WRC 2014 : All Chat Here

[Sam.]

Julian Porter on SS17 live stage coverage now.

 

[Cess]

Stage win, live on TV for Meeke

 

[Sam.]

Stage win, live on TV for Meeke

Great stage. Latvala and Ogier were both flat out. Shame that JML was slightly messy or he could've taken another 2/3 seconds from Ogier.

After SS17
Ogier
Latvala +8.7
Mikkelsen +48.2
Meeke +1:32.6
Mikko +1:37.4
Ostberg +2:24.8
Paddon +2:30.9
Neuville +4:11.7

 

[KevM]

I honestly think Meeke now deserves a run of luck. He's had a few unfortunate 'incidents' that have cost him places in the past few events, but in fairness, is showing excellent (& fairly consistent) pace.

 

[Deckz]

Anyone else notice on Sunday when showing clips of Ogier (men & motors channel) the names where
Sebistain Leob & Daniel Elena

Lol fail!

 

[RComms]

Sebistain Leob

Lol fail!

10/10 for irony.

 

[cormac81]

Seen on FB that Hyundai are offering Ogier big money to join them, any truth or anymore on this?

 

[Sam.]

Seen on FB that Hyundai are offering Ogier big money to join them, any truth or anymore on this?

Just a rumour I believe. http://www.rallye-magazin.de/rallye...014/09/13/pokert-ogier-mit-hyundai/index.html

Capito won't want to let him go.

After serenading rally winner Sebastien Ogier in service with a version of AC/DC’s ‘Big Balls’, an emotional Capito paid tribute to all three of his Polo R crews. “It’s really overwhelming. I can’t find the right words, but nobody is prouder than me – I just love you guys, I really love you guys,” he said.
“We are such a great team, with such great team spirit. These guys are friends, you know they are sitting down for breakfast and then lunch and dinner together and then you go and fight each other very fairly. We don’t have to give any team orders and I have never seen a team like that. I am so proud of you all.”

“It doesn’t get any better. Last year we surpassed all expectations, particularly our own. Even then, everyone in the team consistently pushed themselves to their limits to win the World Championship. It is always more difficult to successfully defend the World Championship title than it is to win it in the first place. What the team has achieved this season, and the extent to which it has improved, demands my utmost respect."

 

[KevM]

I dont think he'd go to them. I expected Thierry to be more in the mix this year.

 

[Cess]

He might do. He's a money man. Left tried and tested winning Citroen to go to VW. He was happy to sit in an S2000 Fabia for a year until the Polo was developed.

Thierry was brought in as undisputed team no. 1, though.

Interesting times. Nearly more interesting than the on-stage action

 

[FM155]

I know it's a great achievement by VW but that speech by JC is a bit of a boke-fest...

Great opportunity for Meeke to take advantage of his pace and stick it to the VW team wherever his car allows him to.

 

[B6GUE]

WRC Australia highlights on ITV4 @ 8:00pm for anyone interested

 

[svensktoppen]

Just caught the ITV4 highlights from Australia. That was a very good rally Felt for Latvala again, literally lost the rally on the back of a single poor tyre choice. But hey, that is the difference between great and awesome at this level.

Honestly had to turn away from the TV every time they showed in-car from the Citroen Those co-drivers are very, very brave! And the drivers are all certifiably mad

My heart dropped when he got the penalty... Ok, it was a cheeky move. But he never really gained anything by it, and took a different line second time through. A warning might have been enough, but hey, rules are rules I guess. Not sure exactly what they are though, they cut corners all the time, sometimes by quite a bit...

Ah well, still a cracking good drive, overhauling Hirvonen even with the penalty

 

[Cess]

RMS guide to Rallye De France Alsace

Where?

Based around the city of Strasbourg, which is, as the name suggests, in the Alsace region of Eastern France, close to the German Border.

When? (all times BST)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2nd 2014

SHAKEDOWN STRASBOURG HAUTEPIERRE 07:00 – 09:30

CEREMONIAL START 16:30 – 18:00

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3rd 2014

SERVICE STRASBOURG ZÉNITH 06:30

SS 1 COL DE LA CHARBONNIERE 11.11 km 07:44
SS 2 VOSGES – PAYS D’ORMONT 34.34 km 08:35
SS 3 PAYS DE SALM 9.59 km 09:24

SERVICE STRASBOURG ZÉNITH 11:19

SS 4 COL DE LA CHARBONNIERE 11.11 km 13:03
SS 5 VOSGES – PAYS D’ORMONT 34.34 km 13:54
SS 6 PAYS DE SALM 9.59 km 14:43

SSS 7 STRASBOURG 4.67 km 19:00

SERVICE STRASBOURG ZÉNITH 19:30

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4th 2014

SS 8 VALLÉE DE MUNSTER 18.90 km 07:30
SS 9 SOULTZEREN – LE GRAND HOHNACK 19.93 km 08:12
SS 10 PAYS WELCHE – RIQUEWIHR 21.49 km 08:46

REMOTE SERVICE COLMAR 11:30

SS 11 VALLÉE DE MUNSTER 18.90 km 11:28
SS 12 SOULTZEREN – LE GRAND HOHNACK 19.93 km 12:10
SS 13 PAYS WELCHE – RIQUEWIHR 21.49 km 12:44

SSS 14 MULHOUSE 4.86 km 17:00

SERVICE STRASBOURG ZÉNITH 19:10

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5th 2014

SERVICE STRASBOURG ZÉNITH 05:05

SS 15 FORET DE LA PETITE-PIERRE 12.33 km 06:30
SS 16 FORET DE SAVERNE 19.36 km 07:18

SS 17 FORET DE LA PETITE-PIERRE 12.33 km 09:34
SS 18 FORET DE SAVERNE (Power Stage) 19,36 km 11:00

SERVICE STRASBOURG ZÉNITH 14h00

Ceremonial Finish

What's it like?

Back on tarmac again. 50% of the stages are new for 2014.

Who are we following?

3 Kris MEEKE / Paul NAGLE - Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT - Citroën DS3 WRC

49 Marty McCORMACK / James MORGAN - Tiger Risk - Ford Fiesta R5

57 François DELECOUR / Dominique SAVIGNONI - Tuthill Porsche - Porsche 997 GT3

62 Alastair FISHER / Gordon NOBLE - Citroën DS3 R3T

80 Eamonn BOLAND /Michael MORRISSEY - Subaru Impreza R4

TV Coverage:

Friday 2nd October 2014:

Highlights, BT Sport 1 - 11pm

Saturday 3rd October 2014:

Highlights, BT Sport 1 - 10pm

Sunday 4th October

Live Powerstage, BT Sport 2 - 11am

Highlights, BT Sport 2 9:45pm

Fascinating fact...

Every winner since 2005 has been French.

 

[Cess]

Shakedown times (which are pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things)

1. Latvala
2. Meeke +1.2
3. Ogier +1.7
4. Sordo +1.7
5. Mikkelsen +3.1
6. Neville +3.3

 

[Sam.]

Straight from the horse's mouth.

“I think I would be stupid to change. The team I am in is the best one at the moment and I reached my dream to become World Champion with them [last year],” Ogier said

http://www.crash.net/wrc/news/209272/1/ogier-no-reason-to-change-teams.html

Ogier, JML, Mikkelsen and Lappi maybe?

 

[Cess]

I'd love to know what was happening behind the scenes...

I'd say the future of Lappi is dependent on what Skoda do with the new Fabia R5.

Still think Ostberg's days are numbered and Citroen have clearly a big talent in the shape of Lefebvre. Still think Chardonnet is a great driver too.

Tanak has another WRC drive lined up for Rally GB.

Keith Cronin will be doing WRC2 next year, which is a welcome addition.

 

[Cess]

 

[Cess]

Meeke 4th fastest and 4th overall on SS1. Daniel Elena commentating for French TV

 

[Sam.]

After SS1:

Latvala
Ogier +0.3
Mikkelsen +0.5
Meeke +0.7

 

[Cess]

Ogier spun SS2! Stupid mistake. Lost time.

 

[Sam.]

Ogier stopped in stage, Latvala passed him now.

Good news for JML's championship hopes

 

[Cess]

OK. Mikkelsen now past Ogier. Car problem

 

[Cess]

Terry Neville has just told the mechanics from the live onboard that his engine has no power

 

[RComms]

I have no access to rally radio today... so keep the updates coming