Which drivers would you like to see in a Rally1 car in the near future?

[u/KnightOfRen5563]

There is currently a wide range of drivers relegated to the WRC2 support category that arguably should've been given a chance in a Rally1 by now, but haven't been able to make their top-class debut for a variety of reasons. Which drivers would you like to see making their Rally1 debut in the future?

My top pick is Emil Lindholm. The fact that Emil won the WRC2 championship three years ago and still hasn't been given a shot in a Rally1 car is absurd to me. His last few years in WRC2 have been hit or miss, but in his defense, he spent all of last year and part of 2023 in a ridiculously uncompetitive Hyundai Rally2 in hopes of a Hyundai seat that ultimately never came. As a former WRC2 champion, he is the most obvious candidate for a driver who clearly deserves a chance in a Rally1, but still hasn't received one.

I would also like to see Robert Virves, Yohan Rossel, and Nikolay Gryazin get a shot. All three have earned it, in my opinion. Who are your picks?

[u/Ok-Razzmatazz6459]

I would say Gryazin because he appears to be the most well rounded in the current WRC2 line-up. He's always near the top on every surface. However, I believe he won't be given a shot because he is Russian. At the end of the day, motorsports is a form of advertising and the drivers need to be advertiser friendly. Not that Gryazin himself isn't advertiser friendly (he is very personable), its just the current political climate that I think will hold him back.

If I were to bet I would say Rossel is the one to get the next shot. But we also have to consider getting a seat in the car is not just about skill (see M-Sport). Can any of these drivers bring in additional sponsor money to a team?

[u/Finglishman → u/Ok-Razzmatazz6459]

Gryazin is the obvious answer in general, although he seems a step below Solberg and Pajari in consistent pace. For a tarmac race I’d like to see Yohan Rossel get a drive. Gryazin’s opportunity window may be closing with the Russian economy tanking.

[u/Ok-Razzmatazz6459 → u/Finglishman]

Hard to make an argument that Gryazin should get a seat over Solberg or Pajari. Although, Gryazin would probably beat the two on tarmac. And you could make the case that Solberg should have a seat over Pajari considering he has won a WRC event.

[u/Finglishman → u/Ok-Razzmatazz6459]

I understood this thread to be about how should have a one-off go in rally1 who hasn’t had one yet, not about who is worthy of a regular seat. I’m surprised M-Sport hasn’t gotten paid enough yet to put Gryazin into their car.

[u/Scared_Tax_1573 → u/Ok-Razzmatazz6459]

100%, although his pace seems to have dropped a little bit since he moved to Skoda

[u/TheHarryMan123]

Bring in Subaru for 2027 and bring Brandon Semenuk over too!

[u/YarisGO]

Rossel and Gryazin

[u/kefdev]

Top pick? Nikolay Gryazin. I feel like he would easily impress in a rally1. Ignoring Oliver Solberg, some other drivers I want to see in a rally1 are Yohan Rossel, Roope Korhonen, and Robert Virves. Kajetan Kajetanowicz is definitely getting a bit out of the age range you'd want in a rally1 driver but I've always wondered what he would be able to do in rally1 machinery as well.

Edit: dunno if it counts as he already had a top class drive in the past, but i want Mads Ostberg and Andreas Mikkelsen back in the car as well

[u/KnightOfRen5563 → u/kefdev]

Nikolay is a beast on tarmac and has been incredibly strong on gravel as well. The fact that he won three rallies and beat Rossel last year to finish the season in third sort of flew under the radar, but it really impressed me. He deserves a chance in a Rally1 and frankly, he has for a while now.

[u/kefdev → u/KnightOfRen5563]

i heard he and m-sport had talks at the end of last season that apparently didnt lead anywhere unfortunately, there probably wasnt anything willing to sponsor him

[u/onlinepresenceofdan]

Jan Kopecký at tarmac. So I can finally have a proper reason to do a pilgrimage anywhere.