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was_tansu_now_badhedgehogAs I thought, as I thought...
Ford rally team boss Malcolm Wilson would not have been content to see Marcus, who is currently retained by Ford as a brand ambassador, going to Subaru next season. With Marcus confirming an offer on the table from Subaru, Malcolm has had to quickly intensify his negotiations with Marcus. Earlier this week there was apparently a lot of discussion between them, and now Bosse has two offers to choose between.
With each new increment of information always seeming to point towards a return to competition, I think that Marcus will pick one of the two offers, rather than neither. One day he will have to retire from rallying for good, and then he will have plenty of time to manage his farm and his shopping centre. I think that he has realised that he retired too soon - the words of codriver Timo Rautiainen seem to confirm this (asked if he missed rallying he said "not as much as my ex-chauffeur, but if he'll be back, I'll be back").
I really hope that the FIA see fit to change the start order regulation back to how it was (on the 1st day cars started in current championship standings order, leader first, then on the 2nd and 3rd day the top 15 WRC cars in the event started in reverse order - this year it's been leader starts first all three days), because a) while the tactics used this season were entertaining the first time around, it has been boring to see final day start order being manufactured almost every single time and b) if this did end up standing in the way of a true legend's return to the sport, it would be stupid.
I can't explain to you meagre few who have bothered to click on the lj cut justhow much it would mean to fans for Marcus to be back competing again. First of all, he is one of the best drivers ever seen, and the only one who really competes absolutely head to head with Sébastien Loeb (Hirvonen and Latvala have it in them to compete, but Hirvonen needs to be faster and Latvala needs to have fewer offs.). Secondly, Marcus and Timo are really two of the best characters on the circuit, and rally fans everywhere have really missed Marcus' laconic end of stage interviews. All sports have journeymen, stars, and true legends*. Marcus Grönholm is a true legend.
Now if Father Christmas can sort out a drive for Henning Solberg next year, we'll all be happy. I'd ask after Toni Gardemeister's chances as well, given that Suzuki don't look like staying in the championship, but I don't want to push my luck with Santa.
*for example, in football Cristiano Ronaldo is a star, but Matt Le Tissier is a legend.
Ford rally team boss Malcolm Wilson would not have been content to see Marcus, who is currently retained by Ford as a brand ambassador, going to Subaru next season. With Marcus confirming an offer on the table from Subaru, Malcolm has had to quickly intensify his negotiations with Marcus. Earlier this week there was apparently a lot of discussion between them, and now Bosse has two offers to choose between.
With each new increment of information always seeming to point towards a return to competition, I think that Marcus will pick one of the two offers, rather than neither. One day he will have to retire from rallying for good, and then he will have plenty of time to manage his farm and his shopping centre. I think that he has realised that he retired too soon - the words of codriver Timo Rautiainen seem to confirm this (asked if he missed rallying he said "not as much as my ex-chauffeur, but if he'll be back, I'll be back").
I really hope that the FIA see fit to change the start order regulation back to how it was (on the 1st day cars started in current championship standings order, leader first, then on the 2nd and 3rd day the top 15 WRC cars in the event started in reverse order - this year it's been leader starts first all three days), because a) while the tactics used this season were entertaining the first time around, it has been boring to see final day start order being manufactured almost every single time and b) if this did end up standing in the way of a true legend's return to the sport, it would be stupid.
I can't explain to you meagre few who have bothered to click on the lj cut justhow much it would mean to fans for Marcus to be back competing again. First of all, he is one of the best drivers ever seen, and the only one who really competes absolutely head to head with Sébastien Loeb (Hirvonen and Latvala have it in them to compete, but Hirvonen needs to be faster and Latvala needs to have fewer offs.). Secondly, Marcus and Timo are really two of the best characters on the circuit, and rally fans everywhere have really missed Marcus' laconic end of stage interviews. All sports have journeymen, stars, and true legends*. Marcus Grönholm is a true legend.
Now if Father Christmas can sort out a drive for Henning Solberg next year, we'll all be happy. I'd ask after Toni Gardemeister's chances as well, given that Suzuki don't look like staying in the championship, but I don't want to push my luck with Santa.
*for example, in football Cristiano Ronaldo is a star, but Matt Le Tissier is a legend.
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Date: 2008-12-12 03:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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