Thread: How do you see the future of rally?

Originally Posted by Mirek

Is it accidental that WRC started to die after it was banned in regional and national championships? I believe it isn't...

Yes, I would say that it is.
I think they never should have been allowed in National Championships.

But as you started to say, I will not seem like someone who does not agree with someone else.
But when we criticize the FIA, we must remember that they depend on making regulations which lasts for some time, if they are to enable manufacturers to invest in a WRC car.
And what direction the world takes, when we talk about the economy, people's interest in sports, how good the various sports is to promote their sport, how environmental thinking etc etc etc are things FIA must guess the same way as stock speculators guessing when they buy shares. All share speculators think they are very smart, but we can probably conclude that not all is.
And make good explanations in after time, are extremely easy.

Originally Posted by Coach 2

Yes, I would say that it is.
I think they never should have been allowed in National Championships.

How can national championships then be expected to flourish if, in terms of the cars used, they are distinctly second class?

Originally Posted by Coach 2

But when we criticize the FIA, we must remember that they depend on making regulations which lasts for some time, if they are to enable manufacturers to invest in a WRC car.

They seem now to be most interested only in what goes on in the FIA-sanctioned championships rather than looking at the wider interests of the sports under their jurisdiction as a whole.

Originally Posted by navtheace

GpA was an excellent formula. When it was around, no manufacturer complained about not being able to put on a body kit. They rallied what they sold as the road car.

This is slightly misleading and not entirely correct.
The 'road car' was actually the commercialised version of the rally car. The manufacturers had no reason to complain about not being permitted to add a bodykit as, when this was wanted, it was already incorporated into the design, and hence, the homologation.

Originally Posted by BDunnell

How can national championships then be expected to flourish if, in terms of the cars used, they are distinctly second class?
How do you explain, the success of the S2000.
Remember, I wrote that WRC should not have been allowed, not what else should have been instead. (read between the lines and think about money).
When the Swedish rally was on top (when talking about the number of participants), they had a completely separate regulations that were restrictive with all that cost much money, but not with things that increased durability.


They seem now to be most interested only in what goes on in the FIA-sanctioned championships rather than looking at the wider interests of the sports under their jurisdiction as a whole.

Im not the one who believes that FIA are doing everything right and is the great defender of what they decide, but I do not think it's so easy to do better than them, as some others.
You must remember that they do not want to destroy their livelihoods.

I'm not the best to write here.
Part of my answer is in the square.

Things can get even more complicated when the hybrid/full electric cars get into the rally game.

This thread once again brought out.
Still I see no positives for the future of the WRC.
More bad news is certainly coming, but you must also see that the economization of the world has influence on the sport and certainly Rally.
I have not responded to what's happening in Portugal because then I still get attacked again, my opinions come here later or never. I'll wait until we hear more news of the factory teams and their future.

I’m not sure the current time is the best time for new Manufacturers to join. I’m also coming to the conclusion that Rallying is possibly no longer as relevant as it was to the major Manufacturers. Other series allow hybrids, diesels, etc
Saying that, VW arriving is a big coup....but others are needed. As are sponsors, etc
However, it doesn’t help when the stakeholders are disagreeing over the future direction. The woeful media coverage doesn’t help. The Power stage – made for TV has been hit & miss this year.

I agree with what you write here AndyRAC, we also see that there is already in motorsport rates to be canceled because too few participants and money problems. Also in WRC and IRC we see fewer drivers. When will we see the first canceling of a wrc rally this year? Of course I hope that in the future the WRC remains.

Nice post but unfortunately I have no information about this.

In the last issue of Vauhdin Maailama Toni Gardemeister tells that in his opinion one big reason for the descent in motorsport was when the advertising of tobacco products were banned. Maybe a general lack of sponsors nowadays.

Originally Posted by OldF

In the last issue of Vauhdin Maailama Toni Gardemeister tells that in his opinion one big reason for the descent in motorsport was when the advertising of tobacco products were banned. Maybe a general lack of sponsors nowadays.

You're right. I think only Portugal, NZ & Finland hace commercial sponsors for their events; Vodafone, Brother & Neste Oils......The rest are backed by Tourist/Regional boards....which isn't healthy. It might help if the sport was attractive to sponsors - look what happened to Prodrive; good results but no sponsor.

Too long with too complicated and way too expensive cars lead to loss of manufacturers and then loss of other sponsors. That because general interest on rallying was lost because only 2 manufacturers. I blame big teams and FIA that they allowed (and still to some extent allow) rallycars be too expensive and boring. Less wings, less suspension travel etc would make it easier for new reams to enter + make watching it more interesting.

Toni is of course right in that banning cigarette advertisement has hit motorsports very hard. Healthnazism sucks

Originally Posted by COD

Toni is of course right in that banning cigarette advertisement has hit motorsports very hard. Healthnazism sucks

Energy Drinks have taken over where Tobacco once was as Motorsport sponsorship is concerned.
Both are similar in the fact that they are cheap to make and so have massive profit margins.

It's all in the marketing, Red Bull is king in that department, 2x F1 Teams plus a presence in almost every other motor racing or adrenaline sport.

One day I can see these being banned as well. Research in this country has stated Energy Drinks provide no therapeutic benefit and are associated with risks for serious adverse health effects. These include liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory disorders, agitation, confusion, nausea, vomiting, heart failure, etc.

No connection to cancer.... yet.

I guess it's still early days, and Energy Drinks are still on their honeymoon period and making squillions of $$$. Like smoking it will take a generation or more before the masses wake up and see that they are exchanging their money for a can of water, sugar and toxins.

Originally Posted by COD

Too long with too complicated and way too expensive cars lead to loss of manufacturers and then loss of other sponsors. That because general interest on rallying was lost because only 2 manufacturers. I blame big teams and FIA that they allowed (and still to some extent allow) rallycars be too expensive and boring. Less wings, less suspension travel etc would make it easier for new reams to enter + make watching it more interesting.

get rid of the overly active controls in a rallycar, and bring back centre console mounted gear changes.

it would have been nice to see if Sebastian Loeb is actually a freak, or lucky to have had very easy cars to drive quickly, without pesky competition from many different Marques, not just on or two competitive ones.

Originally Posted by smokin'joe

get rid of the overly active controls in a rallycar, and bring back centre console mounted gear changes.

it would have been nice to see if Sebastian Loeb is actually a freak, or lucky to have had very easy cars to drive quickly, without pesky competition from many different Marques, not just on or two competitive ones.

Which active controls are You talking about? There are almost none in new WRC cars. Almost everything in new cars is purely mechanical - differentials, gearbox, throttle... You can hardly make cars simpler than they are now.

Originally Posted by smokin'joe

get rid of the overly active controls in a rallycar, and bring back centre console mounted gear changes.

it would have been nice to see if Sebastian Loeb is actually a freak, or lucky to have had very easy cars to drive quickly, without pesky competition from many different Marques, not just on or two competitive ones.

what are you smoking Joe?

One sponsor I can’t recall seeing for a while in rallying is Repsol. Repsol was always where Sainz was.

A pity Prodrive couldn't entice them to back Sordo, then. Where is Sainz these days? Maybe Repsol will turn up on the Polo.