[WRC] Wales Rally GB

[tfp]

20 years ago I'd agree with you, but now with shorter rallies where drivers have to be on it 100% of the time they simply cant have caution everywhere, this was 1 terrible spot in the whole rally, marshals were right beside it, they should have acted, if it had been a remote spot then its part of life, here it was easy to see what was happening for the onlookers and they should have acted earlier in flagging the cars down.

I'm not familiar with what happened to Ostberg, but my opinion is that if it is a hazard that can be seen then fair game, if it is something hidden like the Sweet Lamb wreck zone was hidden by the jump then if possible the drivers deserve a little help

I'll have a look for the video for you, he had an off in germany and gave the warning triangle to a marshall, ostberg expected him to do the marshall thing and use it to warn the other cars of a hazard up ahead. Instead, the marshall looked a bit confused, like he diddnt know what to do with it, then Mads took the triangle off him and ran off down the stage with it. Cue a big cheer from the fans spectating

[Allyc85]

Oh yes and in my summary of the event I forgot to congratulate Craig Breen on his Academy win

Tourist my bloody arse....

[Mintexmemory]

Just back in circulation after a brilliant 5 days. JML is the Man now -Loeb was reported as having said 'he is now a rival'. The win couldn't have gone to a nicer guy.
Wales Rally GB 2011 - Shakedown at Builth Wells*: un album sur Flickr
This is my set of shakedown digitals. More added day by day as I get the time to process. Hopefully, by early next week I'll have my 35mm stuff processed - had a nice conversation with Carlos Del Barrio about 35mm cameras at the pre-podium holding area. He noticed my Pentax KM and said he was going to get a Nikon FM 10. (photos of that location to come)
Big respect to all the top 10 finishers in different ways, to Hayden Paddon, who worked wonders with the R4 Impreza which has had no suspension development and Craig Breen for totally dominating the Academy. (can't get the grin off my face)

[Andre Oliveira]

Day 3 coverage has the jump in question with WRCars... (ESPN coverage)

This is WRC coverage from the jump, not so dug out at all

Wales Rally GB 2011. - YouTube

Thanks! Any photo of Henning in the final podium?

[Xsara Fan]

Thanks! Any photo of Henning in the final podium?

http://www.almrally.ru/imagelib/WRC/...es_henning.jpg

[Tinke1979]

Nice comment on a motorsport forum, I cracked up. Rallying is dangerous - I guess it needs to be stopped.

Ofcourse the marshalls should have warned crews earlier. But all talking about cancelling the stage or giving competitors back their entry fee is total nonsense.

I´ve heard that marshalls were warning about this place in stage startline.. Don´t know if this is true or not.. One warning triangle should be enough to warn others here... Conditions and roadsurface is always changing in rallying..

Btw. We have a nice trip on Wales not manage to see any offroads or crashes but multiple close calls and fine driving!

[darkstar]

that jump is really nasty, here´s a bit similar situation. it was basically a straight, but the stage was driven 3 times and from braking etc. the road got worse ansd worse, then it ended like this: Hellendoorn Rallye crash - YouTube

[uranium]

Mentos team is testing Mini

[JoostSchouten]

What a great weekend it was, saw really fast stages!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AogmMM77aGw

Watch my video in HD at Youtube: WRC Wales Rally GB 2011 (HD) - YouTube

[sollitt]

Suggestions that the stage should have been stopped are naive. The road was traversable therefore no reason to stop it at all.
The video of the front running cars shows that the road was fine at that time and any suggestion that the stage be stopped or altered, or warning given, would have to be very carefully considered before any action taken.

As the area was a significant spectator point there ought have been a senior official present whose word the Clerk of Course would trust. That being the case, he or she should have assessed the situation immediately it became apparent there was an issue and arranged for an appropriate warning to be issued at the stage start. There is a suggestion, unconfirmed, that this did happen.

Other than that, a warning sign might have been appropriate however it's unlikely they'd have one with them in which case they could have commandeered a Zetka triangle or two from one of the stricken cars.

Other than that there's not a hell of a lot that the marshalls could have or should have done. Remember that the main reason they're there at all is probably crowd control and that competitors themselves have a responsibility to look out for each others welfare.

There was a suggestion made that marshalls ought be trained to 'obey instructions from competitors'. I doubt there's a rally organiser anywhere in the world who would agree with that idea. Most competitors wouldn't know which way their arse is pointed and in fact it is they who are required to obey instructions from officials.

Similarly someone suggested that, in a German event, a marshall was handed a Zetka and expected to do something with it. What? To wave it is an indication that a following competitor is required to stop and render urgently needed assistance. Placing it on the ground is a warning that there is a stricken car ahead possibly blocking some, or all, of the road and doing this is a responsibilty of the competitor, not the marshall.