. As for Evans, a very exciting talent. Seen a lot of this young lad and the sky is the limit for him. Let's hope he gets the chances he deserves.

[kirungi okwogera]

Breen reminds me a bit of Richard Burns - calm, consistent, fast and very strong mentally. He may not have the outright pace of others but I can see him forming a career a bit like Mikko's if he gets the right opportunities. As for Evans, a very exciting talent. Seen a lot of this young lad and the sky is the limit for him. Let's hope he gets the chances he deserves.
Definitely how I view Breen as well. I'm less confident he'll have Mikko's speed but he definitely has Burns' working style there. No one can claim he isn't strong mentally after this year. I think he and Paddon are at a similar point in their careers, where the challenge is sponsorship/getting seats rather than driving really.

A while back I looked at SWRC stage wins for the year and found that Paddon won 60+ percent of the stages his car was actually running for. I don't intend to sound fanatical but that is a Loeb-like rate, even with the Fabia being the choice on tarmac. He has very good potential and I hope that Red Bull sees that and continues with him. I don't know how else a Kiwi is going to get a lot of sponsorship, but maybe ERC has some potential for guys like him and Craig?

[Wasted Talent]

Well Lappi showed some pace with non works fiesta @ norf.. I dont think its that much slower?

I think Breen is very fast and made wonderful comeback this year after accident. But still i dont think that he has the speed to highest level. In my opinion Elfyn Evans is fastest uprising Brit atm.

Have to agree, and suspect that Lappi is also a top talent on gravel, but has a lot to learn on tarmac

WT

[Mirek]

By the way here is spectacular onboard of Craig Breen from last weekend Sosnová Show, Czech republic. It's from the final against Martin Prokop. Craig was driving Fabia WRC.

http://www.mediasport.cz/rally/onboardy/4154.html?quality=hd

[DonJippo]

Have to agree, and suspect that Lappi is also a top talent on gravel, but has a lot to learn on tarmac

WT

Esa-Pekka started carting 1996 at the age of 5 and after winning Finnish championship in ICA class 2007 changed to rallying. Not saying carting is same as rally on tarmac but would say he is quite experienced on driving on tarmac.

[BDA Cosworth]

Definitely how I view Breen as well. I'm less confident he'll have Mikko's speed but he definitely has Burns' working style there. No one can claim he isn't strong mentally after this year. I think he and Paddon are at a similar point in their careers, where the challenge is sponsorship/getting seats rather than driving really.

A while back I looked at SWRC stage wins for the year and found that Paddon won 60+ percent of the stages his car was actually running for. I don't intend to sound fanatical but that is a Loeb-like rate, even with the Fabia being the choice on tarmac. He has very good potential and I hope that Red Bull sees that and continues with him. I don't know how else a Kiwi is going to get a lot of sponsorship, but maybe ERC has some potential for guys like him and Craig?

Yeah that was the stat that I was looking at. And of that 60%, 60% of the time he was +10 secs faster then anyone else. I think he has the mind set of Loeb..he's also very neat and tidy when on the limit (even though McRae is his idol).

Like the other comment, I agree. I don't think its so much about talent for these two drivers. I think it is more about funding the next step. Lets just hope that they find it.

I also think that Hayden just seems to be quick on tarmac due to his driving style. Odd considering his lack of experience on it.

I don't think the Fiesta S2000 is slower on gravel.

[Tom206wrc]

He did a FANTASTIC job today in Var for Team Saintéloc :bounce:
I really hope a full 2013 program with the 207 S2000 with that same team, and developping the 208 R5 and driving it for Peugeot-Sport(second half of 2013) :D

[prpr]

Frijns won the WS 3.5 title, which is a lower series than GP2 and against a field of rather poor drivers. Had he won the GP2 title against strong opposition then it would be a different matter. Frijns won against Jules Bianchi who couldn't make it with GP2's most successful team ART Grand Prix (Now Lotus GP). If Frijns wants to get into an F1 team (except those three "F2" teams at the back of the grid), then he has to win the GP2 title in his first attempt. Winning a lower category is always evaluated by who you beat. Just claiming the title is no guarantee. The same can be said for Valsecchi as he has also won the GP2 title against really poor opposition and in his 5th attempt. That title carries very little weight for the F1 team bosses. So summa sumarum, I think Breen will make it into WRC, whereas Frijns should focus on winning a proper title if he wants to make it into F1 - and win it in his first attempt. The thing about Frijins is that he has already won three championships at his first attempt, so that in itself must indicate potential (even if the Formula Renault 3.5 title was only decided after a controversial clash with Bianchi). To return to topic, I believe that there have been layoffs at Breen's family business, so the same level of support as before may not be available. A works-supported drive with Peugeot in the ERC would be the ideal.

[Spud303]

Well taking Driver of the year can't hurt Breens chances of progression to the big stage. And for the doubters of his pace making up 32 seconds to take third and the stage win on the final stage of rallye du Val is damn impressive.

[bf1_IRL]

Well Lappi showed some pace with non works fiesta @ norf.. I dont think its that much slower?

I think Breen is very fast and made wonderful comeback this year after accident. But still i dont think that he has the speed to highest level. In my opinion Elfyn Evans is fastest uprising Brit atm.

Pardon the interruption, Just a quick note; In fairness yes, Elfyn & Craig are from Western Europe but Craig certainly is not a Brit :) (Understandable mistake to make but it can get irksome, especially when anything Irish is sucessfull, gets claimed as "British" but when not doing so well, then back to being Irish.. the Welsh & Scots get the same treatment too)
Now back to the topic :)

While Hayden has shown definite (and pleasantly surprising) speed in PWRC last year, he was unlucky this year, he needed both to win the SWRC this year. It would be fantastic to see both Craig & Haydon battling it out on the stages in the future in top machinery, I'd imagine very close fights and some damn good, flat out attacking on the stages from both.. The kind of battles that make rallying great TV and worth travelling to see :D

[BDA Cosworth]

Pardon the interruption, Just a quick note; In fairness yes, Elfyn & Craig are from Western Europe but Craig certainly is not a Brit :) (Understandable mistake to make but it can get irksome, especially when anything Irish is sucessfull, gets claimed as "British" but when not doing so well, then back to being Irish.. the Welsh & Scots get the same treatment too)
Now back to the topic :)

While Hayden has shown definite (and pleasantly surprising) speed in PWRC last year, he was unlucky this year, he needed both to win the SWRC this year. It would be fantastic to see both Craig & Haydon battling it out on the stages in the future in top machinery, I'd imagine very close fights and some damn good, flat out attacking on the stages from both.. The kind of battles that make rallying great TV and worth travelling to see :D

As with most things Hayden does. If he doesn't win one year he comes back and blitz's everyone the next. Getting out the Mitsubishi was the best move he made.
If he comes back in a S2000 expect a serious ass wipping of his competition. But to be honest I think he has shown the pace and he now needs experience in a WRC car.

The one person I really do wonder how they got into WRC is Tanak. He needs a personality. Based on talent I understand, but PR ability?

Breen is a good guy, along with Paddon and they are a heck of a lot more marketable.

[Spud303]

Bearing in mind how Ostberg took the regular Nordic passage of going straight to a WRC car like Solberg, Hirvonin and JML and is now a factory driver. I wonder if this truly is the key to making it to the top of this sport, that maybe competing at the lower level creates a handicap that is hard to overcome for the young drivers?