Loeb has made history

[yann]

Sebastien Loeb has just made history! He has won the WRC for the 4th time in a row!! He's definitely one of the greatest drivers of all times, and with Gronholm retiring, who can stop him to win a few more?! Come on Seb, you're the best! Vive la France!

[yann]

Site officiel de Sébastien Loeb - Home

Loeb takes fourth world title in a row | Breaking news | Guardian Unlimited Sport

[yann]

SS17:..and still Champion | World Rally | News | WRC | WRC Latest News

[ScoobyChris]

Well done, Seb! An exciting championship and my money's on Hirvonnen as one to watch next year - he certainly showed he's got the pace

Hopefully Solberg will return to form next year too...

Chris

[GAFF]

Well done to Seb alright, although I really was shouting for Marcus...being his last outing.

Its a while since Seb was put under that much pressure for the Championship...which is great for the sport.

Comeon Mikko

[Decron]

Great acheivement and all that

Shame he bores the t1t5 off me, it's like Schumacher all over again.

[octav.ed]

yea. congrats...

[Fluffy Bunny]

Loeb is the rallying equivalent of Schumacher but with a personality that Schumacher never had.

Hirvonen spent most of the year being kept on a leash so expect more wins next year.

The rumour mill is quite strong with respect to Ford for next year.

Hirvonen and Latvala for BP Ford

Solberg snr and Gigi Galli for Stobbart Ford.

Wilson, Villagra, Clarke and Perez-Companc for Munchies Ford.

[yann]

I'm sure that Seb can win a few more WRC, but I don't know (and neither does he I suppose) how long it will be before he wants to try something else like Formula 1. He should stay in rallying for a few more years. Hopefully

Hirvonen will be a good opponent for Seb next year, but I don't think he can challenge Loeb for a WRC title. Maybe in a couple of years'time. It was great to watch Marcus and Seb fighting so hard against each other, this has been full of "fighting spirit"!

[Mr Squidian]

TBH rallying has lost its affect on me a little bit,

Back in 2002 etc. it was britians fighting for the title.

I did however love the little tribute that jimmy and dereck put up for colin on last weekends wales rally gb.

Talk about lump in throat!

[GAFF]

Wow Solberg for Ford, him and Atkinson are seriously pi$$ed off with that Scooby. Hirvonen shouldn't be too far off Leob. Hopefully Latvala can start finishing events when he gets into good scoring positions, he is quick.

[ScoobyChris]

Wow Solberg for Ford

I think that's Henning Solberg. Petter is contracted for a couple more years to Subaru IIRC

Chris

[Fluffy Bunny]

Wow Solberg for Ford, him and Atkinson are seriously pi$$ed off with that Scooby. Hirvonen shouldn't be too far off Leob. Hopefully Latvala can start finishing events when he gets into good scoring positions, he is quick.

Henning Solberg as Chris says - Petter signed a new deal this year with Subaru I think for another two years.

[Mr Squidian]

The subaru has the potential its just not getting used to its fullest.

[Fluffy Bunny]

The subaru has the potential its just not getting used to its fullest.

I think the problem with the current subaru is it's just too big - hence them using the hatchback next year (or the year after).

If you think about it all the current WRC cars, focus, C4, SX-4 are all smaller cars than they used to use (think zsara, celica etc). If I recall correctly they have to be 4m or bigger in length.

[KenONeill]

Min length 4m, but if you have something you want to use that's just a shade too short, you just need to make some with bigger bumpers, like the Pug 206 WRCs.

[ScoobyChris]

I think the problem with the current subaru is it's just too big - hence them using the hatchback next year (or the year after).

The other interesting thing in the French cars put out 315bhp compared to the Subaru's 300bhp. Both weigh the same. Not sure how that's allowed :confused:

Chris

[Fluffy Bunny]

I thought WRC were limited to 300BHP - have to trawl through the regs on FIA site to see if that is right.

[KenONeill]

I think the restrictions are more sort of:-

This size turbo, this size air restrictor, this capacity...

If you have better engine men, you still get more power.

[Fluffy Bunny]

I know they have a restrictor plate in the turbo - unless it's a Toyota in which case they 'forget' to fit one - allegedly.

[KenONeill]

IME/O all a restrictor plate does in a more or less unrestricted formula like WRC is mean that the engineers spend way longer doing things like aerodynamic profile conrods (yes really) to reduce pumping losses, and smoothing out the rest of the intake tract to minimise pressure loss across the plate (well, as you say, unless you're Toyota ).

[GAFF]

Henning Solberg as Chris says - Petter signed a new deal this year with Subaru I think for another two years.

, makes sense now, when he mentioned senior I automatically thought about Petter (must be because he's been around so long).

[Mr Squidian]

I think the problem with the current subaru is it's just too big - hence them using the hatchback next year (or the year after).

If you think about it all the current WRC cars, focus, C4, SX-4 are all smaller cars than they used to use (think zsara, celica etc). If I recall correctly they have to be 4m or bigger in length.

Yeah its like skoda using the octavia, that was a very big car.

look how much they improved when they introduced the fabia, not a championship winning improvment, but a very good one never the less

[KenONeill]

The Octy would be less of an issue in real rallies, like a proper Coronation Safari, or a Lombard RAC.

[ScoobyChris]

I thought WRC were limited to 300BHP - have to trawl through the regs on FIA site to see if that is right.

Me too but when I was at WRC Ireland in the accompanying programme they had specs of all the WRC cars. I'll dig them out when I get home....

Chris