World Rallycross Championship 2020

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Silhuette

Johan is the real deal and would have been hard to beat in an Audi or Peugeot as well. Well deserved win.

Unlikely to happen, but I'd love to see Johan driving the EKS S1, just to see what pace he'd have in the car versus Mattias.

Originally Posted by Silhuette

I also think Bakkerud was the great unrealized potential of the season. It's ironic that in the season where he drove uncharacteristically clean and carefully, he got crashed out of a number of finals. That guy just can't catch a break. No one has ever gone as fast in a Megane.

Yeah, Marklund had a few moments, but Bakkerud looked really quick at times. As you say though, he had terrible luck.

[S griffin]

I don't think it's impossible Johan could end up there. It depends what he wants to do next.

Marklund was quite good, but not great. Bakkerud was really on it from the beginning. But yeah, if there was someone destined to have the rough end of the stick, 9 times out of ten it would be him

[Hickey]

You say ironic, but maybe the reason he's been duffed up so many times is that he hasn't gone in full blooded enough. Like in football, if you go in half hearted you come off worse. No more true than with Timmy versus Bakkerud in Cape Town. I expect a more aggressive Bakkerud next year, if he comes back!

[Silhuette]

I think Johan would give Mathias a massive fight if they both drove JC Audis. Those are probably a lot cheaper to run than the Polo, too. Would make for an interesting 2021 season.

And yes, I agree that Bakkeruds super clean driving unfortunately made him more vulnerable in close combat. He is undeniably seriously quick. Easily the fastest Megane driver - when it didn't break. I guess being fast in a glass car which makes him even more of a target.

[crossfades]

Apparently Münnich offered Johan and Ekström to drive in the SEATs. Ekström was too expensive though and with Johan I didn't get to hear a reason, but I assume the ties with VW Sweden weren't worth losing

[S griffin]

I wonder how much Munnich are putting into this programme. Couldn't be that much if they couldn't afford Ekstrom. And I do wonder why Johan turned them down, although I see some truth in his close ties with VW Sweden being the reason or one reason

[crossfades]

Ekström apparently charges a lot for his services, Heikkinen had to pay for his drive in EKS, and it wasn't a small sum. Bakkerud and Doran opted not to run with EKS due to budget constraints too

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I don't think it's impossible Johan could end up there. It depends what he wants to do next.

Certainly not impossible but, as said, Johan seems keen to maintain the connection with VW.

Originally Posted by crossfades

Ekström apparently charges a lot for his services, Heikkinen had to pay for his drive in EKS, and it wasn't a small sum. Bakkerud and Doran opted not to run with EKS due to budget constraints too

Yeah, it was my understanding that GCK was a cheaper option than EKS.

Be interesting to know what sort of costs KMS had this year. Johan has been keen to emphasize how small the team is this season, I wonder how much support there was from VW Motorsport.

[S griffin]

I guess he would really need a good reason to leave. Who knows how long he will continue with VW, depends if they continue to be in the various series he wants to race in from time to time, if you know what I mean

I'm not surprised with Ekstrom, no way would a driver of that calibre want to pay for a seat when he could be paid somewhere else. Just shows how some teams get a better budget together. Although it is interesting how much budget Johan's team had, wouldn't surprise me if VW, despite their strong ties with him, only gave him minimum support

[crossfades]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Be interesting to know what sort of costs KMS had this year. Johan has been keen to emphasize how small the team is this season, I wonder how much support there was from VW Motorsport.

Originally Posted by S griffin

I guess he would really need a good reason to leave. Who knows how long he will continue with VW, depends if they continue to be in the various series he wants to race in from time to time, if you know what I mean

Although it is interesting how much budget Johan's team had, wouldn't surprise me if VW, despite their strong ties with him, only gave him minimum support

Two VW Motorsport members were present at each round serving the car. Interestingly, the Polo was kept in Arvika between events at KMS's base.

As for the budget, VW Sweden contributes a lot and so does Bauhaus too I believe as they have been sponsors for years. But the main and vital contribution comes from the father of Ole-Christian Veiby who is stacked. I've heard that if it wasn't for Veiby, Kristoffersson would never be able to do what he does right now.

[SnoodyMcFlude]

Originally Posted by Hickey

I expect a more aggressive Bakkerud next year, if he comes back!

Only if the car has changed, the Megane necessitated a different driving style I think and that meant that Bakkerud was effectively 'wounded' as simply couldn't go door to door. He'd already cleaned up his driving style in the Audi (taking at face value that the Abu Dhabi incident was a genuine mistake, which I think it was), but at least he could lean on people and go for it on jumps. The Megane was really weak this season, I assume something underneath it had been changed as I don't remember it being so poor last year.

[Silhuette]

Oh, the Dubai thing was 100% disaster and very nearly the end of Bakkeruds season and possibly career. There is absolutely no way anyone would smash a full blown Rallycross car on their own dime.

[crossfades]

Main reason why I like Bakkerud, he has to fight for everything and does it while staying positive. I would glad be if he could score a Extreme E drive, he is well deserving of it I think.