2024 WRC News & Rumours

[Eli]

Man I wish Craig was here to help them, especailly with those Tarmac rounds, would love to see that #42 on that car next year, still feels like we were robbed
Sorry for bringing it up, it's just hard to watch these rallies when you know he'd more than likely be in those events, potentially securing them the podium (at the very least).

[AndersX]

Somebody has forgotten to tell Mr.A, that Netflix cameras are not even near, he can avoid those long lines of complex forms of sentences that say smth , but in reality hold the correct form. Rally is not a cirquit racing - this sh... can happen to everyone. Wasnt Ogier asked not to crash in Chile or CER? These top dog guys are driving on so narrow line that one can call luck, that 1cm to the left or right can decide titles. Maybe if that super car of Neuville would keep together, they would not find them selves in the situation where mistake of 1 of 3 drivers can decide entire season? Maybe if they would make up their minds and chose Mikkelsen for Gravel and Sordo for Tarmac, then they would not have come so far down? Etc etc - it is easy to blame a driver that drives on the edge. Hyundai management need to look in the mirror first, before blame Tanaks mistake on lost WMC.

Btw, in March i wrote that there were signs of TN having champions luck un his side this year. I was right. He deserved it.

[CeskyOndra]

Somebody has forgotten to tell Mr.A, that Netflix cameras are not even near, he can avoid those long lines of complex forms of sentences that say smth , but in reality hold the correct form. Rally is not a cirquit racing - this sh... can happen to everyone. Wasnt Ogier asked not to crash in Chile or CER? These top dog guys are driving on so narrow line that one can call luck, that 1cm to the left or right can decide titles. Maybe if that super car of Neuville would keep together, they would not find them selves in the situation where mistake of 1 of 3 drivers can decide entire season? Maybe if they would make up their minds and chose Mikkelsen for Gravel and Sordo for Tarmac, then they would not have come so far down? Etc etc - it is easy to blame a driver that drives on the edge. Hyundai management need to look in the mirror first, before blame Tanaks mistake on lost WMC.

Btw, in March i wrote that there were signs of TN having champions luck un his side this year. I was right. He deserved it.

I do remember your sentence very well, wasn't it during Safari?

[AndersX]

I do remember your sentence very well, wasn't it during Safari?

Yes, you are right. after Safari I just said about TNs year, but after Croatia about those small things that show that Neuville has finaly gotten champions luck on his side. If I rememmber there was smth about weather that turned on his favour.

All those years when Ogier was dominating, even when Kalle was running over all, we used to read in different comments about their luck. You can call it luck or whatever, but sometimes you can note that there is a critical mass of small, sometimes tiny lucky events that lead to the very top.

Lets say - that deer in Pol could have jumped in front of anyone, few min difference.

[focus206]

Yes, you are right. after Safari I just said about TNs year, but after Croatia about those small things that show that Neuville has finaly gotten champions luck on his side. If I rememmber there was smth about weather that turned on his favour.

All those years when Ogier was dominating, even when Kalle was running over all, we used to read in different comments about their luck. You can call it luck or whatever, but sometimes you can note that there is a critical mass of small, sometimes tiny lucky events that lead to the very top.

Lets say - that deer in Pol could have jumped in front of anyone, few min difference.

Well, if we talk about unfortunate events outside of the driver's control, Thierry got 2 serious technical problems (Safari and Japan) and then had Latvia, which was a combined ultra cleaning effect + nobody having trouble, resulting in Neuville scoring less points than in Sardegna, when he retired on day 2, despite not making mistakes.
Evans had 2/3 reliability problems too, although the only one that really had a big impact was Finland. Ogier only had the turbo problem in Acropolis, if I remember correctly. Tanak incredibly had no big reliability problems, his misfortunes were the deer in Poland and a somewhat unfortunate crash in Safari (the arch on the road in Latvia had no impact on his rally).
So I don't feel Neuville was lucky this season, the others just made too many mistakes. Maybe Neuville's biggest luck was Kalle taking a sabbatical year?

[TypeR]

If mr Adamo was in charge this weekend.. the manu's title would be in Hyundai's garage.

Ofc he was one of a kind principal and there were people, who didn't like him brcause of his decisions, but he was respected and listened.

But oh well.. this season ended like it did.

[trykmann]

Abitebouls interview probably was done, when there was still a bit to much of emotion in the air.

Still he seems to be a bit to harsh towards Tänak. You cannot blame losing the championship only on one driver at the last rally. It is a total of all the errors the whole team had throughout the year. For example no one is currently mad towards Lappi for being to slow on Sunday in Sweden or crashing in Finland.

But I agree. According to splits on SS17, Tänak was pushing and things went terribly wrong.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Hyundai were handed a great chance for the Manufacturers Title by Toyota having THREE 'Black Sundays' and they totally blew it.

Looking at 2025 they wont get such a good chance again.

[tbtstt]

If mr Adamo was in charge this weekend.. the manu's title would be in Hyundai's garage.

Ofc he was one of a kind principal and there were people, who didn't like him brcause of his decisions, but he was respected and listened.

Not sure "respected" is the term that the team would use to describe Adamo. There was at least one public story about his treatment of staff and numerous other tales about his behavior.

Definitely a dramatic end to the season. I don't dislike Neuville, but I still don't see him as a deserving Champion. Still, he has led the entire season, so perhaps I need to adjust my view on him (I don't think he'll ever win another title though).

Superb push from Tanak at the end, but then a bit too much of a push Sunday morning. Must have been a few red faces among the drivers at Hyundai on Sunday afternoon as the manufacturers title slipped away from them. I think it is good for the team (and the sport) that they have taken a title though.

Good win for Evans but, considering the whole season, it was a shame not to see him closer to the sharp end throughout. Second certainly isn't anything to be sniffed at though.

[deephouse]

I calculate 2023 points system and 2025 (proposed changes) on this year's results. And guess what Neuville would still won it on both occasions. Probably on 2023 system many of them wouldn't bother to attack on sunday, but still.. 2025 clearly shows that he was the best this year on point scoring. He managed to get the best out of every rally. Others didn't and that's why they failed.

We could also say that this year there was open window for anyone, since there wasn't Rovanpera, but TN did get a proper challenge till the end.