![]() |
![]() |
||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#26 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,778
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
Neuville has got his title defense off about as well as I expected; car off the road in SS6 this morning. Moment for Tanak as well and he has also dropped time (not as much though). Two very impressive times from Munster this morning, second on SS4 and SS6. Looks like they got the tyre choice right and he has made the most of it. First Hyundai stage win of the year goes to Fourmaux. Exactly what he needs if he doesn't want to be relegated to the wingman role. |
|||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#27 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,514
![]() ![]() |
Fourmaux leading the Hyundai charge after a pretty disastrous Friday for both Neuville and Tanak. Tanak's expression when he realized he'd left half the rear end in the ditch was classic! Ogier strong as usual on home soil but it's alll to play for with Evans only 20 secs adrift going to to Saturday afternoon .
|
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#28 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,514
![]() ![]() |
What a stunning drive from Tanak on SS15 to take the stage win on a really muddy surface late Saturday, Elfyn moves back into 2nd place overall trailing Ogier by 20secs and once again Fourmaux leads the Hyundai charge ahead of Tanak. It's going to be a brave drive early doors Sunday morning with icy conditions.
|
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#29 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2023
Posts: 780
![]() ![]() |
Was actually initially impressed by Munster, was up there in times on day 1, clearly bunged it l;ater
|
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#30 | ||||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,778
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
Quote:
Stage win for Munster today and some more quick times. Real shame that the problem pushed him down the order, but still an encouraging weekend for him. |
||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#31 | ||
![]() Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,380
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
So Monte win number 10 for Ogier, an incredible record - he said afterwards that it might be his last one so at least someone else will get a chance to win now!
A few people caught out late on by the conditions - Munster, Pajari and Katsuta all with off road moments. Neuville was really in damage limitation from the moment he deranged his rear suspension on Friday, Tanak recovered well from his redesign of the Hyundai, Formeaux was impressive on his Hyundai debut. With Ogier only doing a part season again it's advantage Evans early on with his most likely rivals all having dramas (the Hyundais falling off the road and Rovanpera was strangely subdued all weekend). With Ogier not being there for the full season should Toyota have swapped Ogier and Evans? Would have been harsh on Seb but we've seen titles decided by less than the points difference for 1st and 2nd on an event. |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#32 | |||||
Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,778
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
Quote:
Superb Hyundai debut from Fourmaux. A podium and crucially (I think) a finish ahead of both of his teammates. Really think that is needed to avoid him being relegated to a wingman position this season. He seemed a bit more with it yesterday, but I thought he was very subdued on Friday and Saturday. Perhaps he is just lulling the rest of them into a false sense of security? Quote:
Biggest surprise of the weekend had to be Munster. I know road position was a factor but, even so, a stage win, several second places and generally really good pace. Massive shame the car had issues and he left the road yesterday but despite all that I still think it was a really strong weekend for him. Very tentative start from Josh McErlean. I don't think it is fair to draw any conclusions at this point, but it is clearly a steep learning curve in the Rally1 car and there is a lot of speed needing to close the gap to the rest of the field. |
|||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#33 | ||||||||
![]() Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,380
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I think he took a sensible approach to the event - get to the end, learn the car, learn the stages. Realistically he's not in the conversation for titles so at the moment he's better off getting mileage under his belt. Seems to be the way for M-Sport, drivers learn their top level craft there and then head off to another team. I don't know how many of the events on this years calendar Josh has done before (at any level)? |
||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#34 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,279
![]() |
Has anyone in the UK seen the ITV4 Monte highlights show yet and if so, what did you think?
I was watching the action with all my muscles involuntarily tensed up, how they drive in those conditions is truly super-human. I actually let out a couple of loud yelps watching some of Fourmaux's onboard. I was convinced he would sooner or later have the mother and father of all shunts. He was driving so aggressively, on the absolute limit and his lines! I'm amazed he didn't roll the car into a small ball. Clearly, he was determined to make a point but a very risky strategy. |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#35 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 888
![]() |
Quote:
Music playing over all of the footage of the cars on the stages is a strange decision. Couldn't even hear the cars at some points. Not sure why they used clips from the live commentary, either. Surely dedicated commentary like the daily shows would provide a more cohesive overview of the event? Also not sure why ITV have their own presenter inserted into the show. I imagine she has another role within WRC somewhere because it seems a bit unnecessary to fly someone around the world just to record pre and post-ad break bits. Shan't bother in future, I'll have to find the daily highlights somewhere else online! |
|||
![]() |
__________________
There are no such things as races which are too long, only people whose attention spans are too short. ![]() |
![]() |
#36 | ||
Racer
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 408
![]() |
Yeah, Red Bull have dropped the highlights they used to show.....another cost based decision no wonder.
And the ITV highlights were not exactly inspiring........ The WRC doesn't help itself at all. And in other news, Ford announce a LMDh programme for the WEC from 2027......I doubt they'll be relying on 'pay drivers' to drive their entries. Another manufacturer for the WEC, whilst the WRC looks on wondering...... |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#37 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,279
![]() |
Quote:
I understand times move on and we adapt and perhaps this is what the modern audience wants but it's gonna take some getting used to. Right now, it just felt like, 'look at some pretty clips of cars on the stages'. I know the days of concise highlights show commentary calmly delivered are seemingly long gone (the epitome of this was the Top Gear Rally shows from 25 years ago, highly informative and all packed into just 30mins) and it has been replaced by hysterical screaming and hyperbole because apparently that's what gets attention now. I guess if the casual viewer is doing their house chores or something and it happens to be on in the background, the only way you might get them to look is when you're screaming at them. Put up or shut up I suppose. |
|||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#38 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 951
![]() |
Quote:
As for the Rally, it looked an excellent scrap at the front. Superb from Formeaux. He was really going for it. That'll give his teammates something to think about! |
|||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
[LM24] Le Mans 2025 - 14/15 June 2025 - Who is Going? | Aysedasi | 24 Heures du Mans | 106 | 15 Dec 2024 20:30 |
Historic Road Rallying/ Endurance Rallying | andy97 | Rallying & Rallycross | 1 | 26 Feb 2009 13:56 |