[ERC] Sata Rallye Açores 2014 (15.-17.05. 2014)

[Luis Pacheco]

It showed there is more than enough national drivers able to drive ERC event as both were same in length but far majority of locals didn't want.

Only the first leg account for the Portuguese and the Azorean championships. Some of the teams decided not to align on Saturday.

[Andre Oliveira]

Watching live football final so recorded the last stage.. what a great fight to the end and either guy would deserve the win.

Pleased for local man Sousa, it meant a lot to him and with no mistaked he deserved it.

Abbring should have won even with his steering problem but made a few too many small errors.

Great event and ES did a superb job with the coverage and showed what CAN be done with rallying on tv.

Only one thing, Bernardo is portuguese but not local He is from Madeira island.

[Mirek]

Only the first leg account for the Portuguese and the Azorean championships. Some of the teams decided not to align on Saturday.

That my sentence was about CoI.

[Luis Pacheco]

Only one thing, Bernardo is portuguese but not local He is from Madeira island.

And Moura is half Madeiran half Azorean.

[Ucci]

Congrats to Sousa ! Finally some luck also for him, he deserves it! Specially after the humiliation with Lotus project..

[Luis Pacheco]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLE7Ab1BSME

The Eurosport commentators comparing the territorial status of the Azores with Portugal and the status of the Falkland (not Falklands like they said) with the UK. They say is the same. No words....

Not to mention the total lack of knowledge about the event, the portuguese pilots. Bernardo Sousa is Azorean they say....

[bluuford]

Well, I was looking at it from Kajto's perspective. How is he going to persuade his sponsor to give him money for a rally 5000 km away from Poland, where he hits a basketball-sized rock lying in the middle of the road before the rally even begun? What do you think - after such disgrace, where will Lotos want to spend their money now? On another unknown rally 5000 km away from Poland or on something more positive and watched by millions of viewers, like football:


Volleyball:


or basketball?

One thing is to sponsor football and basketball.. the other point is to reach to your audience.
Last time I watched football was 2 years ago, last time I watched other previously mentioned balls.. I dont remember.. It was too long ago.
Big company needs to think abut different audiences they need to reach. Ok, there are many followers in different ball games but often many of them are kids, very young people and often people who do not have much money to spend? Do they buy fuel from LOTOS station in Poland? Probably no, they take the cheapest option, which is not LOTOS.
People who have more financial resources are usually busier, if they follow some sports then maybe one-or two sports that they like the most. And rally is one of these that helps busy people to switch them off for the whole weekend and spend time in the forests/fields/mountains. Often these people are also decision makers who decide from which company their company employers are buying fuel (sometimes thousands of people) and when these decision makers meet in the forrest while waiting the stage to go live.. then it is often the place where some big things (deals) can start (my own experience).
This is the reason why we still have sponsors and why sponosrs are interested in the sport.

[RICARDO75]

Some sections of same stages are very narrow and flanked by barriers with rocks. Just a slight slip and there goes a stone to the path.

I think that part of Batalha stage will no longer used in the rally. Next year there will be new variant.
I had already told to organization members that part of the stage doesn't make sense

[mousti]

Classy

[Luis Pacheco]

Being Azorean I am embarrassed seeing this photos...