2011 World Rally Championship

[Harry Platt]

I wasn't measuring success based on their road going counter parts, more so their popularity. Although loeb is on paper the greatest rally driver, he is certainly not the most popular, and hence doesn't have the same marketing appeal as some of the other greats.

Fact: Loeb is the most successful driver of all time
Opinion: Loeb is/isn't the best driver of all time

 

[Manuel De Samaniego]

I think Loeb is certainly one of the most popular Rally drivers of all time too, maybe he is not as famous as Colin Mcrae in some parts of the world, but for example here, all over América the only driver they recognize is Loeb and he is also plays a big in Citroën marketing.

 

[William Levesque]

I would think that the decline in popularity of the WRC (Compared to the early 00's anyway when I, in Canada, could watch full coverages of Rallies) and the lack of proper cars play a role...

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I believe Loeb is the only rally driver that has won multiple championships in different brands.

Mäkinen only won with the Evo if im not mistaken.

 

[Harry Platt]

I think Loeb is certainly one of the most popular Rally drivers of all time too, maybe he is not as famous as Colin Mcrae in some parts of the world, but for example here, all over América the only driver they recognize is Loeb and he is also plays a big in Citroën marketing.

Fair enough. I respect your opinion. But how many Citroen owners bought one because of Loeb? Citroen's WRC campaign hasn't had the same buyer impact as Subaru did. Part of that is Citroen don't make cars for petrol heads. Although that new DS3 Racing looks like a hoot, but they need to make something is 4WD and has 250+ HP with widened wheel archers and the like. Basically a road going WRC car. Subaru had such a huge impact because their WRC car still had the DNA of the WRX STi. WRC cars now just have the headlights of their road going versions.

 

[Harry Platt]

I believe Loeb is the only rally driver that has won multiple championships in different brands.

Mäkinen only won with the Evo if im not mistaken.

Incorrect. Loeb has never driven anything but a Citroen. Makinen did win the 2002 Monte is a Subaru (because Loeb's car had a technical irregularity)

Juha Kankkunen won titles in a Peugeot, a Lancia and a Toyota. I also believe he is the only driver to win rallies in Group B, Group A and World Rally Cars. In my opinion this qualifies him to be a much greater driver the Loeb. Not as successful but greater. I'd love to see Loeb have a hash at a Group B car (I wouldn't be suprised if he is ridiculously quick in one either.)

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I must have read scarily wrong because i was dead sure Loeb had son titles for Citroen then drove for another team then back again in Citroen.

Nevermind then

 

[Harry Platt]

At the end of 2005 PSA group (Peugeot/Citroen) pulled both of their wrc programs. So in 2006 Loeb drove a Xsara WRC for the factory supported Kronos Racing. Then in 2007 Citroen returned with the C4 wrc. Peugeot no more.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Must be that thing that threw me off then

 

[David Jundt]

Incorrect. Loeb has never driven anything but a Citroen. Makinen did win the 2002 Monte is a Subaru (because Loeb's car had a technical irregularity)

Juha Kankkunen won titles in a Peugeot, a Lancia and a Toyota. I also believe he is the only driver to win rallies in Group B, Group A and World Rally Cars. In my opinion this qualifies him to be a much greater driver the Loeb. Not as successful but greater. I'd love to see Loeb have a hash at a Group B car (I wouldn't be suprised if he is ridiculously quick in one either.)

That's about "wins in different cars", right?

Interesting that after Colin died, Sebastien was my favourite driver. My father's fav is... Juha Kankkunen.

IMO, With his moustache he sometimes looked like the Nigel Mansell of WRC

 

[M1GHTY M4VS]

And as a BMW Motorsport fan, I think it's a bit sad to see them putting all efforts into DTM (and a bit of development for the Z4 GT3). It's good they're back in DTM, but not at the expense of their WRC, WTCC and other customer programs.

Since 09 Downgrading all their programs, scrapped F1, Minimal effort in WTCC year after year, now just customer sport backing and probably stop that soon, too. Then WRC is more like a privateer effort rather than a costly factory development. They're probably just concentrating on marketing and therefore they have to react to Audi and Mercedes which both have made recent breakthrough in their street car development. Mercedes made a very promising double clutch automatic gear box for most of their cars which should reduce fuel usage tremendously. Audi has made a Leap in Light Technic with their LED Light technique and Turbo Diesel on Le Mans. BMW has to keep up and is going that way with Laser Lighting on their cars together with a DTM effort to promote their new build.

 

[Harry Platt]

That's about "wins in different cars", right?

Interesting that after Colin died, Sebastien was my favourite driver. My father's fav is... Juha Kankkunen.

IMO, With his moustache he sometimes looked like the Nigel Mansell of WRC

Yes. That refers to wins not titles. Every single win and title of Loeb's has been in a Citroen. Tommi pretty much is the same except that his first wrc win was in a Escort Cosworth and his last in an Impreza WRC. Everything else was in a mitsubishi.

 

[devotid]

im volunteering at SnoDrift Rally this weekend and there is about 15 inches already on the ground and snowing almost eveyday up in northern Atlanta, Michigan.
I just booked a cabin for three days in the middle of nowhere to relax and watch slippery roads rally....Very excited