Rally GB aims for fan-friendly route

[Fast Eddie WRC]

2013 Rally GB aims for fan-friendly route

Rally GB's route will feature spectator stages again this year as Britain's World Rally Championship round makes a push to reconnect with its fanbase.The 2013 GB itinerary does not allow for a full day of spectator stages, as was once traditional, stately home-style tests will be included in the route for the first time since 1999.

When Rally GB moved to Cardiff in 2000, spectator stages were binned in favour of the superspecials in the docks area and the Millennium Stadium.
Organiser Andrew Coe said the route was being carefully designed to reinvigorate spectator interest.

"We're looking at stately home-style stages which are close to the [English-Welsh] border," said Coe, "and these stages will have huge centres of population - such as Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham - within an hour to 90 minutes driving time.

"We want to bring people back and give them a day out; we want to show them what they've been missing and those spectator-oriented stages are the perfect way of doing that.
"We can offer ease of access and great viewing potential within them."

Rally GB will start from Conwy Castle on Thursday November 14, with a loop of forest stages in the dark planned that evening.

The asphalt Great Orme headland stage will not be used on Thursday night, with the organisers citing safety concerns as the reason.

The Orme will run competitively on the final day (November 17), possibly as the power stage.

[Nornbugger]

I wish them well, but I think they are 10 years too late in wakening up, this event used to be huge, the media couldnt ignore it, and that was even before the wonderful days of the McRae/Burns era. It seems hard to take in how the giant was reduced to a mouse by IMO organisational arrogance. Again IMO rallysport in the UK as a whole has lost out with the decline in stature of GBs WRC event.

I only missed the event once in the 90s and 03 was my last year at the event, I used to plan my holidays and work around getting to the event.
Now I plan my spectating around cheap flights, warmer climates(optional) and more welcoming organisers . Its a shame that one of the best events in the WRC had for a time such a poor attitude to fans.

[General Prim]

I wish them well, but I think they are 10 years too late in wakening up, this event used to be huge, the media couldnt ignore it, and that was even before the wonderful days of the McRae/Burns era. It seems hard to take in how the giant was reduced to a mouse by IMO organisational arrogance. Again IMO rallysport in the UK as a whole has lost out with the decline in stature of GBs WRC event.

I only missed the event once in the 90s and 03 was my last year at the event, I used to plan my holidays and work around getting to the event.
Now I plan my spectating around cheap flights, warmer climates(optional) and more welcoming organisers . Its a shame that one of the best events in the WRC had for a time such a poor attitude to fans.

+1K

[tommeke_B]

Great move!

[noel157]

I wish them well, but I think they are 10 years too late in wakening up, this event used to be huge, the media couldnt ignore it, and that was even before the wonderful days of the McRae/Burns era. It seems hard to take in how the giant was reduced to a mouse by IMO organisational arrogance. Again IMO rallysport in the UK as a whole has lost out with the decline in stature of GBs WRC event.

I only missed the event once in the 90s and 03 was my last year at the event, I used to plan my holidays and work around getting to the event.
Now I plan my spectating around cheap flights, warmer climates(optional) and more welcoming organisers . Its a shame that one of the best events in the WRC had for a time such a poor attitude to fans.

100% correct.

[BDunnell]

Yes, this is coming far too late. But I'm still glad they're doing it, as it's a definite step in the right direction.

[AndyRAC]

Wait until the ticket prices are announced - then we will know if they are serious about saving the event. They have to attract the 'casual' Motorsport fan - will he/she pay £20 to stand in a forest/ field???

[DoubleD]

My hope is that with the reintroduction of 'spectator' stages, they might relax the way they control the forest stages allowing a bit more freedom for the initiated. I'm not holding my breath in anticipation however..
I do applaud the loop in the dark tho...

[Mark]

I read that 'The RAC' was the biggest single spectator event in the UK. Back in the day it was massive, everyone, even people who had no interest in rallying otherwise had heard of the RAC. Ask anyone but rally fans now, they wouldn't have any idea.

[BDunnell]

Wait until the ticket prices are announced - then we will know if they are serious about saving the event. They have to attract the 'casual' Motorsport fan - will he/she pay £20 to stand in a forest/ field???

This is true. Given that, the spectator stages surely have to either be cheap or free.