Rally-eMag Dec. 2013 / The Inside View
Of course there was a bitter sweet undertone to this season as both Mads
[Østberg] and Evgeny [Novikov] perhaps didn’t have as strong a season as
they were hoping for. I have a real soft
spot for both Mads and Evgeny. They
were amongst two of the first drivers
I ever worked with, and you would be
pushed to find two guys with more
raw talent. Let’s remember, Mads is
just 26 and Evgeny a mere 23 – it took
Sebastien Ogier another three years
before he could claim the title.
The talent of both Mads and Evgeny
has certainly been proven this year.
In Mexico, Mads was challenging the
newly crowned champion for the win,
and at the end of the event, Ogier
even proclaimed that Mads would be
his main rival in 2013. And let’s not forget the Acropolis Rally, where Evgeny
held a massive 40 second lead going
into the second day of competition.
Yes, they have both made mistakes
and have both suffered at the hand of
technical misfortune, but their talent is
clear to see.
38/64
A season can make a lot of difference,
and Thierry is living proof of that. I have
no doubt that both Mads and Evgeny
will prove their potential. Given the
right environment, and a supportive
team behind them, they can go far.