Jänner Rally 2016 cancelled

[CWJ]

No more Jänner Rallye 2016

http://forum.rallye-magazin.de/rally...-abgesagt.html

In Mühviertel went off the bomb in the evening. "Although a letter of intent from Euro Sport exists that the January rally is to remain until 2018 integral part of the European Championship, we are not prepared to carry it out in 2016," announced rally boss Ferdinand Staber.

The trend of the number of participants is steadily since 2012 downwards. EM field minus 45 percent, Austrian Championship minus 17 percent. Reversal of a trend in the foreseeable future is not in sight, since many teams struggling financially

With the gate receipts of the organizer must cover at least 30 percent of the budget of year 650000-700000 euros. Due to the unpredictable weather conditions the financial risk is enormous. The costs of implementing evolve in the opposite direction to the nominations and increased since 2012 by 47 percent.

As announced by the Austrian rider representatives Mario Saibel, the International January Rally is no longer desirable for reasons of cost as a national state championship run. It has also been called by the Austrian rally scene for a boycott of the Winter classic in Mühlviertel example before the January rally in 2015.

Criticism of Euro Sport

For years, criticized the organizers that the FIA ​​and Euro Sport are not able or willing to fix up the middle of August a European Championship calendar for next year, although that has been repeatedly demanded. The fact that the FIA ​​did not make it in time to ensure a clear regulations, cost, according to the organizers this year at least ten to 15 starters.

Although already promised in 2015, bring forward the broadcast times on Euro Sport is not possible. Shipments after 23 Set clock at least in Austria and Europe is not primetime.

As the Management Board of the RCM does not expect any positive changes in the issues raised, the decision, the January rally in 2016 not to carry out, was unanimous.

[Mirek]

Pity but no so surprising. In my opinion there are more reasons behind that not only ERC-related. Some are partly mentioned such as current and still growing terrible situation in ÖRM but in my opinion part of them is that organizers didn't manage to attract so many Czech crews like in "good old days" (together with the loss of Czech championship). They also didn't mention problems with organizing the rally itself. There were problems in last years with getting permission to run stages (remember that ridiculous requirement for artificial lighting all along the night stages?) and the more and more crazier date when the rally is held which doesn't help to attract foreigners at all.

[Sulland]

What winter rally should then take its place?

[Mirek]

By the way I just had a look. The first point of the press-release is not true. The decrease of entries in the ERC field was 29% (39 compared to 55) but it shall be mentioned that among the ERC field there was 54% decrease among Austrian and 40% among Czech crews (that's partly due to the mandatory registration). The number of other foreigners, i.e. those mainly attracted by promoter, was almost same.

[rp]

What winter rally should then take its place?

Definitely should be a real winter rally! Arctic Lapland Rally in Finland would be great...

[Mirek]

I thought that the organizers of Arctic are not interested. Also is there still the Pirelli-only deal in FRC?

[Jarek Z]

By the way I just had a look. The first point of the press-release is not true. The decrease of entries in the ERC field was 29% (39 compared to 55)

It doesn't matter that much. It's more about the trend. The number of competitors is too low and it is constantly decreasing. At the same time the cost of organizing a rally is constantly increasing (thanks to all idiotic rules of FIA and/or ERC organizers). It's a shame that we are losing this fantastic event, but I completely understand the Austrian organizers.

[Mirek]

Jarek, You didn't understand. I wanted to show that the number is mainly given by the change of the rules when the registrations made the local crews enter in the national field instead of FIA field. The number of foreign non-Austrian and non-Czech crews in the FIA field was circa same in 2015 as in 2014. The important decrease was local Austrian and Czech crews, not ERC competitors how the press release pretends.

I didn't count other events but I'm quite sure that there is generally more ERC regulars in 2015 than in 2014 and the trend is positive. The registration which caused locals not to be always counted into ERC field on the other hand increased the number of ERC regulars.

[Jeppe]

I thought that the organizers of Arctic are not interested. Also is there still the Pirelli-only deal in FRC?

I think Arctic Rally organizers are still not interested. In Arctic there is ´healthy field´ of drivers from Finland and some tourists so why bother...

Pirelli deal is over in Finland. Tyre mark has been liberated for some years in the FRC only number of tyres/rally are regulated.

[Jarek Z]

The important decrease was local Austrian and Czech crews, not ERC competitors how the press release pretends.

Isn't it the fault of FIA/ERC organizers, that local crews don't compete? Who introduced the idiotic tyre rules in ERC?