2002 lineup

[ales]

Well, add to this list (i am not sure about all of these):

Subaru:
Makkinen
C. McRae (?)
...?

Peugeot:
Burns
Gronholm

Ford:
Sainz
Martin
...?

Mitsibishi:
A. McRae
...?

[G-Forces]

Colin McRae is a bum! That guy couldn't drive himself out of a wet paper bag! Jeez.

I was watching the French Rally in Corsica yesterday. A little consistency could go a looooong way.

If Burns and Grunholm are driving for Peugeot they'll walk away with it next year.

Don't forget Citron, they'll be running all races next year. Personally I wouldn't race against any guy named Jesus.

[RCer]

Originally posted by G-Forces
Colin McRae is a bum! That guy couldn't drive himself out of a wet paper bag! Jeez.

I think that is a little over the line for a guy who have won the World Rally Championship, and have always finish in the top 6 of all the championship since 1995. 2nd in 96, 2nd in 97, 3rd in 98, 6th in 99 (first year in ford fuckus) and 4th in '00.
I don't think that is soo bad.

[G-Forces]

OK maybe a little harsh. He definatly isn't anything special. He looked like crap in France this year. I mean come on, crashes 7 clicks in?

[RCer]

I forgot to see the rally last night, so, I can not comment about it. But...

... He is driving a Ford!!!! Isn't that enought???? J/K. But seriously, Pirelli tires, have not being the best tires on the WRC, and that is a big factor on the drivers performance. Again, I did not saw the corsica rally, so I don't know what happend.

... By the way, did you know that Colin is leading the championship with only one event left. He has 42 points, Makinen 41, Burns 40.
So, he keeps getting in the top 6, eh? What do you think?
I think he is good.:sun:
At least he is good for not being special.

[crayzayjay]

Colin McRae is a bum! That guy couldn't drive himself out of a wet paper bag! Jeez.

Hello!?! What planet are you living on??? McRae is a legend! This guy is the equal record holder in terms of WRC wins, though he has not had as good a car over the years as some of his peers. While he has been driving for the Focus Team he has had a car that is competitive, but nowhere near ideal for what a rally car should start as. The car is not suited to rallying at all, yet he still leads the WRC. He is the most exciting guy to watch 'cos he goes all out from the very beginning of the rally, whereas others (like that big girl R.Burns) work their way into it.

He definatly isn't anything special. He looked like crap in France this year. I mean come on, crashes 7 clicks in

Like he said, he goes all out to win, a little like Montoya in F1. That's what so intense about him. It's all guns blazing. The guy is a great character, as well as a great driver.

Enough of facts and my opinion. Within the WRC, he is widely acknowledged as a superb rally driver, one of the "best of the best". 'Nuff said.

cheers
jay

[ales]

... and the thing that frustrated me a lot with Subaru last year were the petty games of slowing down on the last stage to let others start the next day first ... and then losing the event by a matter of seconds.

[G-Forces]

crazyjay: I see where you're coming from about McRae. He needs to learn a little discipline. There is a CART driver Paul Tracy, great driver but needs to calm down a bit. He crashes too much too. It's nice to see a driver go all out but when he's crashing every stage it sure looks bad on him. And only a shitty driver would blame the car. It their job to get those things to the finish line, preferably in the points.

[crayzayjay]

Of course you need to finish, but you can't compare rallying to CART, or F1, as accidents occur more often and are more accepted. I think its more than a little harsh to say that he goes out crashing on every stage. You dont give the guy any credit. He doesn't have THAT MANY offs, its just when he does they tend to be pretty big!! :toothless:
Its just a matter of opinion, i guess we'll have to agree to disagree

cheers
jay

[G-Forces]

Nahh you didn't see the Corsica rally then. He was spinning out like it was going out of fashion. I know he doesn't do it on every stage but the last couple of times I've watch he's been really f'in the dog.

And yes you can compare all forms of racing in that regard. If you get too excited and are pushing too hard you will crash, no matter what form or racing you are in. All I'm saying is that if Colin would 'mature' a little more as a driver he would be that much better. Seems he's lost a little of that touch he used to have. He's just lucky this year no one managed to run away with the title points....anyway it's all about manufacturers points.

[crayzayjay]

OK.. if you push too hard, you will go off-course.. the difference between say F1 and rallying is that in F1 if you push too hard you have the run-off area which gives you the opportunity to get back on track. in rallying there is less margin for error and there are usually more outs per races than in F1.

I dont think you can say McRae needs to mature, its simply his mentality to push 100% from the word go. every driver has their faults... some take their time to settle into the rally, and by the time theyve started setting fast times people like McRae have already run away with it.. In the other scenario, these people will start setting fast stage times and people like McRae might have already gone out.. Theres a balance between the 2 but as we have seen from McRae's consistant WRC placings there is nothing wrong with the way he drives. Equal record holder in terms of wins, how could there be???

Anyway, we might disagree about which driving style is most effective, and theres nothing wrong with that. To each their own, right?

cheers
jay