How do you see the future of rally?

[sollitt]

You're absolutely correct John.
The move away from the homologated model into the World Rally Car format was good in theory but in practice the costs to be competitive have skyrocketed.
Another drawback has been the resultant lack of 2WD homologations as thesse have ceased to be necessary.

[Brother John]

I love to read your opinions here, it's also good to get to know each other more here on the forum.
It would be wonderful if the FIA would listen to real rally fans.
Personally I think this problem is currently the same as the current world politics.

But back to the rallysport now.
Of course we can not go back to how it was in the past but we saw many more candidates at that time in a position to become a top rally driver in the future.

We, too, the fans have certainly to complain not in modern times that we can follow almost everything live. Earlier maybe we could read in the newspaper on Monday who had won the rally. The only people who you could talk about rally were members in a motorsport club or association.

Thanks again for your ideas and opinions here about the rally sport.
Hopefully I can see many members return back to the rally forum.

[gtimad73]

Without live streams it's bad. Kids don't care for sport, only real fans. More works seats needed (with paid drivers, non paying).

I agree there has to be more live streaming, the trial they did this year was excellent. But they also need to get it on mainstream channels, and get bbc sport/sky news (and who ever it is in your country) covering it again.

[Sulland]

In my opinion the Rally sport need to be simplified.

Tech regs WRC: Keep the, simple so that the end product can be bought and maintained by privateers, without using your own millions or millions of you keep chasing sponsors for. All data should be Open, for those who buy a car. If we in 2016 or something go down 3-5 sec pr km, not many would notice, but more could participate. In a few years we would be back up to level again anyway...

Tech regs Regional and national layers: Make 4 classes. 2 in 2 wd and 2 in 4 wd - kill the rest. They are to be called Tuned and untuned 2 and 4 wd classes, as in Sweden. All could be 1600 cc, with and without turbo. Most non petrol-heads understand that.

Better coverage online: Further develop the services that allows people to follow rally online.

Better coverage on TV: Same as above. More outside cameras, and use of helicopters. Use of split picture with telemetry data for those interested, and comparison of two cars.

In WRC it should be two layers, one factory and one for private teams. Private teams need to go to 50% of WRC rounds to keep cost down.

[Brother John]

In my opinion the Rally sport need to be simplified.

With most of what you say I agree with you Sulland but that will not be easy for the FIA ​​to get this far!

[6789]

Given the struggle that the EU is having at the moment I think it will be difficult to see any more manufacturers in the sport and could expect one Citroen to drop out at the end of Loebs contract. Ford aren;t even committed to next year yet and Mini are talking about another development season.

A common union is a really good idea to me, but the common currency makes it difficult.

I don't mean to be so pessimistic, but what happens if there is 1 manufacturer left in the sport?

[Brother John]

Given the struggle that the EU is having at the moment I think it will be difficult to see any more manufacturers in the sport and could expect one Citroen to drop out at the end of Loebs contract. Ford aren;t even committed to next year yet and Mini are talking about another development season.

A common union is a really good idea to me, but the common currency makes it difficult.

I don't mean to be so pessimistic, but what happens if there is 1 manufacturer left in the sport?

Nobody knows now, we do not yet know for 2012 what car will drive and who will drave with those cars that will be at the start of Monte Carlo.

[6789]

^ Yeah hope for the best, hopefully there are four manu's in the sport come 2013 and 2014.

[darkstar]

something interesting about the costs, start watching at 7:40 min. The Vatanen Touch

so it´s the same problem now since almost 40 years costs are high in motorsport, it´s the same now then it was back then. of course we talk about mutch more money today but in relation to what money is worth now and what it was worth in the 70´s it´s probably not a big difference...

[Brother John]

something interesting about the costs, start watching at 7:40 min. The Vatanen Touch

so it´s the same problem now since almost 40 years costs are high in motorsport, it´s the same now then it was back then. of course we talk about mutch more money today but in relation to what money is worth now and what it was worth in the 70´s it´s probably not a big difference...

Now you hear this from someone who has money now, how was it 20 years ago?
Besides, he drove in that videa with a private team.