The use of tactics in WRC

For those who are confused about what tactics the drivers and teams use here is an example of  2 rallies which caused alot of hype about tactics and team orders


In Jordan in 2010 both the Citroen and Ford WRT played the tactical game to favour their drivers who were in a better position for the win
The Citroen WRT instructed their driver Sebastien Ogier to check in early at the start of the first stage to clear the road of loose surface gravel and help Citroen team leader Loeb. The eight-minute time penalty he picked up meant he could finish no better than sixth, which was poor reward after another strong performance.
The same happened with the Ford WRT when they also instructed their Number 2 driver Jari-Matti Latvala to do the same which resulted also in a road penalty for him but a better road position for team mate Mikko Hirvonen.
Both Team bosses defended their use of tactics
when asked about Citroens use of tactics Team Boss Oliver Ouesnel said
“We asked Sébastien Ogier to check in early to sweep the road,” explained Oliver Quesnel, the Citroen Racing team principal. “We had a technical problem with his car in the service park, which dashed his hopes of a podium. We reckoned that this strategy would give Sebastien Loeb a better chance of defending his first place.”
Latvala, led early in the rally through the hard-base roads north of Jordan. However playing road-sweeper on the second day dropped the Finn down the order.
“This is my third good result in three rallies this season and this run has boosted my confidence. The tactical decisions this morning changed the course of the day. It had a huge effect with Loeb second in the start order. The difference between first and second in the order is huge in terms of road cleaning, while second and third or third and fourth is only marginal,”
 said Latvala, who won three special stages on Thursday and two on the Saturday.

Tactics were also used to help Citroen driver Sebastien Ogier to win the latest rally in Greece last weekend. His team mate seven time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb seemed less than impressed with his team favouring the younger Seb.
Loeb was running in front of Ogier on the road saturday , which meant that the younger Frenchman was able to benefit from knowing what Loeb’s time would be on Saturday’s final night stage but not vice versa. As a result of which, Ogier was able to drop behind Loeb safe in the knowledge that his team-mate could not react as he had already completed the stage.
Their boss assured people that
“If the situation was the other way round, it would have been exactly the same.”
The seven-time world champion started the final day 0.2 seconds ahead of Sebastien Ogier. He ended it, 65 competitive kilometres later, just 10 seconds behind.
After the rally the frenchman had alot to say when speaking to WRC.COM
Loeb said:
“I was frustrated on Saturday evening. I knew it would be some tactics and I knew it would be no issue for me. Finally, there were no split times in the last stage [from Ogier]. With no splits, the team give him [Ogier] the target time. So I asked: “Why do you give him the benefit and not me?” They knew he wouldn’t get his five seconds - he wanted 20 to stay ahead. At that moment, I was frustrated because I didn’t want to clean the road just in front of him [on Sunday].
“When you see the team playing tactics nearly against me... Okay it’s what we agreed before. If I had been in the position, it would have been the same for me. We know it’s the rule. For me, it’s no team order; each driver plays his tactics when he wants. If you lead the championship you cannot do it, but if you are behind you have the cards and it is okay. He has done it right.”
Next year we will not be able to complain about the use of tactics because they simply will not be there anymore after some rule changes brought out by the FIA
but before that happens we still have half a season ahead
So are tactics just part of rallying?
why should a driver build a lead up to throw it away on the last stage just to have a better road position?
Why not stay in the position you want and build up the time on the final day to steal the lead.?

Or should you just drive flat out for the three days and then the fastest driver will win the rally?.
We've seen drivers such as Sebastien Loeb lead from day 1 and go on to win the rally so maybe tactics arent neccessary.

Maybe nowadays its just not enough to be the fastest driver you also have to be the smartest ,
always thinking ahead to the next day or two left of the rally, calculating whether running 1st on the road will make you loose too much time that you simply do not have the km to make up?

Tactics and team others have been around a long time and are a part of the WRC history so when they are no longer next year will it be a welcome change or will we miss the excitment ?