Xevi Pons leaves WRC

[Vilkavainen]

As it´s said in his official website, once the season has finished, he has been in contact with several teams but none of them give him the petition he asked for. One of the petitions was to have a complete test plan, he says that wirhout having some minimum conditions assured he can´t fight against the big members of the championship.

Instead of that, he will be ready if some team needs him during the season.

Let´s hope we can see him again in the WRC, he has shown that it´s a reliable driver after having some good results in the last events.

You can find all the info at:

http://www.xevipons.com

[RaikkonenRules]

Why? :( He destroyed Dani Sordo in the last two events.

[cut the b.s.]

Shame, he seemed out of his depth a bit early in the season, but since his break his form has been good

[Niels H]

Its a shame, enjoyed his style at the rallies I've seen (live).

[Tomi]

quite a surprise

[jonas_mcrae]

its a shame, but it is true, he would never fight with the big ones

[jrally]

Why? :( He destroyed Dani Sordo in the last two events.

Fourth participation in Wales, 3th in New Zealand for Pons ! First in both events for Sordo. Do You think that experience counts ?!?!?

Regards
jorge

[Simmi]

It's a shame because he started doing a lot better. Didn't like how he monstered his co-driver but still hopefully he can patch something together for a few drives.

[jidoka]

He was pretty average. No star quality....

[Tomi]

not very good but not very bad either, on par with Sordo i think

[Tom206wrc]

Fourth participation in Wales, 3th in New Zealand for Pons ! First in both events for Sordo. Do You think that experience counts ?!?!?

Regards
jorge



Don't count off Stohl :laugh:

Manfred was 3rd, not Xavi in N-Z ;)

[GunsofNavarone]

He was pretty average. No star quality....

Michael Schumacher syndrome seems to affect Loeb's team-mates as well. Look at Duval and now Pons.

[FrankenSchwinn]

pons is one of these drivers that is hard to pin point what he needs or if he is good at all. let's face it tomi, these days everyone who wasnt born in a citroen or is not in the latest focus is rather average compared to the top 3 crews. but pons seemed to be improving and even if he was not fastest for sure he has been pretty consistant and rather safe compared to people like wilson. he would be a good driver if one were to get a trophy for 4-5th place but in overall he might have needed a kick in the butt and to increase that boost a little and he could have been a regular podium finisher. i dont know, maybe i just want to see more spaniards in the championship.....

[Tomi]

pons is one of these drivers that is hard to pin point what he needs or if he is good at all. let's face it tomi, these days everyone who wasnt born in a citroen or is not in the latest focus is rather average compared to the top 3 crews. but pons seemed to be improving and even if he was not fastest for sure he has been pretty consistant and rather safe compared to people like wilson. he would be a good driver if one were to get a trophy for 4-5th place but in overall he might have needed a kick in the butt and to increase that boost a little and he could have been a regular podium finisher. i dont know, maybe i just want to see more spaniards in the championship.....

Yes, anyway he gave up quite easily, kind of in middle of become a driver, now we never know what he might have turned out to be.

[GunsofNavarone]

Yes, anyway he gave up quite easily, kind of in middle of become a driver, now we never know what he might have turned out to be.

He sort of fizzled in the middle of this season as well, which was a pretty big shocker to me. Pons, in my mind, is not considered an elite driver, I don't think he'll ever contend for a drivers' title, but he could certainly have been a bigger aide to Citroen in the manufacturer's title hunt. With Sordo learning the ropes of the WRC, Pons really needed to bring in more than 32 points and a seventh overall in the classification this year.

Though, I will admit that from Turkey onward, he was about as impressive as you could be for a driver.

[Tomi]

He sort of fizzled in the middle of this season as well, which was a pretty big shocker to me. Pons, in my mind, is not considered an elite driver, I don't think he'll ever contend for a drivers' title, but he could certainly have been a bigger aide to Citroen in the manufacturer's title hunt. With Sordo learning the ropes of the WRC, Pons really needed to bring in more than 32 points and a seventh overall in the classification this year.

Though, I will admit that from Turkey onward, he was about as impressive as you could be for a driver.

Yes, the second driver is Citroens problem, they dont get anywhere on gravel, next year there will be 3-4 fords and maybe henning sometimes between Sordo and the podium.

[306 Cosworth]

Shame about him leaving, he put in some consistant and solid results towards the end of the season. At least he can say he got to driver with Number 1 on the side of his car on several WRC Events. Not many people will ever be able to say that ;)

[Tomi]

At least he can say he got to driver with Number 1 on the side of his car on several WRC Events. Not many people will ever be able to say that ;)

LOL good point, not many drivers understand to finish on the top of the carreer,wonder if the spaniards also starts crying soon, come back xavi, come back xavi. :)

[jrally]

Don't count off Stohl :laugh:

Manfred was 3rd, not Xavi in N-Z ;)

I meant 3th participation, Tom206wrc !

regards
jorge

[1LM1]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Pons entering the IRC from 2007 now.

[tmx]

i dont know why he yell very loud in car, but i think i like him and actaully he isnt that experienced in wrc yet, so i was really looking forward to see him next year unfortunately not. maybe its not down to talent anymore these day but who is more popular and good looking.

[GunsofNavarone]

I'm pretty good looking, someone should give me a rally car.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Fair play.. someone taking a stand against the current state of WRC.

The Pons familty can well afford to continue... but why should he continue?

OK, so maybe no-one can compete with the top 3/4

So now what is the citeria for making it in WRC?

Talent... no
Money... no

No... a biiiiggggg Sponsor, end of story. The WRC car are turning into advertising boards, the drivers secondary.

[GigiGalliNo1]

to me he was the next Carlos Sainz, give a few more years!

[Barry_]

never liked pons...and his co driver always looks scared when they are at competition speed

[GigiGalliNo1]

haha

[Daniel]

to me he was the next Carlos Sainz, give a few more years!
No way at all!!!!!! I can't believe anyone would say that about Carlos Sainz.......

Maybe he will be as old as Carlos in a few years but never ever ever as fast.

[Barry_]

lolol

[GigiGalliNo1]

ok tru :P lol

[A.F.F.]

I'm surprised but I'm surprised only by the fact he ran out of money :eek:

I have to give him credit thou... he was making progress towards the end of season. :up:

[aivan]

I can't believe it....

He was showing something at the end of the season.
It smells like there's something more going on here..
Maybe he wanted the get paid?? :eek:

[JAMESWRC]

On just about every corner on WRGB i watched on there was always one driver who approached it too fast and ended up being very sideways and very entertaining to watch and who was this driver?

Pons (and Petter Solberg) and for this reason im sad to see him go. Although i didnt like the way he treated his co driver in Germany either.

[Donney]

It's a shame he's leaving but we now how this sport is. I wish him the best because he was showing good progress in the last rallyes.

Am I the only one with the impression that there are two rival series in the making and we are heading towards a NASCAR-like situation? Where IRC and WRC will fight for relevance?

[JAM]

Although i didnt like the way he treated his co driver in Germany either.

Still better than what Gigi Galli made to his codriver :D

[Daniel]

On just about every corner on WRGB i watched on there was always one driver who approached it too fast and ended up being very sideways and very entertaining to watch and who was this driver?

Pons (and Petter Solberg) and for this reason im sad to see him go. Although i didnt like the way he treated his co driver in Germany either.
Well from what people said on the forum he was actually reading the notes as he saw the road in spanish. To me it looked like he was abusing his co-driver but obviously not.

[Tom206wrc]

Xavi Pons has even been better than Henning Solberg on the overall season(especially on the 3 last events when Henning went off too many times) :p :

[Priorat]

Well from what people said on the forum he was actually reading the notes as he saw the road in spanish. To me it looked like he was abusing his co-driver but obviously not.

Pons co-driver read the notes in Catalan (not spanish). Catalan is mother language for Pons but del Barrio doesn't even speak it. Perhaps that caused some problem some time.

[Daniel]

Sorry for my ignorance of Catalan/Spanish :)

[Priorat]

Don't worry. Now you know it.

[GigiGalliNo1]

this is another prime example of how this "WRC" is a bit silly. Not enough sponsors, money in to the sport and as I said in another forum about Garde: "He (Toni) did good this year with the Xsara and i think he drove something else and last year with Ford for a season specially the opening Monte with a podium! He still has something in him to compete goodly (not a word) ok perform as he didn't with Skoda and SEAT because of the car - oh maybe a podium back in the day in NZ with a SEAT - but when he got his hands in a Ford he did good that year and got dropped like a pin from Ford for Mikko and Marcus." Me quoting myself

[Daniel]

THIS WRC is the same as the WRC of previous years. It's just that there is less money floating around due to the fact that the automotive industry isn't doing well. Don't blame the championship or the FIA or Loeb or global warming or el nino.

[GigiGalliNo1]

i like el niňo

[GunsofNavarone]

i like el niňo

I guess you don't live in the states.

[ste898]

You have to laugh at Pons just because the team manager did'nt lick his a..e he's in a big sulk now and he's not going to play in 2007 what a big miss he will be......I dont think!!!!

[alleskids]

In 2006 most of the testing for Citroen Sport, in order to give the privat team of Kronos the best equipment as possible, was done by Sebastien Loeb, Philippe Bugalski and Juuso Pykalisto. Later in the year Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke did some testing. But Xevi Pons was (almost completly) left on the sideline, right? So, he did not get much extra quality for his money , no extra treathment just as Sordo has got, or Meeke.

[GigiGalliNo1]

I guess you don't live in the states.

i'm originally from New York City/Jersey

[jso1985]

what a shame! I think he was improving a lot but it's true he isn't really that talented

It's a surprise though that he ran out of money...

[aivan]

You have to laugh at Pons just because the team manager did'nt lick his a..e he's in a big sulk now and he's not going to play in 2007 what a big miss he will be......I dont think!!!!

I'm dying to miss you here far more than you'll miss Pons.... :rotflmao:

* Entering plain encephalogram person ignore mode *

[euskalteam]

I don't know you... but I will miss Xevi Pons, he started rallying late and improve very fast, maybe he want to be at the top too early, and miss some steps, but I like his driving.
Just hope to see Pons next year in some rounds.