The "Official" WRC thread

[M-Sport fan]

I really do not care all that much about, or for the Toyota juggernaut and their almost billion$$ they throw at this sport in order to guarantee their wins/championships.

But, I do like Oliver as a driver and character and wish him all of the best in his Rally 1 endeavors.

I met him at one of the delayed stage starts (they were on the line when the stage was supposed to start and there was a delay, so they got out of the cars and talked with us workers under the start tent on that blazingly hot {like 96*F} day in the Maine forest) of the 2019 New England Forest Rally when he was driving one of the Scoobie Motorsport USA STIs.

Manxman Higgins won that year in the other one.

Yeah, he was a really cool, level headed kid even 6 years ago!

 

[Rallyfan74]

I really do not care all that much about, or for the Toyota juggernaut and their almost billion$$ they throw at this sport in order to guarantee their wins/championships.

But, I do like Oliver as a driver and character and wish him all of the best in his Rally 1 endeavors.

I met him at one of the delayed stage starts (they were on the line when the stage was supposed to start and there was a delay, so they got out of the cars and talked with us workers under the start tent on that blazingly hot {like 96*F} day in the Maine forest) of the 2019 New England Forest Rally when he was driving one of the Scoobie Motorsport USA STIs.

Manxman Higgins won that year in the other one.

Yeah, he was a really cool, level headed kid even 6 years ago!

What a great day to wake up as a rally enthusiast. After witnessing Oliver Solbergs fairytale win yesterday, the morning is grey, it rained all night (when you live in the desert any weather variable is welcome), a little breakfast, on YouTube is recommended an old video of Chris Harris in his Ford Focus explaining left foot breaking. Also in my recommendations is a new video from Tyrrells Classic Garage featuring an Audi Quattro and something from Team O'neil on left foot braking as well. Now some Dirt Rally 2.0 on the XBOX and a daily challenge using a Lancia Fulvia in the wet in New Zealand. Bliss lol.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Yes, that was a miraculous win by the son of Petter!

But, it was also kind of expected when one has that DNA, and the backing of the most well funded and supported team in the history of the sport.

If I were Taka, I would be getting more than a little bit worried about my place on that team at this point (that he is a Japanese national might be the only thing keeping him in a Rally 1 car at Gazoo Racing).

 

[rallytaff]

I would give anything for the chance to drive one of those beasts! Their car control is in another world!

 

[Rallyfan74]

A FiST is currently leading the ARA 2 wheel drive class. Anybody have an idea what size tires and wheels these are? This video is that car on a course on some Hoonigan series I've never seen.

View: https://youtu.be/XpTfbb3Wvuk?si=V6D3tsSs3wg5dzCr

 

[M-Sport fan]

That is Chris Cyr's Limited 2WD class car.
He is all over the Team O'Neil YouTube channel, being one of the investors/owners, and CEO of that business currently, along with founder Tim O'Neil.

Just go on the site and start looking for close up shots of the car you can freeze and magnify.

I believe that they are 15x6(?) Braid Acropolis wheels (yeah, BIG $$$$), and Michelin medium compound (for most events) gravel tires in a 185/65-15 size (or the metric equivalent of that).

 

[Rallyfan74]

That is Chris Cyr's Limited 2WD class car.
He is all over the Team O'Neil YouTube channel, being one of the investors/owners, and CEO of that business currently, along with founder Tim O'Neil.

Just go on the site and start looking for close up shots of the car you can freeze and magnify.

I believe that they are 15x6(?) Braid Acropolis wheels (yeah, BIG $$$$), and Michelin medium compound (for most events) gravel tires in a 185/65-15 size (or the metric equivalent of that).

ah, thanks for the wheel size guess, I think you're right. I am wondering what that would be like on a road going car, feel etc. Would love to make my future FiST a rally car for the street and would love to do some rallycross, but am wondering if I find this unicorn car (2019, white, non recaros, with moonroof, very very low miles) and am going to spend top dollar on it, and then go beat it up on rallycross??? might not make sense.

 

[Rallyfan74]

Rally Finland is live! Pulling for Rovanpera on this one.

 

[M-Sport fan]

ah, thanks for the wheel size guess, I think you're right. I am wondering what that would be like on a road going car, feel etc. Would love to make my future FiST a rally car for the street and would love to do some rallycross, but am wondering if I find this unicorn car (2019, white, non recaros, with moonroof, very very low miles) and am going to spend top dollar on it, and then go beat it up on rallycross??? might not make sense.

You could always just make it like a tarmac Rally 4/R2 appearing ride, sort of like mine is currently.
17x7s (or 17x8s) with a less tready 215/40-17 on it, and a half inch or less lowered (real tarmac rally setups in Europe do not slam the car to the ground, as even the best of their paved roads are way too rough, or wavy/undulating for that stancer sh*t).

Those cars are not allowed to have any bodywork, or aero, save for the roof vents and hood vents.

IF you have big enough mud flaps, the correct undercarriage protection, strong enough wheels, and enough ride height, the car does not get too beat up on most RallyCross courses, but yeah, it is probably a bit hard on the half shafts (axles) and CV joints given the autocross like steering angles while being articulated in full droop or compression modes.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Rally Finland is live! Pulling for Rovanpera on this one.

If Toy does not give Oliver a full season, fully supported, Rally 1 contract next year, he should go to M-Sport as I am sure that they would!

He seems great enough to be able to make up for the 'inferior' car (as compared to the two other 'throw all of the money in the world at their teams' juggernauts), and severely under funded team, although I am not sure that they could even afford his asking price for piloting their Puma.

 

[Rallyfan74]

If Toy does not give Oliver a full season, fully supported, Rally 1 contract next year, he should go to M-Sport as I am sure that they would!

He seems great enough to be able to make up for the 'inferior' car (as compared to the two other 'throw all of the money in the world at their teams' juggernauts), and severely under funded team, although I am not sure that they could even afford his asking price for piloting their Puma.

Well Finland turned out to be a Toyota 1-5! Too bad because at the end of the day Saturday it was really interesting. Hyundai had 3 punctures and knocked all of them out. Two on the same stage and the same front right tire! Hyundai must be doing something with their set up that is contributing to this. Neuville said he's had 13 punctures so far this season!

 

[Rallyfan74]

ERC from Czech is live now. Still a good fight for the top 2 positions. Ostberg is sitting this weekend out for some reason even though he isn't that far behind. They wrapped up the ERC3 Fiesta cup and had the rally2 Fiesta parked next to it for the podium. That rally2 Fiesta sure is sweet looking, the wide body etc. To my eye it looks just like the rally1 car from a few years ago. The Fiesta cup or whatever it was called was full on sponsored my M Sport. Watching Finland even the director of the fiesta cup there has M Sport logos all over his jacket etc. It would seem like M Sport must be doing well financially at this point. Really interested to see what happens next year for wrc1. My gut is telling me they are going to make a truck.