How do you see the future of rally?

[Sulland]

Much sense in this one
Ch-ch-ch-changes! - The Rally Report

[Prisoner Monkeys]

I had this crazy, crazy idea the other day when I was in the thread for this year's Rally of Sweden. While discussing some of the finer details of the route, I realised that some of the stages that the rally covers are actually in Norway, and were enve used in the Rally of Norway when it was on the calendar. I may well be the very last person in the world to have realised this, and I apologise for having been so ignorant, but the idea took hold in my mind and has manifested itself like this: what if other rallies took a cue from Sweden's lead?

I have been quite critical of the Rally of France, primarily because I feel that it doesn't really contribute anything to the calendar. Strasboug is just 150km from Trier, making the roads and terrain rather similar, and the cynic in me believes it is really just there so that Sebastien Loeb can win the World Championship near his hometown, and that it will not last long once he retires. That being said, I like to believe that I am a man whose opinion can be changed in the face of a compelling argument, and with nothing better to do, it occurred to me that there must be something decent about the Rally of France. And despite my dislike of the event, I found that there are some decent stages.

At the same time, I have been critical of the way modern rallies pass over almost every stage twice during the event. I understand that this is required by the rules and helps keep costs down, but I feel that the practice dilutes the sport a bit. It was at this point that an idea struck like lightning: with Trier and Strasbourg being so close, would it be possible to run the Rallies of France and Germany as a joint event? Take half the stages from Germany and half the stages from France and fuse them together into one super event, which organisers from each country footing half the bill to keep the costs to themselves down.

In addition to France-Germany, we could have Sweden-Norway as we already do (except on a larger scale with more Norweigan stages), and even bring Monte Carlo and Sanremo together. Australia and New Zealand might even be a possiblity, though the trans-Tasman flight would be expensive. But the end result would be a greater range of more-challenging events, keeping the same number of overall rallies on the calendar, but freeing up space for additional rallies.

[tommeke_B]

@prisoner monkeys, how about combining Iceland and Mongolia?

[Prisoner Monkeys]

@prisoner monkeys, how about combining Iceland and Mongolia?

Because they're not close to one another.

Monte Carlo-Sanremo, France-Germany and Sweden-Norway work because the stages are geographically close to one another. Sweden is already proving it can be done because the Kirkaener, Finnskogen and Opaker stages used in 2012 are in Norway - they were used in 2009.

[tommeke_B]

You don't see the irony?

But you said Australia-NZ... Nothing realistic in that. Sweden-Norway works indeed, although there are only very few stages in Norway. But don't expect Monte-San Remo or France-Germany, both have their own sponsors... Rallye de France is supported by FFSA, while Germany by ADAC, no way they want to "share" their rally. I also don't see Monte Carlo make a such change in their classic, and why should they?

[Prisoner Monkeys]

Australia and New Zealand - specifically Coffs Harbour and Auckand - are a three-hour flight apart. And maybe a five-hour drive from Sydney to Coffs Harbour. If the FIA could find some way of keeping them in parc ferme on a plane across the Tasman Sea and the organisers scheduled a day's break to relocate, it could be possible. Unrealistic and probably unpopular, but possible.

And if costs keep increasing, then perhaps the FFSA and ADAC could become amenable to sharing - particularly if they want to keep their rallies, but cannot afford to do so individually.

As for Monte Carlo-Sanremo, I admit that was an afterthought when I realised how close the two host cities actually are (and also because I think the WRC needs more than three tarmac events). Personally, I'd love to see a Monte Carlo Rally with eighteen individual stages, rather than nine stages run twice. If that's not possible using stages that have been run only on the Monte, then perhaps crossing into Italy would be a way to do it.

[stefanvv]

Borrowing some stages is one thing, Unifying two Rallies is completely another. Norway still has Rally "Norway" I think.

[SubaruNorway]

Even if I'm from Norway I'm not that keen on the Norwegian stages and the way it's set up this year, much more spectacular stages further north like The Mountain stage, Ringsaker and Løten with up to 1 1/2m snowbanks in a few places If we should have stages we should have proper ones in my opinion, not possible running together with Sweden of course because of the distance.

Rally Norway 2009 The Mountain stage

[tommeke_B]

Australia and New Zealand - specifically Coffs Harbour and Auckand - are a three-hour flight apart. And maybe a five-hour drive from Sydney to Coffs Harbour. If the FIA could find some way of keeping them in parc ferme on a plane across the Tasman Sea and the organisers scheduled a day's break to relocate, it could be possible. Unrealistic and probably unpopular, but possible.

And if costs keep increasing, then perhaps the FFSA and ADAC could become amenable to sharing - particularly if they want to keep their rallies, but cannot afford to do so individually.

As for Monte Carlo-Sanremo, I admit that was an afterthought when I realised how close the two host cities actually are (and also because I think the WRC needs more than three tarmac events). Personally, I'd love to see a Monte Carlo Rally with eighteen individual stages, rather than nine stages run twice. If that's not possible using stages that have been run only on the Monte, then perhaps crossing into Italy would be a way to do it.

I don't understand how you even come up with the idea of Australia + NZ... A 3 hour flight, that's as much as flying from Monte Carlo to Sweden. Parc fermé in a plane? Come on! Rallye Deutschland and Rallye de France are 2 of the financially most healthy events in the championship, when costs become too high for them, half of the events will have already dropped from the calendar.

For Monte there are plenty of other stages they could use too... But if you drive 2x as much stages, 2x costs, 2x marshalls, 2x police, 2x safety plan, 2x..., Also it means 2x as much recce for the crews. And after all, FIA has to agree with the events itinerary too.

You have a lot of inspiration but nothing of it is realistic.

[Kielder]

The Monte Carlo Rally was the pioneer in using stages from another event. In 1976 some roads from San Remo were part of the Monegasque rally: Coldidori - Vignal & Molini di Triora - Pigna.
All this about borrowing stages (and a lot less unifying rallies) isn't part of the past, but only an anecdote. I doubt it would be something to have in mind for the future. What has to be done is to include in the calendar proper stages and proper rallies, such as San Remo (even Ireland). I certainly won't be missing a rally full of stages with chicanes and steel poles on bends.