[WRC] News & Rumours 2018

[rallyfiend]

Okay I'm fan of 16 events maybe, but Ciesla's words about not having more tarmac's is stupid. So then there will be 12 gravel rallies, 2 mixed and one snow???

Maybe sample how could they manage it:

1. Monte-Carlo (Mixed Snow-Tarmac)
2. Sweden (Snow)
3. Mexico (Gravel)
4. Tour De Corse (Tarmac)
5. Argentina (Gravel)
6. Chile (Gravel)
7. Portugal (Gravel)
8. San Remo (Tarmac)
9. Acropolis (Gravel)
10. Finland (Gravel)
11. Deutchland (Tarmac)
12. Wales (Gravel)
13. Japan (Tarmac)
14. Catalunya (Mixed Gravel-Tarmac)
15. Australia (Gravel)
16. Croatia (Tarmac)

Didn't he say 'no more tarmac in Europe' as opposed to no more tarmac at all?

[seb_sh]

Yes I think some people are knee-jerking; he specifically said there are enough tarmac events in Europe not that he doesn't want to add any tarmac events. Also, I think he's right about pushing too much for "classic" events, the calendar should be balanced with new and old events but most importantly it should have good events. No point in going back to san remo (just giving a random example) if you have to cancel half the stages because spectators are out of control.

[AnttiL]

https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...twoday-rallies

Ciesla considers shortening the events to two days and then adding 3 events to the calendar.

It's hard for me to see how removing one day from the existing events would cut the expenses enough to allow adding new events. The logistics must be the biggest expense in the events and that won't become any cheaper if there's more events.

[Simmi]

Agreed I don't think those sums will add up in the eyes of the teams.

Let's see what happens. It's funny to me how vital this Chinese event was that has now sunk without trace. It was on tarmac too so could have been a nice solution.

[ESTR]

Well if he don't want tarmac in Europe they are on good way to add more outside.. Really.. Chile? That made me laugh.. Some time ago Abu Dhabi, Canada, Chile, Croatia, India, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Russia and Turkey want their place. Turkey got it. I see only Japan and Korea in tarmac specs outside of Europe. Others are gravel so I don't know who are they fooling.

[Andre Oliveira]

https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...twoday-rallies

Ciesla considers shortening the events to two days and then adding 3 events to the calendar.

It's hard for me to see how removing one day from the existing events would cut the expenses enough to allow adding new events. The logistics must be the biggest expense in the events and that won't become any cheaper if there's more events.

The problem is if promoter wants last stage as midday live TV. So 1,5 days of rally. World Rallysprint Championship.

They don’t need change the rallies. They need understand that they need do what other sports did, a media/internet/tv revolution. Not change rules every time

Rallies should have weekend stages to people who works and can’t go to week stages, but hardcore fans need week stages, need that feel of be free, be different, see something unique.

And no Rally 2 or Rally 2 between sections instead legs?

But if WRC, the WORLD Rally Champion goes to it. What about ERC? One rally in one morning? And national championships? 1 stage? Buhhh lets create a new promoter and a new XWRC, eXtreme Rally Championship

What you think about no second runs? Costs more but people don’t be at same time. Imagine 2 days with huge crowd like Fafe... they will be like sheep

[AnttiL]

The problem is if promoter wants last stage as midday live TV. So 1,5 days of rally. World Rallysprint Championship.

Like I said on twitter, this could work:
Friday: Shakedown, ceremonial Start, super special, one leg of night stages
Saturday: 3 legs of stages (instead of 2 like now)
Sunday: Like now.

It would shorten the rally week by one day but keep the stage kms the same.

[AnttiL]

Also, this was said by Colin Clark on twitter

Maybe slightly controversial, but for me the future of rallying lies with the audience at home and not so much with the audience in the stages

[Simmi]

It stings a bit as someone who attends a lot of rallies, but what Colin says is correct there about the audience at home. It's the same with the vast majority of sports. The people in the stages, or in the stadiums, are already converted fans.

[Gregor-y]

That's what Dave Richards was saying fifteen years ago, and what Max Mosley was saying about F1 forty years ago. It's cheaper to set cameras up on a circuit and broadcast than have film crews moving around and sending in a signal from the woods, though. Live coverage, recaps and access to them on TV or online of rally is messier now than a few years ago.