How to improve ERC ?

[Sulland]

Can we make ERC into a feeder series into the WRC, and improve the prestige of winning it.

Today we rarely hear that the ERC winner is so good that he will be offered a seat in WRC the following year.

Today I feel that the ERC is something that is interesting for Mid, east and south Europe. How can we make it into something that gives the drivers and teams, and not the least the sponsors.

How can we make one european rally championship, and get it so high profile that it will be the logical next step from a national championship before WRC ?

[Mirek]

At first, public must at least know that there is some European Championship and who is competing there. How can be anything interesting for sponsors and drivers if there is no media and public interest?

[RS]

There is no real ladder into the WRC anyway. There are the 6/8 works seats with established stars, then whoever can pay in the M2 cars.

[AndyRAC]

]At first, public must at least know that there is some European Championship and who is competing there. How can be anything interesting for sponsors and drivers if there is no media and public interest?

Sadly, you could be talking about the WRC as well.

[Tomi]

Id rather like to see a Nordic Championship series, where all drivers would be obligated to participate in 1 National Championship rally of own choise in all countries that join, that would not be too expensive for privateers because of low travel costs, and the arrangement cost would be the same too.

[Sulland]

Id rather like to see a Nordic Championship series, where all drivers would be obligated to participate in 1 National Championship rally of own choise in all countries that join, that would not be too expensive for privateers because of low travel costs, and the arrangement cost would be the same too.

I fully agree !

In what classes ?

[Tomi]

I fully agree !

In what classes ?

GrN, Grn, S2000+, actually its the same what classes, the main idea is to find a series where young drivers with ambition could get the first taste of international rally in a cheap way and at the same learn different road types. Also it could be an open series so that drivers from countries that dont arrange events also could join.

[MJW]

I thought you meant European Rallycross Championship when you said ERC.

[Sulland]

Yes can see that they can mix, maybe we even need a new name for it ??

But I was referring to this one: http://www.rally-erc.com/

[sal]

There is a Nordic Championship already it's called the WRC...

The European Championship (ERC) was always a problem child. Lots of qualifying events with differing co-efficients with only Lancia/Fiat involved as a manufacturer on a regualar basis in the 70s and 80s. I cant really remember it being promoted as a series even when the Championship was slimmed down to it's current format. The only tangible evidence I have seen in the past was an out of date website and a press brochure I picked up in Gran Canaria during the El Corte Ingles rally about 5 years ago. There have always been classic events in the Championship but many are now just rounds of the varying national series.

It was suggested that the JWRC would merge with the ERC at one point to provide a true "feeder" series to the WRC but this obviously never happened. The IRC has slotted in the gap previously occupied by the ERC and now it appears to be an Eastern Europe Series of interest only to well heeled drivers from the Balkan and surrounding countries so it would be a brave person who would take on promoting the series!

[Tomi]

There is a Nordic Championship already it's called the WRC...

The European Championship (ERC) was always a problem child. Lots of qualifying events with differing co-efficients with only Lancia/Fiat involved as a manufacturer on a regualar basis in the 70s and 80s. I cant really remember it being promoted as a series even when the Championship was slimmed down to it's current format. The only tangible evidence I have seen in the past was an out of date website and a press brochure I picked up in Gran Canaria during the El Corte Ingles rally about 5 years ago. There have always been classic events in the Championship but many are now just rounds of the varying national series.

It was suggested that the JWRC would merge with the ERC at one point to provide a true "feeder" series to the WRC but this obviously never happened. The IRC has slotted in the gap previously occupied by the ERC and now it appears to be an Eastern Europe Series of interest only to well heeled drivers from the Balkan and surrounding countries so it would be a brave person who would take on promoting the series!

I dont have much fate in any "feeder" serie, but I belive that a driver needs tough competition to develope driver skills, and if that can be arranged to reasonable cost it might give the drivers advantage later in the carreer when they have to show their skills for the top teams in WRC.
No team really takes chanses with drivers today, its too expensive and it will still be, what ever car they will use on the top level.

[AndyRAC]

If the WRC was only 12 events, surely there would be space for a 'proper' ERC. Using events that weren't used by the WRC.

[COD]

ERC's biggest problem has allways been that it had those stupid co-effient things and that it has basically been an all tarmac series.

The IRC has taken the right route in becoming a feeder series for WRC

[N.O.T]

The IRC has taken the right route in becoming a feeder series for WRC

forthe moment the IRC looks more like a second chance for those that failed in WRC...rather than a feeder to the WRC

[RS]

forthe moment the IRC looks more like a second chance for those that failed in WRC...rather than a feeder to the WRC

But if there were actually more paid factory seats in WRC that might be different. I am sure that the likes of Vouilloz and Rossetti would get a chance in WRC if the drives were there. I think it's pointless to discuss 'feeder' series unless there is something to feed into.

Who was the last one to really step up? Latvala maybe but he was replacing Gronholm. You could count Andersson but he was already heavily in the Suzuki family.

[urabus-denoS2000]

Serbia (YU) Rally is now a candidate for the ERC and has good chances to be in the 2009 ERC calendar

[Jarek Z]

Serbia (YU) Rally is now a candidate for the ERC and has good chances to be in the 2009 ERC calendar

Will YU Rally replace Croatia?

[urabus-denoS2000]

Will YU Rally replace Croatia?

Hope not...
But this year was really bad and there were some rumors

[Jarek Z]

Hope not...
But this year was really bad and there were some rumors

Then who needs another rally on nearly the same type of stages in the same region of Europe????

[PLuto]

I have never heard about chances in ERC for YU Rally. Next year will miss Rajd Polski and it looks there will be Asturias instead of it.

[urabus-denoS2000]

I have never heard about chances in ERC for YU Rally. Next year will miss Rajd Polski and it looks there will be Asturias instead of it.

It was said yesterday at the press conference

[urabus-denoS2000]

But remember,they are just candidates,they dont have to be in the calendar next year

[Sulland]

Here is yet another ERC Euro Rally Challenge: http://www.eurorallychallenge.eu/

So now we have 3:
Euro Rally Championship
Euro RallyCross Championship
Euro Rally Challenge

It is not strange that people are a bit confused. This naming confusion need to be straighten out !

[Jarek Z]

Don't forget there is also something called European Rally Cup, but I have no idea why it still exists.

I think that the idea that somebody mentioned here to merge ERC with JWRC is a good one. Why are young JWRC drivers with low budgets forced to drive exotic rallies like Jordan or Mexico?! Let them stay in europe. Top drivers come from Europe anyway and here is the cradle of rallying!

[OldF]

There are three European rally cups at the moment.

http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/championships/Pages/rally_euro_cups.aspx

Last year there was a north or north east cup also. Lot of different European something. :confused:

I must say that I was little surprised when I looked at the standings for ERC. A guy that is fourth in IRC is leading the ERC.

[Mirek]

OldF: Rossetti is concentrating on C.I.R. and ERC. He did aditional IRC Portugal because they paid him. In other cases he drove joint events. That's why he is in IRC standings. He will also do last ERC round in Antibes.

Anyway European Cups are totaly useless (half of our national championship has some coeficient for example). Noone cares about them.

[N.O.T]

The only valid solution is to merge it with IRC.

[PLuto]

]OldF: Rossetti is concentrating on C.I.R. and ERC. He did aditional IRC Portugal because they paid him. In other cases he drove joint events. That's why he is in IRC standings. He will also do last ERC round in Antibes.

Anyway European Cups are totaly useless (half of our national championship has some coeficient for example). Noone cares about them.

Euroepan cups was made only for organisers, who were in European Rally Championship with lower coefficients than 20. Nobody is interested in it, but organisers can say they are in European Cup (and nobody like government or sponsors dont understand difference between European Cup and European Championship) and of course organisers are giving money for being in this cup.