[WRC] FORUM8 Rally Japan 2024

[486]

Reminding me the Corolla WRC in the late 90s.

And talking about remembrances, Didier Auriol Didier and Denis Giraudet are having a great time leading among the local national championship.

https://www.facebook.com/fia/videos/...6936175419799/

[trykmann]

Facts. That mf came with zero prep to Poland for the first time and smoked everyone. As much as I want excitement unfortunately on the pace alone nobody ain't beating him except Ogier. However I believe he will change his approach next year(similar to 2023) since he is returning full time.

On Tarmac he is still IMO better than Ott. Thierry and Seb in some tarmac rounds have been better than him only so that makes him still top 3 on Tarmac as well.

The Poland perfomance was spectacular regarding the lack of preparations. Still you have to consider the weak competiton there. Neuville started first on the road, Ogier didn't participate and Tänak hit a deer. Only Evans was a serious rival there.

[MikeD]

Tomorrow is quite simple:

Tänak will hit 230 points ... if he finished Sunday in 1st place and wins the Powerstage.
Neuville will hit 230 points ... if he stays Sunday in 7th place and wins the Powerstage.

But both CANNOT win the Powerstage, so it looks like the Powerstage will decide the outcome. It's defetinately a nail-biter ...

====

Btw: I have the biggest WRC foto collection in the world, and are currently putting it up on my Twitter account @CoolRacingFotos. Everything is setup really nicely. PLEASE HAVE A LOOK :-)

I am currenly almost done with the Ford collection 1973-2024 ytd. where the first 74 picture-pages (with data and 6 photos for each car per page).

Here is a link to the Ford WRC collection 1973-2024 uploaded on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/744268...7720321580056/

Here is a link to the Hyundai WRC collection 2000-2024 uploaded on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/744268...77720320877700

Here is a link to the SEAT WRC collection 1973-2006 uploaded on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/744268...77720320878316

I would love for someone to take over all the other WRC collections for Toyota WRC + Citroën WRC + Peugeot WRC + Audi WRC + SEAT WRC + Renault WRC + Datsun / Nissan WRC + Subaru WRC + Porsche WRC + FIAT Abarth WRC + Mazda WRC + VW Volkswagen WRC + Mitsubishi WRC + Talbot WRC + MINI WRC + several more ... and the reason is that I am in hospice dying of cancer, and it would be a pity if this unique collection - made over 31 years will go to waste.

Apart from the collections are made per car brand, there is of course also collections made per EACH YEAR, which are also quite nice. The current example for 2024 is below.


Write me at gp2journalist@gmail.com if you want all the colletions.

=======

[focus206]

Tomorrow is quite simple:

Tänak will hit 230 points ... if he finished Sunday in 1st place and wins the Powerstage.
Neuville will hit 230 points ... if he stays Sunday in 7th place and wins the Powerstage.

But both CANNOT win the Powerstage, so it looks like the Powerstage will decide the outcome. It's defetinately a nail-biter ...

You are using last year's points system. Sunday points this year are independent from the overall classification.

[Backa]

Assuming both will finish tomorrow and secure points from End of Saturday classification, Ott has now 218 points and Thierry has 229.

In case of equal points, Ott became 2024 champion.

If Thierry will finish rally, Ott pretty much needs to finish 1st in either Sunday Overall or Power Stage and at least be 2nd in another one of those classifications.

Even then, if Thierry ends 6th or better in Sunday Overall or ends 4th or better in Power Stage, he will be out of Ott's reach. 7th in Sunday Overall and 5th in Power Stage also do the job.

Only option for title to be decided before Power Stage is for Ott to retire before it. If Thierry will crash, Ott still needs at least 7 points out of 12 possible to get. Being 4th in both Sunday classifications would not give him that.

Hopefully next season's points system will be little less complicated.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

[Eli]

Even if Mikkelsen have the best road position, he will probably either be slow as hell or bin it completely. I try to convice myself otherwise but everytime he prove it just the way I first mention. That car just don't suit him.

That event should be moved in summer time, when there is more beautiful scenery, but I think manufacturer wants to that it's "the great finale". And probably in a warm weather the event wouldn't provide any real challenge, I think. That's why CER, Japan and Croatia are held in a time when there is a high chance of rain or some surprise of snow. But having 4 tarmac events with almost same conditions it just give us really bad impression. Catalunya and Tour de Corse actualy looked great in a warm weather.

They could (would be hard I’m sure) & should return Rallye Deutschland & the Tour de Corse to the championship, I’m aware I’m in a minority here but I really loved seeing both rallies through TV (& in real life) & the great thing is; both rallies would look beautiful in any kind of weather & I’m sorry to disappoint people here but Deutschland was a real challenge even without the rain, & we had plenty of editions to prove that, I’m truly sorry ADAC & the government over there aren’t willing or simply can’t, finance it.

[AE1WRC]

The Poland perfomance was spectacular regarding the lack of preparations. Still you have to consider the weak competiton there. Neuville started first on the road, Ogier didn't participate and Tänak hit a deer. Only Evans was a serious rival there.

That is a fair point. Him vs Tanak in that rally would have been insane. I still feel we haven't seen both of them go toe to toe. Finland 2022 you can say but Kalle was more focused on finishing and getting points for the championship at that point. Croatia (As always) 2022 power stage was also exciting regarding that.

My point is that Kalle is still getting better and still very young (which is scary when we think about it and the other top level drivers will eventually start to decline in a year or two) and I feel like we haven't seen him in the most complete form in Tarmac. The interesting question I have is, will his (successful) time in circuit be beneficial for tarmac rallies in the future ?

[deephouse]

Guys, did anyone looked at that last long stage today ss15 (before Toyota stadium).

Based on Gryazin's strange comments I really wonder if he got contacted somehow by Hyundai team or N himself to drop so much time, since Niko wasn't in real danger by second placed rally2 crew. Really those comments was weird. Like he say something too much and to me looks like it actualy he let him pass by.

It will make sense if somehow he got some reward for doing this or maybe he is in talks for potential future at the H team.

[becher]

I really don't understand the hate for this events roads, did you guys not see the onboards? These roads are super exciting to watch through onboard footage. Same goes for Croatia, CER is not so exiting onboard but neither are all the slow to medium speed gravel events.

The claim that tarmac rallies are only challenging with bad weather is laughable. When you F* up on dry tarmac at high speed, there is no coming back, do the same on a lower grip surface and you got a chance.

Are people just bored if there aren't enough punctures and mechanicals mixing up the order?