2024 WRC and Off Road Discussion *includes 'Dakar' *

[erwin greven]

Bottom post of the previous page:

[erwin greven]

[Everso Biggyballies]

WRC Monte Carlo: Evans makes perfect start

Evans blitzed the pair of night stages held in dry conditions to open up a 15.1s lead over Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville.

It proved to be a challenging evening for Hyundai as all three of its entries suffered issues. Ott Tanak battled a throttle problem to end the loop in fourth (+22.8s), behind nine-time Monte Carlo winner Sebastien Ogier (+21.6s) in third.

Adrien Fourmaux impressed on his full-time Rally1 return with M-Sport to net fifth (+39.0s) ahead of Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta (+46.3s), M-Sport’s Gregoire Munster (+1m06.0s) and Hyundai’s new recruit Andreas Mikkelsen (+1m08.8s).

In WRC2, Skoda's Pepe Lopez led the way while Sami Pajari was the best of the new Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 runners sitting fourth in class behind Citroen duo Nikolay Gryazin and Yohan Rossel.


The rally continues on Friday with six stages scheduled, comprising a total distance of 105.72km.

[Cheeveer]

Still very warm weather predicted over the weekend, but if yesterday's two stages is anything to go by it might look a lot like dirt rally this!

[Cheeveer]

Well, there was some icey action this morning, more than whole of last years' rally in one single corner! Tänak lost out big time, but not worse than Katsuta who was stuck in the ditch for 5 minutes. Rest of the day quite static, with Evans leading over Ogier and Neuville, 16 seconds covers the three.

[Cheeveer]

Neuville put on a show on SS9! Beat Ogier with 18 seconds to retake 2nd overall and closed in considerably on Evans.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Neuville put on a show on SS9! Beat Ogier with 18 seconds to retake 2nd overall and closed in considerably on Evans.

I must admit I would very much like Ogier not to win another MCR. Someone else's turn. Anyone else.

[Cheeveer]

Neuville put on a show on SS9! Beat Ogier with 18 seconds to retake 2nd overall and closed in considerably on Evans.

I must admit I would very much like Ogier not to win another MCR. Someone else's turn. Anyone else.

Neuville did you proud then! The reversed order for Saturday changed the name of the game, as Evans couldn't keep his advantage he'd built on the clean roads on Thursday and Friday. Well deserved win by Neuville, one of his best.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Neuville put on a show on SS9! Beat Ogier with 18 seconds to retake 2nd overall and closed in considerably on Evans.

I must admit I would very much like Ogier not to win another MCR. Someone else's turn. Anyone else.

Neuville did you proud then! The reversed order for Saturday changed the name of the game, as Evans couldn't keep his advantage he'd built on the clean roads on Thursday and Friday. Well deserved win by Neuville, one of his best.

Thierry was on fire on Sunday.... looked very comfortable and controlled in the car . Great drive. Just hope it stays reliable, but he has a maximum points under his belt to start the season with.

[Cheeveer]

Rally Sweden this weekend, woooo! Solberg dominated WRC2 on SS1, Rovanperä not surprisingly leads overall. I think it will be between him and Tänak this time around, Toyota looks stronger this year compared to last year.

Tomorrow at 8.25 the rally continues with SS2.

[Cheeveer]

Tänak hurt his nutsack on SS1:

but he will live on to fight another day

[Everso Biggyballies]

Day 2 saw in Sweden sees a bit of a strange leaderboard by day end.....

[Cheeveer]

It's been dramatic, that's for sure! Now Katsuta wrecks on SS10! Leaving Lappi with a 90 sec advantage over Fourmax and Evans.

If Lappi also bins it, he is going to lose his job, lol.

[Cheeveer]

Lappi brings it home safely to score his first win in 6 years. Oliver Solberg meanwhile obliterated the field in WRC2 for the second straight year!

[Everso Biggyballies]

It seems like Lappi didnt care a toss about bonus Sunday points and risking the win. He was just wanting to control the gap without any heroics. Absolutely nothing wrong with that..... he got the win, left a few points on the table and didnt risk breaking the toys. Good on him. Glad for Fourmax as well. I think he ended up with a similar objective, just wanting to bring it home in a good position rather than another disappointment / fail.