Predictions for 08

[ST205GT4]

Surprised no one has started a predicitions thread yet.

So, let's hear your predictions for the top 3 in the WDC and the top 3 in the Manufacturers.

WDC
1. Loeb
2. Hirvonnen
3. Latvala

Was going to put Petter 3rd, but I don't expect Subaru to deliver anything great vehicle wise. So I predict another sorry year for both he and Chris.

Manufacturers
1. Citroen
2. Ford
3. Subaru

Going to be very close between Citroen and Ford next year. Unfortunately for Ford I think Loeb can win more of the gravel rounds next year than he did this year with Gronholm gone. And Sordo will collect plenty of points on the tarmac rounds and a useful haul on the dirt. I suspect Ford's only chance is if Subaru act the spoiler on Sordo.

[sal]

Loeb Champion driver again
Ford win Manufacturers title
Gigi and Pons compete for the "who's smacked their co-driver in the face more" award.

[Tom206wrc]

Other prediction: Sordo ahead of both Hirvonen and Latvala on tarmac events :p :

[wroom]

Not very exotic predictions, but here we go:

WDC:
1. Loeb with a clear margin
2. Hirvonen
3. Latvala a distant third
(4. Sordo just misses 3rd place but beats Petter)

Manu:
1. Ford with the slimmest of margins
2. Citroen
3. Subaru, a distant third


Surprises:
1. Suzuki is on the podium once, on a slow rough gravel rally
2. Sordo's good speed on gravel but surprising number of silly mistakes
3. Subaru and Prodrive part ways at the end of the season

All in all, its going to be an average if not boring season..

[Donney]

Here are my predictions:

WDC:
1. Loeb with a clear margin
2. Hirvonen
3. Sordo
4. Solberg
5. Latvala (who after a great season misses the 4th spot in the last couple of rounds)

Manu:
1. Ford
2. Citroen
3. Subaru, a distant third


Surprises:
1. Subaru back on the pace and on the podium. Shows good promise.
2. Sordo's good speed on gravel close to the great ones but still missing that little extra.
3. Suzuki not as bad as currently expected gets to win several SS through the season

http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/images/buttons/quote.gif (http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=399369)

[GigiGalliNo1]

Gigi with some podiums as well as Dudu! :D

[GigiGalliNo1]

oh and if your lucky maybe petter :p

[N.O.T]

Loeb champion by ridiculing everyone once more, 10 wins in the season

Subaru continues to suffer

Hirvonen winning 2-3 events and retiring in most others

Latvala constant podiums and on a leash by the team

Sordo improves on gravel but still lacks performance

Citroen manufacturer title

[Wim_Impreza]

Loeb dominating the whole season, Hirvonen can only beat him in Sweden, Finland and Wales. Latvala shows real speed with podium places and a victory, but he has much accidents. Subaru has again a very difficult and bad year. Sordo is very close for his first win in tarmac rallies, but teamorders will give him 'only' second places there and he will struggle in Sweden.

Loeb 11 wins, Hirvonen 3 wins, Latvala 1

WDC:
1 Loeb
2 Hirvonen
3 Sordo
4 Latvala
5 P. Solberg

WCC:
1 Citroën
2 Ford
3 Subaru

[Lousada]

Loeb being champion again, but it will be surprisingly close till the end. Latvala will step up and defeat Hirvonen. Sordo will grab his first victory. Petter will be on the podium a couple of times because the other drivers drop out. Galli will go out of his mind at least once. More journeymen finish in the points and 10 minutes behind, yet people will still say they had a brilliant rally. There will be a rally were everyone in the top10 except Loeb will drive a Ford Focus. Punctures will have a large influence over the results in some rallies.

[Langdale Forest]

Drivers championship.
1. Loeb
2. Hirvonen
3. Latvala

Manufactures

1. Ford
2. Citroen
3. Subaru

It will be intresting to see who will win the manufactures next year.
Hirvonen will probably win in Sweeden and Finland and Loeb will probably win all the tarmac events again.

[Priorat]

Loeb will focus on wining Finland and Wales and will take them and the championship on the way. So, with everything done he will retire at the end of the season and we will have great battle for the title in 2009 with Hirvonen, Latvala,Sordo,Solberg and Atkinson.

[A.F.F.]

Loeb will focus on wining Finland and Wales and will take them and the championship on the way. So, with everything done he will retire at the end of the season and we will have great battle for the title in 2009 with Hirvonen, Latvala,Sordo,Solberg and Atkinson.

Wrong.

After finishing year 2008 with 16 wins, Loeb retire because the Ford-Finns has gotten boot from the team.

2009 goes with Sordo, Solberg etc. and Gardemeister battling with PWRC for the finishing points.

[Zico]

Was going to agree with everyone but lets rock the boat..

I was talking to Monster Tajima in Amsterdam last week. The SX4's geometry has been reworked.. COG lowered and they've manged to find loads more power, its already 3 secs a mile quicker than on Rally GB with more to come. Which means...

Loeb to win WDC.. (yawn).. again..
Toni 2nd
Latvala 3rd subject to appeal and driving a Stobbart car. (see the Miko incident bellow)
Petter 4th

Ford and Miko get excluded/fined and a 2 years ban imposed after his rollcage was found to be the tank for a NOS system. After having a huge accident in Rally Ireland rescuers were stunned to find both driver and co-driver in fits of laughter after the cage safety cell ruptered in the impact.

Suzuki win and dominate all of the gravel and snow events.. and shock the world by claiming the Manu title in their debut season..
Citroen a distant 2nd
Subaru 3rd

The FIA are disbanded after corruption claims by Interpol following the Mac F1 fiasco. A new governing body is quickly organised by all the former F1 and rally legends from the 60's 70's 80's after a succesfull take-over, promising a democratic leadership and a complete shake-up, a new start and promise to bring back the glory days of when Rallying rivalled F1 in popularity.
Group B is to be re-introduced and noise levels have to exceed the current levels by 50% or are deemed illegal. Special designed electric fences ensure spectator safety on the stages while accomadating car safety cut-out features.

The rules are decided by the drivers with suggestions and ideas entertained by the new World Rally organisation.



Well, I can at least dream.. :D

[N.O.T]

Was going to agree with everyone but lets rock the boat..

I was talking to Monster Tajima in Amsterdam last week. The SX4's geometry has been reworked.. COG lowered and they've manged to find loads more power, its already 3 secs a mile quicker than on Rally GB with more to come. Which means...



they managed to do all that in 15 days ??????? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Zico]

they managed to do all that in 15 days ??????? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Wheres your S.O.H. N.O.T.? (NPI :D )

[miksu]

they managed to do all that in 15 days ??????? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

eh.... did you miss the dreaming part ;)

[DonJippo]

Wheres your S.O.H. N.O.T.? (NPI :D )

He don't have it... ;)

[jonas_mcrae]

Duval will win Germany in the Focus

[COD]

Unfortunately for the championship, Loeb will be dominate.

I hope Petter and Subaru will get their act together and finish 2nd!

Mikko will win a few events, and finish third

Sordo will improve, and be third

Latvala will be fast but yet unreliable,fourth

[jso1985]

Mathew Wilson will continue to "improve"(as the TV broadcasters always say) by "only" finishing 4 minutes behimd the winner on 2-3 rallyes :P

[tmx]

I predict Malcom will train/control Latvala the way he did with Hirvonen, which I find was quite effective method. He will fight for podium most of the time and makes less mistake compared to this year. Probably third or fourth place in driver by the end of the year. Probably more than 1 rally win, but only if Mikko goes out or Malcom allow him to take the win, which is not likely the plan. To me Latvala is already as fast as Mikko, just not as consistent. Now that he is allowed to drive the latest spec car, I expect him to be very fast.

I already predict Loeb win every stage of every rally of the entire season, but there will always be interesting fight for 3rd spot all the time, with Petter, Toni, Latvala, Chris, Duval. In Toni case, that is if the Suzuki is competitive and for Duval that is if he gets a long term deal with Stobart, and if the new subaru is not a disaster. Otherwize Citreon wins both titles.

[RallyfanNZ]

Manufacturers:
Ford by a little bit
Citroen by a wee way.
Subaru
Suzuki

Drivers:
Loeb (Will be close at the start but gap will open up on tarmac rallies)
Hirvonen (I'm guessing lots of tarmac testing will be on the cards)
Latvala (by a bit)
Gardemiester
Aitkinson (Aitkinson has seemed to have the speed compared to Solberg this year, shame their road cars are soo good)
Solberg

[Glee]

Due to the lack of resistance Loeb will not be driving nowhere near as fast as last year. However will Hirvonen be a real challenge on every rally where Loeb makes a mistake or have a puncture. And when Subaru releases the new car, Petter and also Chris will give them a challenge (and if the new Subaru’s isn’t competitive, I’m selling my Subaru’s̷)

At least one, probably more, victories will be lost due to punctures (witch will be a good thing, as it adds excitement to the rally)

[Leon]

My pessimistic and maybe pragmatic view:

Loeb and Citroen to win both championships. Subaru bosses withdraw SWRT from the WRC. Suzuki to do a Nissan to Garde. Msport to become even wealthier with the customer focuses.

My optimistic view:

The drivers champs would not be Loeb because I was thinking the same for Gronholm in 2003 after his 2002 domination but miracles happened!

P:S. Nothing against Seb who for me is an all time great. It is just the fact that monopoly from anyone is boring.

[Tom206wrc]

Manufacturers:
Ford by a little bit
Citroen by a wee way.
Subaru
Suzuki
...





To me you're a bit too optimistic for Suzuki !! I expect M2 Teams like Stobart to be in front of them :s

[Wim_Impreza]

Wrong.

After finishing year 2008 with 16 wins, Loeb retire because the Ford-Finns has gotten boot from the team.


Do you have drunk to much beer? :p There are 'only' 15 rounds next year. ;)

[jparker]

Here is my prediction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miyoLKXNVgA

[Brother John]

My predictions for 2008

WDC
1.Hirvonen
2. Loeb
3. Latvala



Manufacturers
1. Ford
2. Citroen
3. Ford Stobart

[Finni]

My prediction: every other race win is decided by puncture.. nice

[A.F.F.]

Do you have drunk to much beer? :p There are 'only' 15 rounds next year. ;)

See, Loeb can win 16 out of 15. He is that good :p :

[Tom206wrc]

My prediction: every other race win is decided by puncture.. nice



Perhaps good news for Matt Wilson who could use this lottery to get podiums next year :laugh:

[Tomi]

Driver:
1. Loeb
2. Hirvonen
3. Latvala
4. Sordo


Manu:
1. Ford
2. Citroen
3. Stobart
4. Subaru

Suzuki will struggle, some top 8 result at the end of the year.

[koko0703]

Loeb: 9 wins & Driver's title
Mikko: 3 wins
Latvala: 1 win
Duval: 1 win
Subaru: 1 win (This is my hope as a Subaru fan :D )