Wrc Rally China 2016

[GigiGalliNo1]

Personally I hope it will take place since I booked my flights and hotels fix

Sorry, I thought this was Mintexmemory but he was just quoting you in the post.

Did you get your refund CWJ?

[moto99]

So out of 3 times China was in WRC it got canceled 2 times...
(in 2000 China was replaced by Cyprus)

[Eli]

So out of 3 times China was in WRC it got canceled 2 times...
(in 2000 China was replaced by Cyprus)

if only the ERC could contribute Cyprus to the WRC...and make it ready in time...

[CWJ]

Sorry, I thought this was Mintexmemory but he was just quoting you in the post.
Did you get your refund CWJ?

No. Nothing. But since all is paid even the visa I think about going now for sightseeing and some stage recce.

[Livewireshock]

Okay, excuse the delay as the rally cancellation caused a big disruption to my travel plans and I was offline for a while. I am actually in China and I was supposed to begin constructing the service park today with the Chinese officials.

While there is a lot of China bashing going on here and that the Chinese do not give a damn, that is not true. For the local competitors, they have been building up to this for a long time and were keen to put on a great show for the world. The CAMF, the organising body is also under incredible pressure to perform well from the local competitors. Who by the way are not just the average man in the street but more likely wealthy business people which powerful influence within China.

As such, the local media has savaged the Rally China organisers just as much as the international media has. There have been TV interviews, print and web articles all being critical of the way this matter was handled.

Now to play devil's advocate too, the FIA and the WRC Promoter has to shoulder some of the blame too. The Chinese proposed the event to be held in Zhangye, Gansu but the FIA/WRC refused and insisted on it being held in Beijing. This effectively tied one hand behind the back of the local officials, because of the lack of gravel roads forcing it to be a fly-away tarmac event, lack of support from the local government who were not enthusiastic about the demands needed for hosting the event and even lack of support from local competitors who did not like it as a Chinese Rally Championship round. Imagine if all the European rounds of the WRC had to be hosted in their national capital, it does not take a genius to understand that would not make for a great event, thus we have Rally Poland in a tiny village hours away from Warsaw, despite the marketing disadvantage. China was never given this luxury.

Add to all of this, the weather and road damage, which also forced the cancellation of several European football teams to cancel pre-season tours in China too. My train from the APRC in Zhangye was affected by the rain damage, being rerouted and rescheduled, despite being on the opposite side of the country and the damage being already a month old.

Now, I am about to head back to Hong Kong and fly back to Australia, two weeks earlier than scheduled but that is how life goes. For those still intending to head to China despite the cancellation, the De An Motorsport team will be hosting a mid-season test day on September 11 instead of Rally Beijing, with the Prodrive built S6 VW Golf.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Rally China is unlikely to make the WRC calendar in 2017.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/126820

Seems the 'damaged roads' wasnt the reason for 2016's cancellation, but an excuse as I suspected.

[bowler]

The manufacturers, french especially, wanted an event in China more than the Chinese did. It was lucky the weather provided an excuse that allowed a saving of face.

[Mintexmemory]

Rally China is unlikely to make the WRC calendar in 2017.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/126820

Seems the 'damaged roads' wasnt the reason for 2016's cancellation, but an excuse as I suspected.

Phew!! So Rally Oz can go back to September and NZ (or Turkey) could take the previous Rally France weekend, vacated by th move to April

[GigiGalliNo1]

No VW no China