Rally News

[luieluv]

Ford convinced Jari-Matti Latvala is now ready to fight for the World Rally title
By Matt Beer Monday, November 14th 2011, 14:17 GMT

Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson says there is no doubt that Jari-Matti Latvala is ready to fight for the 2012 World Rally title after his performances this season.

Latvala finally took his first win of the year in Great Britain last weekend. He finished the campaign only fourth in the standings after a sometimes difficult first half of the season, but became Ford's lead driver in later rounds - obeying team orders to hand title-chasing team-mate Mikko Hirvonen positions in three straight rallies before winning in Wales.

Although Latvala ultimately won the finale by a large margin following Sebastien Loeb's retirement, he had been ahead of the world champion when Loeb had his road section collision.

Asked if he felt Latvala could start 2012 among the title favourites, Wilson replied: "I think there is no question; you just have to look at how he's improved throughout the season.

"And I'm sure a lot of people here have also heard Sebastien on the last stage [on Saturday] when he said that he'd driven the absolutely perfect stage, that he'd driven the perfect rally and yet Jari took five seconds off him.

"I think if you look at that with Jari's Tarmac performance in Spain, he's definitely got to be one of the main guys for the championship next year."

Latvala has a Ford deal for next year, but the firm has yet to ratify its continued WRC presence - though Wilson said he is confident this will happen in the next month.

"I think my first priority is to make sure we keep Ford in the WRC and there is no question they want to be in and there is no question about myself and M-Sport, so we're in discussions and hopefully we will have a decision before the closing date for the entries on 12 December," he said.

"Of course everybody knows that Jari is contracted to us next year and my priority at the moment is that we keep Ford in the WRC."

Latvala's current team-mate Hirvonen has been linked to a move to Citroen next year in a potential swap deal with Sebastien Ogier.

Having been criticised for errors and inconsistency earlier in his career, Latvala felt he had now proved those days were behind him - despite the frustrations of not winning a rally for 15 months.

"Okay, in previous seasons I have made mistakes, I have been going off the road," he said.

"But now I was able to keep it on the road but losing by such small margins, and that is like killing you inside. When you [get beaten by] 0.2 seconds in Jordan and eight seconds in Finland, your home territory, at some point you think it is starting to look like you are not going to win anything this year and it's going to give even more pressure for next year."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96219

[Mar]

A little bird told me things are beginning to look better for Mini
They maybe won't do the whole season but almost

[Moominpappa]

This is nice to hear. Hopefully some birds told as good news for Kimi and Petter also.

[Suomileijona]

Waiting for good news about Kimi. Fearing for bad news about Mikko...

[Mar]

Citroën's press conference just started. Let's see if there is any announcement regarding drivers

[Mar]

Confirmed:

citroenracing Citroën Racing
OQ: "2012 will start shortly. Citroen let go Seb Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen will joins us from next year"

https://twitter.com/#!/citroenracing/st ... 5342062593

Story:
http://www.f1zone.net/news/hirvonen-rep ... oen/10345/

[sleenster]

This feels so strange like something is not right...

Any news about Ford continuing in the WRC yet? Or is Ogier currrently an unemployed driver?

[Mar]

Nope, there are no news on Ford yet, but today everybody feels a bit more confident

Ogier is unemployed at the moment, but Kim Vatanen says, they should know where he is going to drive in more or less one week.
Many people think it will be Ford but it's not sure. I have read during the last couple of days all kinds of conflicting information: that it was Ogier leaving Citroën, that it was Citroën firing Ogier, that Ogier has signed with Ford, that Ogier had asked Ford for too much money and Ford doesn't want him any longer, that he is going to VW...

Ah! the silly season. F1 silly season is being way too dull this year, but WRC is making up for it

[Suomileijona]

I don't like it a bit! Only good thing in it is that Mikko will get a better car (hopefully). I'm still so sad about Mikko not winning the title and now this! I don't think Mikko wants to be Loeb's "little helper" in having still two more titles!

[Moominpappa]

I don't like it a bit! Only good thing in it is that Mikko will get a better car (hopefully). I'm still so sad about Mikko not winning the title and now this! I don't think Mikko wants to be Loeb's "little helper" in having still two more titles!

Well - Mikko has earned some merits so far. His situation is a little different than Sordo and Ogier had (even Ogier was really fast, but in my mind his head was not yet ready for championship battle). In my mind this was only good change for Mikko to drive in WRC at next year - and he really got a winning car. Let's hope that Kimi will continue in WRC. He might feel good, when Mikko is also driving DS3.

[sleenster]

Nope, there are no news on Ford yet, but today everybody feels a bit more confident

Ogier is unemployed at the moment, but Kim Vatanen says, they should know where he is going to drive in more or less one week.
Many people think it will be Ford but it's not sure. I have read during the last couple of days all kinds of conflicting information: that it was Ogier leaving Citroën, that it was Citroën firing Ogier, that Ogier has signed with Ford, that Ogier had asked Ford for too much money and Ford doesn't want him any longer, that he is going to VW...

Ah! the silly season. F1 silly season is being way too dull this year, but WRC is making up for it

I did read somewhere too, that Ogier is talking to VW as well and that it's not really a sure thing that he will be joining Ford. Oh god, if he doesn't join Ford I hope it doesn't mean that Ford is not continuing in WRC and poor Jari-Matti will be the one that is unemployed then

[sleenster]

Malcom Wilson's interview doesn't sound very reassuring
http://www.wrc.com/news/exclusive-qa-ma ... ?fid=15808

[luieluv]

Wilson open to IRC switch in 2012

M-Sport Ford WRC driver Matthew Wilson says he is considering a switch to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2012 should he fail to remain in the sport's premier series.

With sponsors Stobart set to withdraw their backing Wilson's chances of remaining at M-Sport are slim. As such the 24-year-old is weighing up his future options, and he admits that he will look in to non-WRC avenues for 2012.

"I've got ideas and plans for next year, and I'm out there actively looking for backing," Wilson told Motorsport News.

"If I can get a budget I know I can get a car, and our options are open. The WRC is where I want to be, but the most important thing is to keep driving, and I'd be prepared to switch to the IRC or another series to do that."

Wilson has picked up 63 points this season to lie seventh in the standings. The Brit has ended both of the past two campaigns in the same position.

http://www.motorstv.com/car/rally/wrc/1 ... ch-in-2012

[sleenster]

Jari-Matti seems to indicate that there are plans to test even as far ahead as Monte Carlo:

WRC » Flying Finn: Winning in Wales

We are planning to go to Rallye du Var next week, although I am still waiting for confirmation on that. I am also going to take part in the Bologna Motor Show, better known as the Bettega Memorial. Then we have a Monte Carlo test - we are due to do four days of running in December.

It is far from quiet and even though the season has ended you can rest assured, I'm already thinking about 2012.

http://www.crash.net/world+rally/blog/1 ... wales.html

[Suomileijona]

@ Moominpappa: I hope that Mikko will do well at Citroen... Yes, their cars have been better than Ford's.

@ Sleenster: Now I'm fearing for Jari-Matti! They must get the deal done! I'm thinking that maybe VW could be a good choise for both Mikko and Jari-Matti in 2013.