Was ending the IRC a mistake ?

[Fran2013]

Actually, this is kind of a strength of ERC that the championship contenders have to beat fast guys like Loix and Pech on home territory (less so Sousa who I think mainly won Azores because the Peugeots broke down and Skoda didn't turn up)

Which is being addressed for next year.

Sorry but i will disagree with that.

I doesn´t make any sense. Who is Pech ? An unknown from outside Czech Republic...

Do you really think that Kubica or Sousa are promoting ERC ?

If you have someone winning a rally of the ERC and then saying that the WRC2 is better, then i rest my case

Kubica is sixth in the champ, for god sake....

[Jarek Z]

Sorry but i will disagree with that.

I doesn´t make any sense. Who is Pech ? An unknown from outside Czech Republic...

Do you really think that Kubica or Sousa are promoting ERC ?

Your memory is very short. Have you already forgotten what happened on Janner Rally? Did you forget that the biggest thrill of this rally was the fight for seconds between Pech and Kubica? Did you forget how exciting it was for hundreds of people to see Kubica beating Pech on the last meters of the last stage in the night? If you did forget all that, then go find a thread about Janner Rally on this very forum and read the comments. Or go ask Marcus Gronholm who made live commentary on this event. Or tell me why this onboard was watched by over 100 000 users - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ePy2zfTVwc . Or whay did anybody bother to make this comaprison - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xIa3aP0zdM

If that wasn't exciting and a good promotion of the ERC then I don't get your way of thinking. For me it was the most exciting rally I have seen this year.

[RS]

Sorry but i will disagree with that.

I doesn´t make any sense. Who is Pech ? An unknown from outside Czech Republic...

Do you really think that Kubica or Sousa are promoting ERC ?

If you have someone winning a rally of the ERC and then saying that the WRC2 is better, then i rest my case

Kubica is sixth in the champ, for god sake....

I don't understand what you are saying?

E(I)RC has a proven history of being much stronger than any WRC support category. I would agree there are some good drivers in WRC2 this year, but look at the championship standings...

Whether Pech is known or not is irelevant, he is fast at home and therefore to beat him you have to be a good driver. That is what ERC is about and IRC was, giving younger drivers a proper schooling.

[Sulland]

ERC is in its infantcy, but organizers need to take the economic climate into account.

For 2015 it should be a 7 or 8 round series, and build up to 10 when european economy has picked up speed!

But Eurosport need more live coverage as the Monte Carlo coverage in 2013 - that was superb!
They need to make ERC+ type streaming service, where subscribours can choose different channels.

To win the fight with WRC2 they need to make a much better Package, so team bosses from manufacturer team recruit from ERC as it was with IRC!!

[stefanvv]

Is it possible the reason for the poor coverage to be the almost no manufacturer championship. People are used to Peugeot to last couple of stages, Skoda are not doing full campaign, so it is kind of no championship to follow situation and lower interest in ERC. Local privateers are nice flavour here and there, but I don't thing this is what ES expected from this championship. For other privateers doing full championship it is very hard indeed. The number of events is too big I must admit, some are distant like Azores and take quite some time for travelling, so it is burden for the teams to go there.

[Fran2013]

I don't understand what you are saying?

E(I)RC has a proven history of being much stronger than any WRC support category. I would agree there are some good drivers in WRC2 this year, but look at the championship standings...

Whether Pech is known or not is irelevant, he is fast at home and therefore to beat him you have to be a good driver. That is what ERC is about and IRC was, giving younger drivers a proper schooling.

Simple, how can you promote a Championship when the majority of the drivers aren´t related to the ERC...

Which are the 2014 ERC "drivers" ?

Look at Neuville, Mikkelsen and Hanninen....

All of them are considered "IRC/ERC" drivers. It is a question of brand. Kubica, Sousa, Loix or Pech don

Why do you think that some rallies are pulling out ? Not worth it....

As an Azorean i even think the Azores Goverment should consider stopping giving the 1 million Euros to the rally.

Low profile drivers, not many media member, bad promotion, etc...

I can guarantee you ( and yes i live in the Azores) that the IRC was much more exciting here. Now, many people don´t support the rally.

When you know that foreign tourist dropped almost 10% after the rally, then you need to start asking: Is it worth it ?

[Fran2013]

Is it possible the reason for the poor coverage to be the almost no manufacturer championship. People are used to Peugeot to last couple of stages, Skoda are not doing full campaign, so it is kind of no championship to follow situation and lower interest in ERC. Local privateers are nice flavour here and there, but I don't thing this is what ES expected from this championship. For other privateers doing full championship it is very hard indeed. The number of events is too big I must admit, some are distant like Azores and take quite some time for travelling, so it is burden for the teams to go there.

Everything in the Azores Rally is almost free. Transportation, etc...

The problem is the time that is needed to travel.

[Wim_Impreza]

I'm sorry, but what did you expect? I told you guys on this very forum before the season started, that there will be no drivers who will compete in all rounds of ERC, because nobody can afford competing in as many as 12 rounds! Also adding all those insane island rallies to the calendar makes it even more expensive. And nobody wanted to agree with me! I still don't understand it. It was obvious that it would end like this.
If you like it or not, most drivers in ERC were, are and will be privateers. Therefore this championship needs to be made friendly for privateers. Cut the calendar and cut the island rallies. Heal the championship.

So in my opinion - taking over the ERC was not a mistake made by Eurosport. But running it in an insane way is.

That is completely right what you are saying mate.

There are way too much island events and the economic situation is in most countries now even worse than in 2011. One of the other reasons is, what you also said and what we both don't find OK, that in the ERC there is another rally with usually not FIA-homologated cars on the same stages in most ERC events, which was the reason why whe didn't saw good local drivers in the Acropolis Rally and the Circuit of Ireland.

In my opinion the ERC is a good championship. I am very interested in it due to the variation of the events and the different cars. In the WRC, half of the field is driving Ford cars and the first asphalt rally is only in August, which means that there are way too much gravel events in the first half of the season. Very important for me is that a driver can't be classified in the final classification of a rally in the ERC, while in the WRC it is always a farce that drivers take points with Rally 2 and are than also classified in the final classification.

[stefanvv]

Everything in the Azores Rally is almost free. Transportation, etc...

The problem is the time that is needed to travel.

Yes, this is very good with the fees, but I meant the time that for a team it takes almost a month to go there and return, which is dependent with the weather also. Don't get me wrong, I like Azores Rally and the scenery, it is one of my favorites in the calendar, but if it is decisive for some teams, therefore make the championship more poor, then rather take some else in the continent.

[AndyRAC]

The ERC could be a good '2nd tier' series. They need to get the mix between surfaces right. Also, the promotion needs working at, especially the Live stages.
And while the way they finance the series is understandable - the best events are not in the ERC.

Hopefully, Peugeot will get the 208 R5 to be reliable, the Skoda Fabia R5 will be quick, and well have plenty of R5 Fiestas taking part. I'll reserve judgement on the ERC in another 2 years.