DAVID EVANS
“The excitement is off the scale”
Groundhog Day. The World Rally Championship is coming out of its incredibly short hibernation. In all honesty, the series has been in full flow since a brilliant launch at Autosport International earlier this month.
In all honesty, the series never went to bed. Once the cars landed back in Europe from last year’s Australian finale, work was already underway on preparing 2019 specification cars and testing for rounds one and two in Monte Carlo and Sweden.
And now it’s here. And, you’ll have to forgive me… I’m going to be getting very excited again. Two years ago, levels of fever in Motorsport News were off the charts with these new generation World Rally Cars and the step into the unknown they brought.
Apart from Ott Tanak joining Toyota and Elfyn Evans stepping up to a full factory M-sport seat, not much changed 12 months ago. But still I was excited.
This year and this week, enthusiasm and anticipation levels are looking dangerous once more.
Come on, who’s your money for the Monte? Sebastien Ogier’s got to be up there. He’s super-canny when it comes to finding a way through the French Alps and avoiding the potential pitfalls which lie in wait around every corner.
The opening round of the championship is so much about experience and a feel for the conditions. Sebastien Loeb has plenty of experience and with seven victories compared to Ogier’s six (one of which was the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge round aboard a Peugeot 207 S2000) and the Alsatian can never be discounted.
Yes, yes, I know he’s only done 200 miles of testing, but this is the Monte and genuinely anything can happen. When the weather changes, we’ve seen drivers win and lose minutes while caught trying to tackle snow on slicks. If pre-event meteorological predictions are to be believed, we’re in for a bit of that this week. And, when it comes to picking the right tyres, Loeb’s an absolute master – his decision to take a harder tyre for the final morning in Spain was the foundations of an outstanding autumn success in Salou. Who’s to say he can’t repeat that magic and emerge from the mountains to top the podium on Sunday afternoon?
Loeb’s part-participation is a frustration for Ogier. Understandably, he doesn’t like drivers coming and going from the series, interfering with the title fight. But this is Loeb, he’s earned the right to do what he wants in terms of the World Rally Championship.
Ogier’s return to Citroen is another fascinating angle. What can he do with that team? How much investment is the PSA Group willing to direct to Versailles in search of former glories? If stories are to be believed, Ogier’s arrival in a C3 was another nail in the coffin of Peugeot – and Loeb’s – World RX effort. Another fascinating twist.
And what about Hyundai? Can Loeb bring consistent success to the Korean car firm? Can Andreas Mikkelsen find a way forward or will the team live to regret the loss of the consistent and pacey Hayden Paddon?
All that and we haven’t even got to Toyota yet. Did I mention Kris Meeke’s back?
Oh yes. Turn to page six for an insight into the Dungannon man’s mindset on the eve of his maiden Toyota outing.
If, by the end of this issue of MN, you’re not as excited as me about the year ahead, take your pulse. You must be dead.