[WRC] 73. Secto Rally Finland 2024

[deephouse]

The WRC championship is a dying discipline because no new manufactures are attracted to it compared with such flourishing championships like WEC and F1. A true shame because they are litterally driving to survive and a shoe-in for Netflix/Amazon.

If a part-time driver like Ogier is still a favorite to win WRC 2024 then something is verry wrong about this wonderful action sport.

I wouldn't write off some Stellantis involvement in some form in 2027. They are looking closely at what the regs will be. Maybe a clue is the latest Lancia Rally4 project and commitment this year for that old C3 in WRC2. Ford will commit fully too if they hit that spot,... we should cross our fingers for Skoda, they have been in the WRC2 for a long time and it's time they try the top spot. Even Hyundai (if they are not lying) will stay if someone new enters.

The department of promotion is working really hard, and maybe in the next two years, the investment and return will be worth it. So if the regs will be right, some new names might come by.

[WRCStan]

He is playing mind games, we all know, the whole world of rallying knows that. The team doesn't need to ask him to do that, because obviously he has a chance and he will go for it. He just said like that, that it seems like he wants to mess with some heads. Neuville clearly doesn't expect to be that easy.

How is he playing with anybody's head when he turns up to every round? Come off it!

He really doesn't care for the titles. He's got 8, a 9th is just stats.

Matters to Toyota however.

[deephouse]

How is he playing with anybody's head when he turns up to every round? Come off it!

He really doesn't care for the titles. He's got 8, a 9th is just stats.

Matters to Toyota however.

Looks like he got to you.

[WRCStan]

I wouldn't write off some Stellantis involvement in some form in 2027.

I would.

They're broke, beholden to Chinese power and policy, their brands are terrible and their products are poor. WRC offers them nothing and FIA will have no option but to pivot away from being a manufacturer based series anyway.

[TypeR]

How is he playing with anybody's head when he turns up to every round? Come off it!

He really doesn't care for the titles. He's got 8, a 9th is just stats.

Matters to Toyota however.

It would not be JUST 9th. It would be equal 9th with Loeb.

[WRCStan]

Looks like he got to you.

Sure, sure, sure sure.

He sure did.

Damn.

Lol. Oops.

[focus206]

How is he playing with anybody's head when he turns up to every round? Come off it!

Ogier turns up to every round + Ogier says "oh, I don't know, maybe I'll do every round, maybe not" = Ogier plays mind games. Or he thinks it's cool to sound mysterious. Toyota does not decide for a driver like Ogier, at best they can ask, it's Ogier who decides.

He really doesn't care for the titles. He's got 8, a 9th is just stats.

I don't believe that for a second. Ogier even already said that if the circumstances are right, he'll go for the title.

[WRCStan]

It would not be JUST 9th. It would be equal 9th with Loeb.

He semi-retired already else would be on for an 11th this year. It's just numbers on a page, only stats mad rally fans and journos care for that, Seb cares only for making buck and playing Lego with little Timmy.

[rallyfiend]

I think it's time everyone stopped calling Ogier a 'part-time' driver.

It's quite clear and obvious he's going for the title and doing every event.

He just doesn't want to admit it because it can make him look a bit silly for him saying he was part-time and criticism of the points system, that he's now part of....

[turdzi]

Absolutely shocking. There is no doubt, Toyota got beaten at its own ground due to luck of sporting management.
How come Evans, their lead driver is being left alone and has to fight with his teammates to salvage his weekend wich was probably a contributing factor to his crash. How come Kalle was allowed to be so fast today taking points from their leading driver. The result is that Hyundai is leaving Finland with 20 points lead and now probably Ogier has to step in to salvage their drivers campaign.
That's how you end up when you are lucking a clear leadership.