WRC 2011 - Page 4

Wims · 30 Nov 2010, 08:33 (Ref:2797535)

Norwegian state run media corporation NRK is reporting that "In two and a half months time Petter Solberg would probably be back as a works driver, with Kimi Raikkonen as his team mate in Citroen". They are further speculating that Petter Solberg World Rally Team will run the Citroen secondary team, and as a result Solbergs personal sponsors will continue in the new effort

http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/ostfold/1.7403756 (Norwegian)

I Rosputnik · 28 Dec 2010, 18:36 (Ref:2809032)

Skoda to race in the S-WRC.

I think if Skoda does well from this then, I think they should take it to Ford, Citroen and Mini.

JAG · 28 Dec 2010, 19:52 (Ref:2809046)

Be interesting to see if Skoda are allowed to go up against VW in the top WRC class, technology can be shared and the more manufacturers the better for media coverage.

rich_cooper · 29 Dec 2010, 10:51 (Ref:2809149)

peugeot and citroen did it for a while so see no reason why vw and skoda cant. all depends on cash i guess

cg7aa · 2 Jan 2011, 00:39 (Ref:2810064)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wims

Norwegian state run media corporation NRK is reporting that "In two and a half months time Petter Solberg would probably be back as a works driver, with Kimi Raikkonen as his team mate in Citroen". They are further speculating that Petter Solberg World Rally Team will run the Citroen secondary team, and as a result Solbergs personal sponsors will continue in the new effort

http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/ostfold/1.7403756 (Norwegian)

Really? I just read speculation that it is proving difficult to finance the deal and so he is looking at the WTCC now.

strider · 11 Jan 2011, 00:01 (Ref:2813963)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cg7aa

Really? I just read speculation that it is proving difficult to finance the deal and so he is looking at the WTCC now.

These two stories tend to confirm that both Solberg and Raikkonen will be in the WRC this season, quite possibly in the same team.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88854

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88853

NaBUru38 · 12 Jan 2011, 16:15 (Ref:2814763)

WRC drivers signed:

Citroën: Loeb and Ogier
Ford: Latvala and Hirvonen
Citroën Junior: Van Merksteijn Jr. and TBD
Mini: Meeke and Sordo
Stobart (Ford): Henning Solberg, Wilson and Østberg
Munchi's (Ford): Villagra
Petter Solberg (Ford): Petter Solberg
Monster (Ford): Ken Block
Ferm (Ford): Kuipers
Ice 1 (Citroën): Räikkönen
Van Merksteijn (Citroën): Van Merksteijn Sr.
Brazil (Mini): Oliveira

S-WRC drivers signed:

Red Bull (Skoda): Juno Hänninen, Hermann Gassner Jr.
Quinta do Lorde (Ford): Bernardo Sousa
Czech Ford: martin Prokop
Barwa (Ford): Nasser Al-Attiyah
Marko Märtin (Ford): Ott Tänak
ME3: Karl Kruuda

I Rosputnik · 8 Feb 2011, 16:37 (Ref:2827864)

Block's car.

NaBUru38 · 9 Feb 2011, 15:19 (Ref:2828481)

Did they really need to put those girls?

tbtstt · 9 Feb 2011, 15:40 (Ref:2828497)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Did they really need to put those girls?

What a silly question. Of course they did. Its a well known fact that nothing demonstrates the potential of a new rally car better than three scantily clad women...

**BertMk2** · 9 Feb 2011, 16:37 (Ref:2828544)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbtstt

What a silly question. Of course they did. Its a well known fact that nothing demonstrates the potential of a new rally car better than three scantily clad women...

The Fiesta attracted 3 scantily clad women. Our rally car has thus far attracted none. This suggests the Fiesta has the potential to be significantly better than our car. Or something.

I Rosputnik · 9 Feb 2011, 17:15 (Ref:2828572)

Speedhunters preview

Block answers some questions.

I think it's been quite interesting following Ken Block for the past year now as well as following Rally in general develop in the USA. In fact following Ken Block has got me watching the WRC this year, which I haven't followed since McRae left. Sure, he won't be the best driver in the world, but I think he could play a larger role in developing rally in the USA. If he does expand the team in the future, then we might see another American or two. We could even see a WRC round the USA sometime in this decade due to Block and Rallycar. The other thing I find interesting is the jump from the US Rally Championship to the World Rally Championship. Too bad Travis Pastrana switched to NASCAR. I think he could of managed in the WRC as well.

tbtstt · 10 Feb 2011, 10:43 (Ref:2828988)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BertMk2

The Fiesta attracted 3 scantily clad women. Our rally car has thus far attracted none. This suggests the Fiesta has the potential to be significantly better than our car. Or something.

Exactly. If you can get three scantily clad ladies (preferably with the logo of a major energy drink on them somewhere) then you'll be the fastest rally car in the UK. Fact.

tbtstt · 10 Feb 2011, 11:13 (Ref:2829003)

Sorry for the double post but, shockingly, Blocks car has been seen doing some actual rallying - and not a dancing girl in sight!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxHuMeDGJ_o

Got to say I think the Fiesta looks excellent in the Monster livery.

Albeckinho · 12 Feb 2011, 16:22 (Ref:2830139)

Does someone know how much the cars cost? I think Fiesta WRC is 450,000 euros. How much for a full season?

I just want to know if they've made any progress making the series more affordable.

JAG · 17 Feb 2011, 22:02 (Ref:2833004)

Autosport are saying VW have started recruiting staff for their WRC entry, Saab are expected to enter next year and a Russian billionaire is pouring money into North One Sport who promote the series.

tbtstt · 18 Feb 2011, 09:41 (Ref:2833183)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

Autosport are saying VW have started recruiting staff for their WRC entry, Saab are expected to enter next year...

This is great news. More manufacturers have got to be a good thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

...and a Russian billionaire is pouring money into North One Sport who promote the series.

Lets hope they pour some of that money into bringing the TV coverage back to a terrestrial channel. No point in new teams joining if people can't see them!

**BertMk2** · 18 Feb 2011, 10:43 (Ref:2833217)

More manufacturers coming in has to be good news, I assume that VW would use the Polo as that seems to fit the current size of car. What would Saab use though? Their cars are all quite big aren't they?

NaBUru38 · 18 Feb 2011, 12:24 (Ref:2833266)

Personally I'd have the Scirocco, much meaner and fatter.

**BertMk2** · 18 Feb 2011, 12:33 (Ref:2833270)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Personally I'd have the Scirocco, much meaner and fatter.

Agree that it's better looking but would its size (and therefore weight) count against it?

rich_cooper · 18 Feb 2011, 14:55 (Ref:2833330)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbtstt

This is great news. More manufacturers have got to be a good thing.

Lets hope they pour some of that money into bringing the TV coverage back to a terrestrial channel. No point in new teams joining if people can't see them!

Sick of people moaning about the TV stuff. Why should it be on free tv?

Plenty of places on the net you could have watched the great stuff ESPN did for free

The stuff ESPN are doing is the best wrc stuff the UK has had in a long time

Infact it was on FREE tv last few seasons. Everyone said it was crap, and didnt watch it, so them people cant now moan its not there anymore!

tbtstt · 18 Feb 2011, 15:44 (Ref:2833344)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich_cooper

Plenty of places on the net you could have watched the great stuff ESPN did for free

True - and thats how I shall be viewing the 2011 season - but when they spent so much of last year talking about how they want the regulations and changes in 2011 to bring interest back to WRC (both from manufacturers and spectators) it seems crazy that they would then allow North One to make viewing the sport the privilege of pay TV customers only. (Well it does to me anyway)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich_cooper

The stuff ESPN are doing is the best wrc stuff the UK has had in a long time

I don't doubt that, but whats the point in better coverage if its not available to a wider audience? They want manufacturers back in WRC and much of the draw of that will come from how much exposure (i.e. free advertising) they can get from it. Restricting viewing of the sport to Pay TV only is instantly reducing that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich_cooper

Infact it was on FREE tv last few seasons. Everyone said it was crap, and didnt watch it, so them people cant now moan its not there anymore!

I can assure you that I wasn't one of them! I'll be honest and say I can't stand Neil Cole, but I liked the Dave coverage as I thought Paul King's commentary over the stages was pretty good. I watched some of the Motors coverage last year and thought that was rubbish - most of the commentary didn't correlate with what was happening on screen and there were errors throughout the information being shown (perhaps that improved later in the season as it was the earlier rounds that I'd seen on Motors).

No matter what my complaints were about Dave, it was still WRC coverage that was accessible to all and that something was better then nothing (perhaps those who complained will realise that now).

JAG · 18 Feb 2011, 22:51 (Ref:2833525)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BertMk2

More manufacturers coming in has to be good news, I assume that VW would use the Polo as that seems to fit the current size of car. What would Saab use though? Their cars are all quite big aren't they?

They're launching a couple of new models.

AussieTimmeh · 21 Feb 2011, 21:09 (Ref:2834867)

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

I think it's been quite interesting following Ken Block for the past year now as well as following Rally in general develop in the USA. In fact following Ken Block has got me watching the WRC this year, which I haven't followed since McRae left.

Same for me. I really enjoy all the behind the scenes videos and pictures the team puts out, lets me see a side of the WRC I have never seen before.

Steptoe · 7 Mar 2011, 10:27 (Ref:2841385)

Ken Block is obviously attracting a lot more potential fans to the sport & his marketing is brilliant for the sponsors (just look at the you tube hits for his Gymkana stuff) That said is he a good ambassador for the WRC? What do the die hard WRC fans think? It just seems he's getting lots of TV coverage compared to all the guys that finish ahead of him that don't get the recognition they deserve.
I'd love to hear what the rest of the WRC teams think.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
2011 Silly Season (Merged x5)	GTRMagic	Australasian Touring Cars.	1536	18 Oct 2011 04:29
[WTCC] 2011 Calendar	I Rosputnik	Touring Car Racing	100	16 Apr 2011 20:01
[WTCC] New Manufacturers for 2011?	I Rosputnik	Touring Car Racing	157	7 Mar 2011 16:02
2011 calendar	NaBUru38	Sportscar & GT Racing	166	2 Sep 2010 02:41
[BTCC] New Regulations From 2011	gregc	Touring Car Racing	225	3 Aug 2009 17:58