The Marcus Grönholm Rally Thread

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 26 Aug 2012, 17:13

Stop the Press !!!!

Some unknown driver called Sebastian Loeb has won Rally Germany!!! Has anybody heard of this guy before? Who is he?

Seriously, that was about as predictable as the sun rising again tomorrow morning...

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 26 Aug 2012, 17:49

dr-baker wrote:Seriously, that was about as predictable as the sun rising again tomorrow morning...

The sun doesn't always rise in the morning where i'm from.

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 26 Aug 2012, 18:03

redbulljack14 wrote:
dr-baker wrote:Seriously, that was about as predictable as the sun rising again tomorrow morning...

The sun doesn't always rise in the morning where i'm from.

It always rises, it's just that the clouds hide it.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 26 Aug 2012, 20:55

Phoenix wrote:
redbulljack14 wrote:
dr-baker wrote:Seriously, that was about as predictable as the sun rising again tomorrow morning...

The sun doesn't always rise in the morning where i'm from.

It always rises, it's just that the clouds hide it.

actually it doesn't, it's the earth that's rotating

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 26 Aug 2012, 21:51

dr-baker wrote:Stop the Press !!!!

Some unknown driver called Sebastian Loeb has won Rally Germany!!! Has anybody heard of this guy before? Who is he?

Some guy from France. I'm on a hunch here, but I think Loeb will win the Drivers' title.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 26 Aug 2012, 22:03

This wrote:
Phoenix wrote:It always rises, it's just that the clouds hide it.

actually it doesn't, it's the earth that's rotating

HERETIC!!

HOW DARE YOU CHALLENGE THE DIVINE, UNCONQUERABLE LAWS THAT HATH BEEN SET IN STONE SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME BY THE ONE ALMIGHTY?

BURN HIM!! :twisted:

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 26 Aug 2012, 22:13

JeremyMcClean wrote:
dr-baker wrote:Stop the Press !!!!

Some unknown driver called Sebastian Loeb has won Rally Germany!!! Has anybody heard of this guy before? Who is he?

Some guy from France. I'm on a hunch here, but I think Loeb will win the Drivers' title.

Really? Loeb winning the driver's title? That's some hunch you have there.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 27 Aug 2012, 00:14

redbulljack14 wrote:
JeremyMcClean wrote:
dr-baker wrote:Stop the Press !!!!

Some unknown driver called Sebastian Loeb has won Rally Germany!!! Has anybody heard of this guy before? Who is he?

Some guy from France. I'm on a hunch here, but I think Loeb will win the Drivers' title.

Really? Loeb winning the driver's title? That's some hunch you have there.

It might not be as crazy as it sounds. This Loeb guy apparently has a fairly decent lead. He might very well take it.

RealRacingRoots · Post by **RealRacingRoots** » 16 Sep 2012, 03:14

It looks like Hyundai is to return to the WRC in 2014 after being absent from the series since the end of 2003.

Can't wait for more details once the Paris Motor Show comes around!

http://www.inautonews.com/hyundai-to-enter-wrc-with-i20-rally-car-goes-to-paris-motor-show#.UFVDZY1lQf4

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 16 Sep 2012, 07:33

I hope they will have a more successful campaign than with the Accent.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 16 Sep 2012, 14:46

Shizuka wrote:I hope they will have a more successful campaign than with the Accent.

They should bring back Juha Kankkunen again :lol:

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 16 Sep 2012, 18:08

If those rumours are true then that's excellent news for the WRC. If Citroen and Ford stay put, and I've no reason to doubt that, and if BMW push on with a proper factory effort for the Mini, then we'll have those three, VW, Toyota and Hyundai competing in 2014. On top of that there'll be a few junior teams I'd imagine, most likely Citroen's and Ford's so at least 8 two car teams competing.

It's like Benetton's alternate WRC championship! :lol:

In other news, someone not called Loeb won Rally GB! That's right folks, the name of this mysterious being is some Finnish bloke called Latvala! Apparently he managed to not crash his Ford for three days straight! Quite an achievement for him I'm told!

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 16 Sep 2012, 18:17

AndreaModa wrote:If those rumours are true then that's excellent news for the WRC. If Citroen and Ford stay put, and I've no reason to doubt that, and if BMW push on with a proper factory effort for the Mini, then we'll have those three, VW, Toyota and Hyundai competing in 2014. On top of that there'll be a few junior teams I'd imagine, most likely Citroen's and Ford's so at least 8 two car teams competing.

It's like Benetton's alternate WRC championship!

In other news, someone not called Loeb won Rally GB! That's right folks, the name of this mysterious being is some Finnish bloke called Latvala! Apparently he managed to not crash his Ford for three days straight! Quite an achievement for him I'm told!

WHAT IS THIS FOUL BLASPHEMY!?!?!?!?

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 16 Sep 2012, 19:50

AndreaModa wrote:In other news, someone not called Loeb won Rally GB! That's right folks, the name of this mysterious being is some Finnish bloke called Latvala! Apparently he managed to not crash his Ford for three days straight! Quite an achievement for him I'm told!

That's not what the prophecy told us...

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 16 Sep 2012, 23:01

And Autosport reported that Kris Meeke competed on one stage in a road-spec Bentley Continental for a Top Gear feature... And was within about 20% of Petter Solberg's time!

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 17 Sep 2012, 09:16

dr-baker wrote:And Autosport reported that Kris Meeke competed on one stage in a road-spec Bentley Continental for a Top Gear feature... And was within about 20% of Petter Solberg's time!

I am now really looking forward to that Top Gear episode.

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 17 Sep 2012, 11:23

As am I, particularly after Jezza deliberately ignored him (for comedy effect, obviously) last time he was on Top Gear just so he could brag about having Amy Williams on the show again...

Incidentally, why hasn't this thread been named after an F1 reject personality like the others have? Pedro Chaves and Stéphane Sarrazin both turned to rallying after their brief F1 forays...

WaffleCat · Post by **WaffleCat** » 17 Sep 2012, 11:29

dinizintheoven wrote:
Incidentally, why hasn't this thread been named after an F1 reject personality like the others have? Pedro Chaves and Stéphane Sarrazin both turned to rallying after their brief F1 forays...

Or maybe Jean-Louis Schessler,who has completed quite a few Paris-Dakars IIRC.I even have a model of one of his off road cars.

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 17 Sep 2012, 11:43

WaffleCat wrote:
dinizintheoven wrote:
Incidentally, why hasn't this thread been named after an F1 reject personality like the others have? Pedro Chaves and Stéphane Sarrazin both turned to rallying after their brief F1 forays...

Or maybe Jean-Louis Schessler,who has completed quite a few Paris-Dakars IIRC.I even have a model of one of his off road cars.

I always remember really wanting Schlesser to win the Dakar everytime I watches it as a child.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 27 Sep 2012, 10:07

Does this prove God? Let's hope that he competes in few enogh rallies to have a stab at the championship, while giving someone else the chance to say that they beat Loeb while he was still competing (Damon Hill, 1996-style).

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 27 Sep 2012, 10:38

Well that is interesting, coupled with the fact that Citroen are looking to enter the WTCC with Loeb in 2014. Maybe they'll run 3 cars next year, Hirvonen, Nasser Al-Attiyah, and then Loeb in a third car occasionally. Then again with Abu Dhabi sponsorship, maybe Al-Attiyah is less likely to feature as he's from Qatar?

Also, the Hyundai i20 has been properly revealed in Paris:

So with Citroen, Hyundai and VW already confirmed for definite, plus with all likelihood Ford and the possibility of a proper factory Mini team, things are finally starting to look good for the WRC again!

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 27 Sep 2012, 10:41

AndreaModa wrote:Well that is interesting, coupled with the fact that Citroen are looking to enter the WTCC with Loeb in 2014. Maybe they'll run 3 cars next year, Hirvonen, Nasser Al-Attiyah, and then Loeb in a third car occasionally. Then again with Abu Dhabi sponsorship, maybe Al-Attiyah is less likely to feature as he's from Qatar?

Also, the Hyundai i20 has been properly revealed in Paris:

So with Citroen, Hyundai and VW already confirmed for definite, plus with all likelihood Ford and the possibility of a proper factory Mini team, things are finally starting to look good for the WRC again!

Plus you'll potentially have a crapload of privateers running the Toyota Yaris which will probably be a pre-cursor to a full Toyota works team in the future... there is light at the end of the tunnel yet for the WRC.

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 27 Sep 2012, 13:56

All I can say to this flux of news is...

Now we only need the Safari to return and perfection will have been achieved. I wasn't so excited about WRC since 2004.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 27 Sep 2012, 14:40

I think Mads Østberg has a chance to get a works drive out of all this. Let's say Citroen will run three cars all season long and no more. Neuville gets dropped because he has been, quite frankly, rubbish, Østberg gets the second full-time DS3 along with Hirvonen and Al-Attiyah/Loeb car share throughout the season. He is only 5 points behind Solberg and 1 ahead of Latvala, despite having competed in one less event than Latvala and two less than Solberg. He has been the best Ford driver this season as he has been extremely consistent. Every time he's raced this year he's finished in the Top 5 - no-one else this season has (yes, not even Loeb).

Ford will retain Latvala/Solberg I expect. Meanwhile Volkswagen look pretty certain to go with Ogier/Mikkelsen for their debut campaign. I don't understand where these rumours of Mini becoming a full works effort again are coming from though, I see no evidence to support this.

I have also been surprised by Evgeny Novikov - having been given a second bite of the cherry he hasn't been his old erratic self, driving much more maturely. The fact he has more than twice as many points as his team-mate Ott Tänak shows as much.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 27 Sep 2012, 14:56

Oh crap... It seems this bloke Loeb will be retiring at the peak of his powers, totally undefeated. Am I the only one that feels such move will undermine everyone who wins the championship within the next years because "yeah, he won and everything, but you see, if Loeb was here he would take that guy, put him in the front of his car and swipe the stages clean with him..."? Also, Hirvonen move now looks like a genius one because, looking at this years championship, no one will threaten him. Except Ogier. And Ogier will beat him in an inferior car. I wanted to see Loeb vs Ogier so much and now bathplug all. WRC will take some years to convince me to look at it seriously again.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 27 Sep 2012, 14:58

DanielPT wrote:Oh crap... It seems this bloke Loeb will be retiring at the peak of his powers, totally undefeated. Am I the only one that feels such move will undermine everyone who wins the championship within the next years because "yeah, he won and everything, but you see, if Loeb was here he would take that guy, put him in the front of his car and swipe the stages clean with him..."? Also, Hirvonen move now looks like a genius one because, looking at this years championship, no one will threaten him. Except Ogier. And Ogier will beat him in an inferior car. I wanted to see Loeb vs Ogier so much and now bathplug all. WRC will take some years to convince me to look at it seriously again.

That is a very good point. Loeb vs Ogier would have been an incredible focal point of the championship in the next couple of years and we've been robbed of it. Finally, Loeb's "successor" was going to have a team willing to give him everything rather than make him number two, finally he could go head to head with his former mentor on a level playing field, and we'll never get to see it. Darn

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 27 Sep 2012, 14:59

DanielPT wrote:Oh crap... It seems this bloke Loeb will be retiring at the peak of his powers, totally undefeated. Am I the only one that feels such move will undermine everyone who wins the championship within the next years because "yeah, he won and everything, but you see, if Loeb was here he would take that guy, put him in the front of his car and swipe the stages clean with him..."? Also, Hirvonen move now looks like a genius one because, looking at this years championship, no one will threaten him. Except Ogier. And Ogier will beat him in an inferior car. I wanted to see Loeb vs Ogier so much and now bathplug all. WRC will take some years to convince me to look at it seriously again.

To be honest, I don't give a toss about Loeb retiring. The next champion will be a worthwile one, and the fact he didn't take it off Loeb won't undermine that.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 27 Sep 2012, 15:22

Phoenix wrote:
DanielPT wrote:Oh crap... It seems this bloke Loeb will be retiring at the peak of his powers, totally undefeated. Am I the only one that feels such move will undermine everyone who wins the championship within the next years because "yeah, he won and everything, but you see, if Loeb was here he would take that guy, put him in the front of his car and swipe the stages clean with him..."? Also, Hirvonen move now looks like a genius one because, looking at this years championship, no one will threaten him. Except Ogier. And Ogier will beat him in an inferior car. I wanted to see Loeb vs Ogier so much and now bathplug all. WRC will take some years to convince me to look at it seriously again.

To be honest, I don't give a toss about Loeb retiring. The next champion will be a worthwile one, and the fact he didn't take it off Loeb won't undermine that.

In the long run perhaps your right and people won't remember that. Still won't consider them great rally drivers.

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 27 Sep 2012, 20:29

DanielPT wrote:
Phoenix wrote:
DanielPT wrote:Oh crap... It seems this bloke Loeb will be retiring at the peak of his powers, totally undefeated. Am I the only one that feels such move will undermine everyone who wins the championship within the next years because "yeah, he won and everything, but you see, if Loeb was here he would take that guy, put him in the front of his car and swipe the stages clean with him..."? Also, Hirvonen move now looks like a genius one because, looking at this years championship, no one will threaten him. Except Ogier. And Ogier will beat him in an inferior car. I wanted to see Loeb vs Ogier so much and now bathplug all. WRC will take some years to convince me to look at it seriously again.

To be honest, I don't give a toss about Loeb retiring. The next champion will be a worthwile one, and the fact he didn't take it off Loeb won't undermine that.

In the long run perhaps your right and people won't remember that. Still won't consider them great rally drivers.

You don't know if Sébastien Ogier could still achieve as much dominance as Loeb. Very difficult, but not impossible...

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 27 Sep 2012, 22:50

Loeb will definitely retire a legend. Almost like Michael Schumacher before he decided to jump back into the circus.

Jocke1 · Post by **Jocke1** » 27 Sep 2012, 22:56

AndreaModa wrote:So with Citroen, Hyundai and VW already confirmed for definite, plus with all likelihood Ford and the possibility of a proper factory Mini team, things are finally starting to look good for the WRC again!

When is Lada entering?

RealRacingRoots · Post by **RealRacingRoots** » 27 Sep 2012, 22:58

Jocke1 wrote:
AndreaModa wrote:So with Citroen, Hyundai and VW already confirmed for definite, plus with all likelihood Ford and the possibility of a proper factory Mini team, things are finally starting to look good for the WRC again!

When is Lada entering?

Lada is for the WTCC, not WRC afaik.

Jocke1 · Post by **Jocke1** » 27 Sep 2012, 23:04

RealRacingRoots wrote:
Jocke1 wrote:
AndreaModa wrote:So with Citroen, Hyundai and VW already confirmed for definite, plus with all likelihood Ford and the possibility of a proper factory Mini team, things are finally starting to look good for the WRC again!

When is Lada entering?

Lada is for the WTCC, not WRC afaik.

I believe they could pull off the transition well.

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 28 Sep 2012, 02:27

AndreaModa wrote:So with Citroen, Hyundai and VW already confirmed for definite, plus with all likelihood Ford and the possibility of a proper factory Mini team, things are finally starting to look good for the WRC again!

Ford has confirmed they're in.

Mini is the big unknown. Rumour has it that they won't support anyone next year, and quietly withdraw.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 28 Sep 2012, 10:59

Captain Hammer wrote:
AndreaModa wrote:So with Citroen, Hyundai and VW already confirmed for definite, plus with all likelihood Ford and the possibility of a proper factory Mini team, things are finally starting to look good for the WRC again!

Ford has confirmed they're in.

Mini is the big unknown. Rumour has it that they won't support anyone next year, and quietly withdraw.

That's odd, I could have sworn I read somewhere a couple of months back that said they were seriously considering renewing a partnership with Prodrive again.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 28 Sep 2012, 11:11

AndreaModa wrote:
Captain Hammer wrote:
AndreaModa wrote:So with Citroen, Hyundai and VW already confirmed for definite, plus with all likelihood Ford and the possibility of a proper factory Mini team, things are finally starting to look good for the WRC again!

Ford has confirmed they're in.

Mini is the big unknown. Rumour has it that they won't support anyone next year, and quietly withdraw.

That's odd, I could have sworn I read somewhere a couple of months back that said they were seriously considering renewing a partnership with Prodrive again.

My sweetheart Prodrive,

Sorry to have left you out in the cold and betrayed you in the back with some other team. It meant nothing to me, I swear! I was having a crisis with my stepmother... You know how she can be. She thinks she knows the best for me and keeps always changing her mind. It's so annoyingly confusing! I never know what she wants next. Because of this I became lost and when we are lost we do silly things. I know I am a worthless company but I have now found myself and know what I want. I want you and only you! I promise to reduce my mother's influence in my live. Can you take me back? Please?

Love you,
Mini

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 28 Sep 2012, 11:13

DanielPT wrote:
AndreaModa wrote:
Captain Hammer wrote:Ford has confirmed they're in.

Mini is the big unknown. Rumour has it that they won't support anyone next year, and quietly withdraw.

That's odd, I could have sworn I read somewhere a couple of months back that said they were seriously considering renewing a partnership with Prodrive again.

My sweetheart Prodrive,

Sorry to have left you out in the cold and betrayed you in the back with some other team. It meant nothing to me, I swear! I was having a crisis with my stepmother... You know how she can be. She thinks she knows the best for me and keeps always changing her mind. It's so annoyingly confusing! I never know what she wants next. Because of this I became lost and when we are lost we do silly things. I know I am a worthless company but I have now found myself and know what I want. I want you and only you! I promise to reduce my mother's influence in my live. Can you take me back? Please?

Love you,
Mini

If it wasn't so long, that would be my new sig :lol:

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 28 Sep 2012, 11:30

Wizzie wrote:
DanielPT wrote:
AndreaModa wrote:
Mini is the big unknown. Rumour has it that they won't support anyone next year, and quietly withdraw.

That's odd, I could have sworn I read somewhere a couple of months back that said they were seriously considering renewing a partnership with Prodrive again.

My sweetheart Prodrive,

Sorry to have left you out in the cold and betrayed you in the back with some other team. It meant nothing to me, I swear! I was having a crisis with my stepmother... You know how she can be. She thinks she knows the best for me and keeps always changing her mind. It's so annoyingly confusing! I never know what she wants next. Because of this I became lost and when we are lost we do silly things. I know I am a worthless company but I have now found myself and know what I want. I want you and only you! I promise to reduce my mother's influence in my live. Can you take me back? Please?

Love you,
Mini

If it wasn't so long, that would be my new sig :lol:

[/quote]

I agree that is one of the best things I have read in a while

McDuck · Post by **McDuck** » 30 Sep 2012, 07:22

Loeb should just suck it up and race full time next year. Then he could be like "WRC? Yeah, I dominated that for an entire decade."

This only racing in WRC part-time next year nonsense smacks of laziness.

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 30 Sep 2012, 07:26

McDuck wrote:Loeb should just suck it up and race full time next year. Then he could be like "WRC? Yeah, I dominated that for an entire decade."

This only racing in WRC part-time next year nonsense smacks of laziness.

Do you really want another year of LOEBWINSLOL