[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[Sardalense]

It's not official yet (only next Wednesday) but is almost certain that the Rally of Portugal will move north in 2015. Stages like Arganil, Fafe and Ponte de Lima will be back next year!

[Eli]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114803

[Co-driven]

Why was Mikkelsen using some kind of earplug on Poland?

I've seen on the WRC Poland review when he finished one stage and took his helmet off and had those earplugs that usually (at least) here in Brazil are used by circuit drivers because of the noise.

[Lundefaret]

Toyota won't join if they can't promote their hybrid technology; there's no point in joining if they can't.

I am not so sure that Toyota will demand hybrid regulations.
TMG (earlier TTE) has a strong passion and tradition for rally, and I know that they really would like to do a comeback in the WRC.
If it was up to TMG allone I would guess that they would happily run a non-hybrid WRC-car. But TMG has to sell its project in to Toyota HQ.
Toyota HQ needs to see a clear marketing benefit, with a good ROI.
TMGs arguments could be that if they run a non-hybrid WRC-car, they could get a lot of PR for a reasonable amount of money, because the WRC cars of today are so "cheap" to develop and run.
If Toyota HQ agrees to this they allready have an almost finished WRC-car.
If on the other hand Toyota will demand a hybrid, the project would take on a whole different approach regarding the budget strategy. This would be much more expensive, but also "worth" more if Toyota can make the hybrid technology perform in the rough enviroment of rallying.
Hmmm...
Regardless of strategy, lets hope Toyota will return to the WRC. Toyota has a lot of fans around the world that would like to se them back in to the WRC.

I actually think we actually have started surfing on a positive wave in regards to rallying. The IRC has a huge potential with factory- and semi-factory-teams in both 4WD and 2WD.
Several factories like Peugeot, Citroën, Skoda, Renault and Opel run motorsport departments who make a profit on developing and selling rallycars (this is VERY important, so ROI is not only meassured in PR value).
Volkwsagen and Hyundai in to the WRC is of cource very positive (regardless of a shootout or not), (lets hope Citroën stays). The possibility of Toyota enetring is VERY good. All this will force the covarega and promoting to be better, wich then again will create interest from more manufacturers and sponsors.

[Rallyper]

I am not so sure that Toyota will demand hybrid regulations.
TMG (earlier TTE) has a strong passion and tradition for rally, and I know that they really would like to do a comeback in the WRC.
If it was up to TMG allone I would guess that they would happily run a non-hybrid WRC-car. But TMG has to sell its project in to Toyota HQ.
Toyota HQ needs to see a clear marketing benefit, with a good ROI.
TMGs arguments could be that if they run a non-hybrid WRC-car, they could get a lot of PR for a reasonable amount of money, because the WRC cars of today are so "cheap" to develop and run.
If Toyota HQ agrees to this they allready have an almost finished WRC-car.
If on the other hand Toyota will demand a hybrid, the project would take on a whole different approach regarding the budget strategy. This would be much more expensive, but also "worth" more if Toyota can make the hybrid technology perform in the rough enviroment of rallying.
Hmmm...
Regardless of strategy, lets hope Toyota will return to the WRC. Toyota has a lot of fans around the world that would like to se them back in to the WRC.

I actually think we actually have started surfing on a positive wave in regards to rallying. The IRC has a huge potential with factory- and semi-factory-teams in both 4WD and 2WD.
Several factories like Peugeot, Citroën, Skoda, Renault and Opel run motorsport departments who make a profit on developing and selling rallycars (this is VERY important, so ROI is not only meassured in PR value).
Volkwsagen and Hyundai in to the WRC is of cource very positive (regardless of a shootout or not), (lets hope Citroën stays). The possibility of Toyota enetring is VERY good. All this will force the covarega and promoting to be better, wich then again will create interest from more manufacturers and sponsors.

+1 Let´s get the media coverage (TV/Internet/live)on the same level and direction.

[AndyRAC]

If there are hybrids Toyota will be in the WRC as a full Manufacturer entry. If not, they will sell customer R5 Yaris cars....
They want to promote their hybrid technology - as they already do in the WEC with the TS040.

[NaBUru38]

If there are hybrids Toyota will be in the WRC as a full Manufacturer entry. If not, they will sell customer R5 Yaris cars....
They want to promote their hybrid technology - as they already do in the WEC with the TS040.

Agree, that's what Toyota might do.

[PLuto]

I dont want hybrid technology in rallysport, at least not now. I want same rules for everybody. And it is difficult to have correct regulations for petrol, diesel or hybrid cars. We can see how this new technologies destroyed WEC...

[manthey]

I dont want hybrid technology in rallysport, at least not now. I want same rules for everybody. And it is difficult to have correct regulations for petrol, diesel or hybrid cars. We can see how this new technologies destroyed WEC...

personally I don't see this negativity you mentioned...there are innovative concepts...I explain...in order to balance out the chances of the different solutions , the rules compensate the inherent advantage of a solution, for example diesel's efficiency.

so we see diesel race-car with 4wd, NA engine with 2 and 4wd, gasoline-turbo engine etc
there is more freedom and possibility for works team to develop an individual solution

F1 till last year was merely an aerodynamic exercise with engine/chassis solutions blocked (I preferred the NA sound instead of the current generation. Turbo Wrc makes a good sound on the other way )

[Lundefaret]

personally I don't see this negativity you mentioned...there are innovative concepts...I explain...in order to balance out the chances of the different solutions , the rules compensate the inherent advantage of a solution, for example diesel's efficiency.

so we see diesel race-car with 4wd, NA engine with 2 and 4wd, gasoline-turbo engine etc
there is more freedom and possibility for works team to develop an individual solution

F1 till last year was merely an aerodynamic exercise with engine/chassis solutions blocked (I preferred the NA sound instead of the current generation. Turbo Wrc makes a good sound on the other way )

If hybrid is allowed, it should be regulated to not give a perfomance advantage, because this could start a spending war.
The rallysport at the moment is in a fragile state when it comes to budgets and spending, and is also dependant on semi-proffesional teams and drivers running (Prokop, Kubica, Solberg etc), and drivers like this will struggle to finance their capaign if the cost goes up dramatically.
On the other hand, allowing more differentiated technology (as long as the performance is kept equal) will make the sport a better showcase for the parent brands technology, and therefore be more relevant marketing. Examples:
1) Volkswagen WRC: Diesel Turbo
2) Toyota WRC: Gasoline Hybrid
3) Ford WRC: 1.0 litre gasoline EcoBoost
4) Citroën WRC: Diesel hybrid

This would also allow for different sensory experiences because the cars would sound different to each other. So good for the fans. Andt it would allow for more pinpointed PR-effect for the brands.
But this would off cource be much more expensive than todays solution. Why:
1) You would have to develop more of the technology from the ground up.
2) The cars would become less atractive for potential byuers of used WRC-cars, beqause they would demand a higher running cost, and more spesialized manpower.

So a "perfect" compromise would be to allow the different brands to build their spesific technology, and to litmit the performance so they would match current WRC-cars, so that the manufacturers that would like to go the cheaper route by building a WRC car after todays regulations would not be left behind. Or something like that