WRC: what's up in The World Rally Championship 2004
11-17-2003, 02:16 PM
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WRC: what's up in The World Rally Championship 2004
yeah, yeah, it's only November and Monte Carlo isn't until January. however, based on the rampant success of the thread that preceded this one (WRC: what's up in The World Rally Championship 2003) and the number of developments in the short offseason i figured now was as good a time as any.
so, to start this off with some good old fashioned speculation on who will be driving what during the 2004 season:
so, to start this off with some good old fashioned speculation on who will be driving what during the 2004 season:
Rovanpera doubtful for Peugeot
Great Britain_·_17/11/2003 12:00:50
Doubts have arisen over Harri Rovanpera's future at Peugeot. The 37-year old Finn was re-signed by the team before the end of this season but it now appears that he will not in fact be driving the new 307 WRC in 2004 after all.
It is widely believed that Rovanpera's performances in the events following his signing were not good enough to convince the team that they had made the right decision in keeping him on. He was outpaced by Loix on Wales Rally GB during the Belgian's debut in the car. Tarmac ace Gilles Panizzi was also ahead of the Finn in Wales until his retirement – something that would not have helped Rovanpera's cause. He was due to share 2004 driving duties with Loix, with former double world champion and Peugeot favourite Marcus Gronholm in the lead car.
Rovanpera's best finish in 2003 was second in Cyprus (pictured)_– his only podium finish of the year.
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Great Britain_·_17/11/2003 12:00:50
Doubts have arisen over Harri Rovanpera's future at Peugeot. The 37-year old Finn was re-signed by the team before the end of this season but it now appears that he will not in fact be driving the new 307 WRC in 2004 after all.
It is widely believed that Rovanpera's performances in the events following his signing were not good enough to convince the team that they had made the right decision in keeping him on. He was outpaced by Loix on Wales Rally GB during the Belgian's debut in the car. Tarmac ace Gilles Panizzi was also ahead of the Finn in Wales until his retirement – something that would not have helped Rovanpera's cause. He was due to share 2004 driving duties with Loix, with former double world champion and Peugeot favourite Marcus Gronholm in the lead car.
Rovanpera's best finish in 2003 was second in Cyprus (pictured)_– his only podium finish of the year.
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11-17-2003, 02:47 PM
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No burns for 2004! Richard Burns has a brain tumor, and will not compete in the '04 season. Does this mean we may see Colin McRae back in a Subaru?
http://www.wrc.com/en_GB/News/2003/0...tomiss2004.htm
Edit: Just saw the other thread, old news I guess
http://www.wrc.com/en_GB/News/2003/0...tomiss2004.htm
Edit: Just saw the other thread, old news I guess
Last edited by Slack; 11-17-2003 at 02:49 PM.
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11-17-2003, 02:53 PM
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i doubt it. there have been rumors floating arround that McRae is going to drive the Paris to Dakar race this winter, which would prevent him from competing in the 2004 WRC season. however, you can take a look at the provisional entry list for the P2D, and Colin's name isn't there:
http://www.dakar.com/2004/presentati...ages_auto.html
you can also check out Colin's own website, which as of yet, makes no mention of the Paris to Dakar race, or any other plans for 2004.
http://colinmcrae.com/
http://www.dakar.com/2004/presentati...ages_auto.html
you can also check out Colin's own website, which as of yet, makes no mention of the Paris to Dakar race, or any other plans for 2004.
http://colinmcrae.com/
11-17-2003, 03:56 PM
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Hey thanks alot Don for starting up the thread. I was trying to wait just one more week myself.
Holly cow!!! The story on Richard Burns. That's real bad news. Hope everything goes well with him.
Oh to drive the Dakar rally. That'll stay forever one of my all time dreams to drive. Hope McRae goes and does it. It'ld would be fun to see how he places.
rich
Holly cow!!! The story on Richard Burns. That's real bad news. Hope everything goes well with him.
Oh to drive the Dakar rally. That'll stay forever one of my all time dreams to drive. Hope McRae goes and does it. It'ld would be fun to see how he places.
rich
11-17-2003, 05:08 PM
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Hey thanks alot Don for starting up the thread. I was trying to wait just one more week myself.
and yeah, it's not in the bay area forum. i kinda figured that this was a better place for it, and maybe we'll get a larger audience this time arround. Dakar is the absoulte biz, agreed. there just isn't anything nearly as hard core as the P2D. i've always thought that it would be awesome to run it on either a BMW or KTM enduro bike. the Safari rally was the only thing in the WRC that ever came close to being as brutal and treacherous as the Dakar, but even it paled in comparison. if in fact McRae does run the Dakar (in what i haven't a bloody clue), it'll be interesting to see how he does. given his predisposition towards crashing, he may have a rough go of it.
11-18-2003, 10:06 AM
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I've seen an article linked to this morning that indicates that Colin's definately going to be doing Dakar this January. I wonder if Prodrive have moved someone else into the top slot in the "Replace Burnsie Sweepstakes".
11-18-2003, 11:47 AM
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any chance you could post that link? i haven't seen it. i figured he'd be on the provisional entry list, but wasn't.
i'm guessing that Subaru is probably going to go with a bit of an unknown to replace Burns, and leave Petter as the number one driver. Rovanperra and Allister McRae (i don't think he has signed anywhere yet) are also options, but i'dd put my money on a relatively unknown Scandinavian.
i'm guessing that Subaru is probably going to go with a bit of an unknown to replace Burns, and leave Petter as the number one driver. Rovanperra and Allister McRae (i don't think he has signed anywhere yet) are also options, but i'dd put my money on a relatively unknown Scandinavian.
11-18-2003, 05:37 PM
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snipped from http://www.wrc.com ...
that could be rather interesting, though i imagine that it would result in a larger than normal number of smashed up Subaru rally cars.
i thought that Ford had already signed Marko Martin to contest the entire 2004 calender in the new Focus. i'd hate to see another talented driver drop out of the series simply because the teams aren't fielding as many cars as in previous years. if Martin hasn't signed for Ford, he would be an excellent choice to replace Burns for 2004.
The announcement that McRae will tackle the Paris-Dakar for the first time adds confusion to the rumours surrounding his possible move to Subaru following Richard Burns’ enforced lay-off due to illness. Neither Subaru nor McRae are ready to make any announcements regarding the situation at Subaru but it is widely believed that McRae is very near the top of Subaru’s wish-list.
i thought that Ford had already signed Marko Martin to contest the entire 2004 calender in the new Focus. i'd hate to see another talented driver drop out of the series simply because the teams aren't fielding as many cars as in previous years. if Martin hasn't signed for Ford, he would be an excellent choice to replace Burns for 2004.
11-19-2003, 09:43 AM
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Another possibility is that Ford may drop thier WRC program, in which case M-sport would only run paying customer cars (Mikko Hervonen and Jarri Latvela i think). Then Marko would be free to come back to Subaru.
Man that would make me smile.
Man that would make me smile.
11-19-2003, 12:04 PM
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i'd heard about Ford potentially dropping their WRC program earlier this year, but i figured it was just a ploy to influence the FIA's decisions about scheduling and rule changes for 2004. it would be a damn shame if Ford dropped out, and Marko had to find a new ride. i'd hate to see the WRC loose a driver with such potential. it'd be nice to have him back at Subaru, but it's not worth loosing another manufacturer from the championship.
does anyone know who Mitsubishi has signed to drive the second lancer?
does anyone know who Mitsubishi has signed to drive the second lancer?