I approve of this

"TheTurbochargedSquirrel" (thatsquirrel) 02/27/2019 at 13:35 • Filed to: None

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1993 Escort Cosworth with aerodynamics inspired by current WRC cars. Ken Block is hoping to compete in 7+ rallies around the world this year with this. Hopefully it doesn’t burn to the ground like its predecessor.

Klaus Schmoll > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 02/27/2019 at 13:52

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I’m conflicted.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 02/27/2019 at 13:54

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The problem with Ken Block’s performance is definitely not the cars. And this just really drives that point home.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks 02/27/2019 at 14:26

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Ken’s not a world class driver but he still has 16 Rally America wins to his name . That said for the last 5+ years Ken has really been more about doing cool things with cool cars and showing them to the world.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 02/27/2019 at 14:42

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Exactly. He’s a showboater. Winning in Rally America has always been kind of like those guys who never ever shut up about how they were varsity football in high school and totally could have made it to the NFL. Especially driving for Subaru, the only factory team in it.

But when you step it up to the next level, he’s just not there. Monster gave him a WRC ride for ‘10-’12 and he wrecked completely out four times. When push comes to shove, he hasn’t got it. I mean hell, he’s the only driver in FIA World Rallycross to have been issued three reprimands for causing wrecks in a single season. His teammate Andreas Bakkerud was ostensibly the second fiddle, but consistently finished higher and had more podiums . (Ken had zero in the ‘17 season.)

Basically, Ken likes to race and drive like a maniac. And that’s well and good. And when there’s nobody else around and there’s a script to follow, he can tear it up with the best of them . But when it comes to actually competing ? He just... falls apart.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks 02/27/2019 at 15:44

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His WRC events were a failure, nobody is going to argue about that. You’ve got the WorldRX story completely wrong though. The reprimands were for pushing, not causing accidents. You cause an accident in WorldRX you get disqualified from the heat. A bump and run style push gets a reprimand and a 5 second penalty (Ken didn’t get any of these) . The reprimands are a stewards discretion decision for situations where they didn’t like the amount of contact but you didn’t gain an advantage from it and it didn’t effect the other car’s race so there’s no reason to punish you right there . They gave those reprimands out like candy in 2017 with literally everyone getting at least one, if not 2 for pushing.

Also Ken was very much the #2 driver for the World RX team to the point that Ken has stated on multiple occasions that the Focus RS RX does not suit his driving style as  a result of the car being developed over time to better suit Andreas and not Ken.