Rally Liepāja 2016

[PLuto]

Past is past. I expect these weather conditions repeating every 2 or 3 years from now on. (and I am not even pessimist) It is just not passable for future because of the surface. And I am not talking only about ERC but LRC aswell.

In last years, there were not so big problems with weather and rally was always done without problems. Similar situation is with Halls Winter Rally in Lithuania - also they didnt cancelled their event in the past, but this terrible change of weather forced them to cancel the rally yesterday.

I think, this weather change is very similar to situation like flood in the region of stages. You cannot blame anyone for this...

[karl59]

I am sure that FIA and Eurosport killed Jänner Rallye. To pay 300.000,-- Euros to Eurosport (as I have heard only, I can´t prove this sum) and then be broadcasted at 11 p.m., when nowbody except Rallye Hardcore Fans watch! To have a really stupid tyre reglement, published 8 days or so before scrutineering, no local heroes to be seen on overall results list, local heroes not in Eurosport, or treated as 3rd world drivers - who else but FIA and Eurosport killed Jänner Rallye.

ERC and ERT are organized as Championships for professionals but there are only 3 professionals in each of these series. So these championships are not made to the demands of the majority of drivers - so they are bound to die!

[sindroms]

Official statement - http://2016.lvrally.com/eng/news/87

[PLuto]

I am sure that FIA and Eurosport killed Jänner Rallye. To pay 300.000,-- Euros to Eurosport (as I have heard only, I can´t prove this sum) and then be broadcasted at 11 p.m., when nowbody except Rallye Hardcore Fans watch! To have a really stupid tyre reglement, published 8 days or so before scrutineering, no local heroes to be seen on overall results list, local heroes not in Eurosport, or treated as 3rd world drivers - who else but FIA and Eurosport killed Jänner Rallye.

ERC and ERT are organized as Championships for professionals but there are only 3 professionals in each of these series. So these championships are not made to the demands of the majority of drivers - so they are bound to die!

Thats not true. Janner killed themselves. This things regarding payment was known before Janner joined ERC. If they decided to join the championship, they knew that it will cost lot of money. Regarding the tyres - what exactly do you mean? That it will not be possible to use in ERC narrow studded tyres? This was known more than year before race that it will happen...

As I told, Janner killed themselves. Because they were joining ERC (despite all risks with it was known) and because of "stupid" date which forced lot of national and mainly international crews to skip this event.

[WUff1]

Thats not true. Janner killed themselves. This things regarding payment was known before Janner joined ERC. If they decided to join the championship, they knew that it will cost lot of money. Regarding the tyres - what exactly do you mean? That it will not be possible to use in ERC narrow studded tyres? This was known more than year before race that it will happen...

As I told, Janner killed themselves. Because they were joining ERC (despite all risks with it was known) and because of "stupid" date which forced lot of national and mainly international crews to skip this event.

"Stupid" date as you call it already was from the beginning, some 30 years ago.
From an international point of view, all top crews (ok, except Skoda since 2014 and Peugeot ´till 2015, but e.g. Top 5 of final standings in 2015) were present, so I don´t agree about this, and also Mirek stated this when discussion arose around announcement of the end of the rally. The big difference to other ERC rallies was the dying local scene.

By the way, organizers

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Rally postponed to a later date in 2016... as what kind of rally, gravel ?

[Jarek Z]

Regarding the tyres - what exactly do you mean? That it will not be possible to use in ERC narrow studded tyres? This was known more than year before race that it will happen...

But does it change the fact that the rule was stupid?

[liposh]

I think they still want to organize snow event. (maybe at the end of February? who knows?) IMHO it is impossible to organize it as gravel rally. Rainy conditions would make damage to roads. Right?

[sindroms]

Rally postponed to a later date in 2016... as what kind of rally, gravel ?

"... we will have to organize new rally from scratch" ((c) Liepāja organizers). So it could be gravel rally only.

Maybe defect will turn to effect (for Latvian fans at least). Gravel is a natural rally surface for that region - last year "Rally Kurzeme" celebrated 50th anniversary and all of "Liepāja" stages are well known "Kurzeme" gravel stages.

[RS]

Regarding Janner, it now doesn't happen at all so that points to larger problems than those regarding ERC.