World Rally Championship 2008

[Jolldo87]

Dates            Country  Event name
Jan 24 - 27      MC       76e Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo
Feb 08 - 10      S        UDDEHOLM Swedish Rally
Feb 29 - Mar 02  MEX      Corona Rally Mexico
Mar 28 - 30      RA       Rally Argentina
Apr 24 - 27      HKJ      Jordan Rally WRC
May 16 - 18      I        Rallye d'Italia-Sardegna
May 29 - Jun 01  GR       BP Ultimate Acropolis Rally
Jun 13 - 15      TR       Rally of Turkey
Jul 31 - Aug 03  FIN      Neste Oil Rally Finland
Aug 15 - 17      D        ADAC Rallye Deutschland
Aug 28 - 31      NZ       Rally of New Zealand
Oct 02 - 05      E        Rallye de Espana
Oct 10 - 12      F        Rallye de France Tour de Corse
Oct 24 - 26      J        Rally Japan
Nov 28 - 30      GB       Wales Rally GB

Who will be the big improvers this year and who will take out the title?

 

[likka]

Loeb will have the championship wrapped up by September, without Gronholm there to challenge him. Best rally driver of all time, and will do it this year in a canter.

Expect Jari-Matti Latvala to be the big mover this year, this kid is supremely talented. Second place will be a fight between him and Hirvonen. Sordo is quick on tarmac, but is still useless on pretty much all other surfaces. Don't know why Citroen persist with him.

The Subaru cars have been poo for a couple of years, would have to improve markedly for Solberg and Atkinson to be consistently competitive. May get a couple of podiums due to retirements, but won't be top 3.

Interestingly Subaru have signed Markko Martin as a test driver this year. Chris' spot may be in jeopardy if he has another inconsistent year. Markko has been out of the sport since his co-driver was killed in an accident a couple of years ago, and is seriously talented and very quick. Seems like he's put his mental demons behind him and is ready to resume his career.

 

[Jolldo87]

Drivers Standings After 1 Rally
1 Loeb 10
2 Hirvonen 8
3 Atkinson 6
4 Duval 5
5 Solberg 4
6 Galli 3
7 Cuoq 2
8 Andersson 1


Constructors Standings
Citroen 11
Subaru 10
Ford 8
Stobart 8
Suzuki 2

 

[Dagless]

Hell ecstatic with Atkinsons turn out.... I'm not a Soob fan(Cita) but I wanna see Chris do well

He had a goddamn goo race too, it wasn't a consolidation third.... Great ride

Hirvonen continues to impress.. I will admit I didn't think much of the kid before the last couple of rally's last year...