Mitsubishi debuted the Lancer Evo WRC at the 2001 Sanremo Rallye, mainly because they couldn't drag out replacing the old car (they had an agreement with FIA, that's why they could make changes to the Evo 6.5 well outside Gr.A rules, but in return it was on borrowed time). The WRC is a very interesting car, as it is a Lancer Cedia chassis with an Evo VII-esque disguise, and under the bonnet pretty much identical with the Evo 6.5, as the engine, transmission and most of the front suspension was carried over. The fans never give this car the credit it deserves in my opinion, as it was heavily under developed when it debuted (and wasn't developed much further either), and also with Mäkinen's jump to Subaru, we could never measure just how good it was. Don't get me wrong, this car was not a winner by any means, but it wasn't as bad as many like to point it out.
What car did Kaj Kuistila use in Rally Finland 2005? I think it was KP51 RWN but was it that one?
VálaszTörlésHi!
VálaszTörlésThank you for the question. Yes, likely it was RWN, as it was before Kristian Sohlberg totaled the car later that season. Now I have a bit more time than the last couple of months, so I'll try to get some info on that.
Hi.
VálaszTörlésCould you please answer my silly question? Why some EVO didn't used Marlboro liveries in 2001? Tommi even used his own name in hood, rather than using regular Marlboro decals. Is there any behind stories?
Because in some countries, it is illegal to advertise Cigarette companies such as Marlboro.
TörlésYep same as Subaru used bannanas instead of 555
VálaszTörlésI agree with what you say this car deserves more credit. The Cedia was a beautiful basis, although maybe a bit long compared to 206, Focus....
VálaszTörlésBut I too see one of the issues being Tommi Mäkinen moving to Subaru. I might add that I am unusual as a rally fan as I always watch it for the cars and the technology, while most fans follow the drivers championship more. It seems Mitsubishi did so too and in doing so they proved my point. Tommi won 4 drivers titles and team strategy seem to support these drivers titles more than their own manufacturer title. And that is very short sighted for two reasons:
1) So Tommi has 4 drivers titles, Mitsubishi has only 1 makes title. But in 2002 Tommi moved to Subaru and won his first rally at Subaru. And in recent years he was Toyota team principal, making Toyota a manufacturer World Champion. Who today still identifies Tommi and his 4 titles with Mitsubishi? Nobody!
2) The entire team was built around Tommi. I was friends with Richard Burns, and although he had his first WRC wins at Mitsubishi and generally liked the car, between friends he was never tired to point out that Tommi did all the testing, all the set ups were for Tommi, never mind he had a very different driving style, Tommi always got the new cars while he (Richard) more often than not got in his words: "Tommi's old pants". And the very same can be seen with Freddy Loix.
Yes, there is the thing with single- and double-digit numbers, but this not only had to do with drivers but also with availability of numbers. See i.e. Finland 98 Mäkinen got brand new R66 MRE and Burns got relatively worn Mäkinen Acropolis R4 MRE. See overseas Argentina, NZ & Australia 2000 where Mäkinen got new W2 MRE and Loix the by now very used ex-Mäkinen S2 TMR.
The debut of the Lancer WRC showed this very strongly, in 4 events for the WRC in 2001 Mäkinen got 3 brand new cars: Y5, Y7 & Y9. Loix had Y4 on all 4 events and Y4 was not even new for the Lancer WRC debut as it was used as a show car before.
Then after only 4 events for the Lancer WRC the unthinkable happened: Mäkinen left! I think it is fair to say that the cars were built around Tommi and therefore Burns + Loix had more of a struggle to get the best out of it. And now Tommi was gone, in came Delecour and A.McRae and both had different driving styles to Tommi, both had the same struggles that Burns and Loix had before.
In my eyes: The team did a big mistake as a manufacturer to concentrate all their efforts around Tommi's personal titles, the 1/2WRC Evo6.5 and the full WRC Evo7 were built around Tommi and with Tommi moving on for more successes with Subaru and Toyota, Mitsubishi could not find a driver of Tommi's character and style to show the true potential of this car!
For more info like that please contact me on chris@rallye-info.com
VálaszTörlésHi Zoli, or anyone interested, For more info like that please contact me on chris@rallye-info.com
VálaszTörlés