Rally GB aims for fan-friendly route

[BDunnell]

But they might as well call it the Rally of Wales, as that's where it is...

Well, at the moment the event's title indicates the fact that it's GB's round of the championship and is sponsored by Wales. I agree, though, that it's a confusing title to the uninitiated.

[MJW]

My opinion is that bringing the stately homes stages back is a panic reaction to how last year's event was received. People have relatively short memories. At the end of the 1990's there was a clamour to stop these ridiculous stages, remember Tommi 'losing' the championship when he went off on oil dropped by a clubman competitor,before Carlos' car 'catched the fire'? The real problem was / is IMS greed at charging crazy prices. Cynically are IMS hoping that attracting the casual fans from the urban areas of Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool will allow them to charge football Premier league admissions? I honestly beleive that this is too little too late, my guess is that due to Coe and IMS this will be the last WRC GB. Mark my words Brazil is going to get a WRC round, sooner or later.

[BDunnell]

My opinion is that bringing the stately homes stages back is a panic reaction to how last year's event was received. People have relatively short memories. At the end of the 1990's there was a clamour to stop these ridiculous stages, remember Tommi 'losing' the championship when he went off on oil dropped by a clubman competitor,before Carlos' car 'catched the fire'?

Well, they were derided as 'Mickey Mouse' stages for years, but they were hugely popular and I think they played a very important role in (sorry for the naff phrase) bringing the event to the people. No-one would consider Sutton Park, for instance, to be a classic rally stage in its own right, yet it attracted enormous crowds in the rally's heyday — that's only a good thing, in my book. It didn't help that, when the rally became an increasingly Welsh affair, a lot of the more traditional spectator stages — Chatsworth, Trentham, Clumber, Sutton Park and so on — disappeared.

[MJW]

Well, they were derided as 'Mickey Mouse' stages for years, but they were hugely popular .

Yes I agree they were very popular by spectators they were, teams and drivers not so.

[BDunnell]

Yes I agree they were very popular by spectators they were, teams and drivers not so.

I tend to feel that the former's needs ought to hold sway.

[AndyRAC]

Now we get into a discussion of who the event is for? Who is the customer? The teams, or the spectators? Or both? And who comes first, if so?

The sport has been run to the benefit of the teams in the last 10+ years - and look were we are.
The teams/Manufacturers are in it to sell more cars. So you would think that they would want the greatest possible reach - to sell their 'product'. I just can't see Joe Public from Birmingham/Liverpool/Manchester travelling 90+ mins to watch the event.

The changes are likely to be too late......but we wait until they are announced.

[BDunnell]

Now we get into a discussion of who the event is for? Who is the customer? The teams, or the spectators? Or both? And who comes first, if so?

The sport has been run to the benefit of the teams in the last 10+ years - and look were we are.
The teams/Manufacturers are in it to sell more cars. So you would think that they would want the greatest possible reach - to sell their 'product'. I just can't see Joe Public from Birmingham/Liverpool/Manchester travelling 90+ mins to watch the event.

The changes are likely to be too late......but we wait until they are announced.

Such things have to be run with the public in mind. Put bluntly, what's the point if no-one's watching?

[Fly_Half]

If Brazil gets an event, Italy and/or Greece will be dropped before Rally GB.

[MJW]

Smart money is on two less European events in 2014 as the championship becomes a 12 round series. Are you basing the GB is less likely to be dropped than Italy and Greece on national bias? Ok Greece as a country has financial difficulties but last year the organisers made a great effort to run a very good event that was well received by the teams.

[AndyRAC]

Smart money is on two less European events in 2014 as the championship becomes a 12 round series. Are you basing the GB is less likely to be dropped than Italy and Greece on national bias? Ok Greece as a country has financial difficulties but last year the organisers made a great effort to run a very good event that was well received by the teams.

And they both get huge crowds......
RallyGB has been trading on it's, or the RAC Rally history.....as that is all it has going for it. Well, until the route is actually revealed.