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  1. #11
    Senior Member Rally Power's Avatar
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    There's only place for one international manufacturers rally series.

    Profiting from VW's participation, Todt manage to get a partial WRC revamp (yet not fully completed due to RB/MH slow working pace), putting a stop to IRC growing aspirations.

    ERC's future it's linked on Eurosport ability to make a competitors friendly championship, directed to private teams, once it's hard to see manus directly involved in short term.

    I know it has a totally different nature, but SRO Blancpain GT series came to mind when thinking about a top privateer motorsport series. Could Blancpain GT sucess be reproduce at rally level?
    Rally addict since 1982

  2. Likes: dodge33cymru (10th November 2015)
  3. #12
    Senior Member PLuto's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
    I know it has a totally different nature, but SRO Blancpain GT series came to mind when thinking about a top privateer motorsport series. Could Blancpain GT sucess be reproduce at rally level?
    I have never heard about Blancpain GT. Can you describe more, please?

  4. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
    There's only place for one international manufacturers rally series.

    Profiting from VW's participation, Todt manage to get a partial WRC revamp (yet not fully completed due to RB/MH slow working pace), putting a stop to IRC growing aspirations.

    ERC's future it's linked on Eurosport ability to make a competitors friendly championship, directed to private teams, once it's hard to see manus directly involved in short term.

    I know it has a totally different nature, but SRO Blancpain GT series came to mind when thinking about a top privateer motorsport series. Could Blancpain GT sucess be reproduce at rally level?
    Well Blancpain GT series is supported by manufacturers - not necessary with factory teams (although WRT may as well be) but a lot of teams are factory supported in some way shape or form.

  5. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by PLuto View Post
    I have never heard about Blancpain GT. Can you describe more, please?
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blancp...durance_Series

    Helps when endurance racing can attract super car manufacturers though.

  6. #15
    Senior Member Rally Power's Avatar
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    Blancpain GT series are the main european GT racing series, developed by Stephane Ratel Organization (some years ago also responsible for FIA GT World Championship). They are one step bellow WEC, using less developed GT cars (GT3 instead of GTE).

    Like Mark noticed, manufactureurs aren't directly involved at the series, even if they effectively supports all major teams, but the series most noticeable feature it's their ability to attract amateurs drivers, enable them to participate alongside pros (drivers are classified according to their racing status).

    Blancpain GT runs on 2 separate champs: Sprint, with 7 races, and Endurance, with 5. Endurance champ it's the most popular, taking place at charismatic circuits (Monza, Silverstone, Paul Ricard, Spa and Nurburgring).

    Worldwide TV coverage, in lots of cable channels (one year I saw it via Bloomberg!) and also web live races.

    http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/
    http://www.sro-motorsports.com/

    Aspects that ERC could retain from Blancpain: limited number of events; events location/charisma; amateurs classes; TV/Net coverage.
    Last edited by Rally Power; 10th November 2015 at 05:23.
    Rally addict since 1982

  7. #16
    Senior Member RAS007's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sulland View Post
    What needs to be done with the ERC to make it a championship where becoming the European Champion means something, so they choose that instead of WRC2 or 3?
    This is the age-old question regarding the European Rally Championship. Many drivers have won the crown, and found it to be a road to nowhere. If you read the end of season reviews for the ERC in Rallycourse going back to the beginning of time, the same question you have posed has been asked, time and time again, with no answer.

  8. #17
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    So the original question is how to make it something that is a proper feeder series to the WRC?

    The cars are secondary, the R5/S2000 group are affordable and accessible and will continue to improve in that area with Hyundai and probably Toyota in there soon so that's not the problem.

    I think two things need to change:
    1) Teams not drivers enter races
    2) The best drivers from around the world are selected - not just from Europe

    At the moment the rallying model is typically a driver needs to find a car and enter a series. Teams don't look around to find the best drivers typically. That means only ones with support from their home association/sponsor/daddies money get a car. They aren't the best drivers.

    At the moment in the ERC the drivers are all European. Yes I know it is the ERC but if you want to encourage global talent to be found and fed in a series that is ultra competitive (and then watchable) then it needs to be a properly international series - with international drivers.

    Look at Formula 3 in Britain or Germany, the drivers come from around the world. Domestic series but international drivers. What is currently the problem is the driver is not identified for Rallying but they must also bring a car. In these other series teams all competing in a series will shop around for the best driver, and then bring them into a competitive series to grow them (and to secure good results for the team). GP2 is another example, the team enters and the driver line up isn't finalised until the last minute.

    Best example I can give of this is Hayden Paddon in 2011 won the PWRC in a Symtech Subaru. He found the team and the money. Then in 2013 he went to Ypres with Symtech again - a car preparer from Belgium in a Belgium rally. Why? Because they knew he was good, and they wanted to showcase their Fiesta S2000 to their market. He didn't disappoint being the only person to stop Loix winning all the stages on the first day. Don't get me wrong he would still have had to fund part of it but they also saw the value in putting him in the car.

    So how do you get teams to enter and see it as a business? Money, from TV rights, from winning (and sponsors). Which goes back to the promotion of the events. Until the promoter provides a model where there is a financial incentive for a team to enter it will always remain a sport where only those with money can enter - which will not provide the best drivers.

  9. Likes: atsiotras79 (10th November 2015)
  10. #18
    Senior Member Rally Power's Avatar
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    After becoming (too) big, we tend to forget the way how successful enterprises have began...IRC started in 2006 with only 4 events and was meant to be a challenge for top privateers drivers in select and prestigious rallys.

    Maybe it's time for Europsort to go back to IRC roots, turning ERC into a top privateer drivers/teams series, with some revamp measures like these:

    - A contained calendar, with only 6 charismatic events.
    - A new amateur category, for R5 and S2000 less ranked drivers, instead of obsolete GrN/ERC2.
    - Championship teams allowed to get points from their two best drivers, instead of just one.
    - Attractive season final prizes: a full ERC season for Junior champ and a full WRC2 season for ERC champ.
    - TV power stage, at every rally.
    Rally addict since 1982

  11. #19
    Senior Member Mirek's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
    After becoming (too) big, we tend to forget the way how successful enterprises have began...IRC started in 2006 with only 4 events and was meant to be a challenge for top privateers drivers in select and prestigious rallys.
    The first season was just an experimental one. Nothing more.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
    Maybe it's time for Europsort to go back to IRC roots, turning ERC into a top privateer drivers/teams series, with some revamp measures like these:
    And what it is now when Škoda left?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
    - A contained calendar, with only 6 charismatic events.
    Not economical for promoter.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
    - A new amateur category, for R5 and S2000 less ranked drivers, instead of obsolete GrN/ERC2.
    How do You define amateur? Besides that there is already a privateer trophy and unlike works drivers they even get prize money. For example first privateer in finish of every particular rally gets 7000 Euro no matter how many works drivers are ahead of him.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
    - Championship teams allowed to get points from their two best drivers, instead of just one.
    Team championship for two cars is contradicting the wish for privateer series. As no fans anyway care about team trophy in ERC I think that the best way would be to cancel such trophy at all.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
    - Attractive season final prizes: a full ERC season for Junior champ and a full WRC2 season for ERC champ.
    That's very expensive and ERC in this moment and also close future can not make so much money itself to allow such prizes. As FIA is unable to prepare something like that in WRC we can't expect even half-efford in ERC. The Golden Stage on Cyprus which was closest to Your proposal was funded by the organization not by promoter. Combining ERC and WRC can not work since both series have different promoters. Why shall one invest money in the other? That makes no sense.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
    - TV power stage, at every rally.
    I personally don't like powerstage concept at all as in my opinion it has nothing to do with the spirit of rallying but for sure some live action shall be a high priority of the promoter. In this moment they do very little to promote the series.
    Stupid is as stupid does. Forrest Gump

  12. #20
    Senior Member Rally Power's Avatar
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    I hope Eurosport Events guys can be more open minded than you...
    Rally addict since 1982

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