The future of the WRC (my vision)

[tech3]

Lets face it, the WRC has seen better years. This is my idea of making things good again.

In my view, WRC cars should be bigger(around the same size as an Audi Quattro), 2.5 litre engine, generating around 380-400 bhp. Control specification sequential gearbox, no electronic driving aids and an open tyre formula. Only 10 examples of the car used would have to be produced, encouraging more innovate designs. This effectively makes the car a combination of Group B, Group S and Super 2000. With car safety more sophisticated than back in the 80's, cars would be more exciting to watch and as safe as today's current WRC cars

I would have around 10 events, 2 of which would be 2 week long cross country raids.

[N.O.T]

you have some very good ideas there....very cheap also.

[tech3]

Cheers for your response. I would also ditch the useless and greedy North One sport as promoter.

[Tomi]

Lets face it, the WRC has seen better years. This is my idea of making things good again.

In my view, WRC cars should be bigger(around the same size as an Audi Quattro), 2.5 litre engine, generating around 380-400 bhp. Control specification sequential gearbox, no electronic driving aids and an open tyre formula. Only 10 examples of the car used would have to be produced, encouraging more innovate designs. This effectively makes the car a combination of Group B, Group S and Super 2000. With car safety more sophisticated than back in the 80's, cars would be more exciting to watch and as safe as today's current WRC cars

I would have around 10 events, 2 of which would be 2 week long cross country raids.

looks to me like a formula, that would not attract a single manufacturer.

[Barreis]

I like it.. What about greedy guys who wants to sell their cars for 500 000GBP + vat (10 is not enough for them)?

[urabus-denoS2000]

Nice ideas but you cant limit it to making 10 cars because by that you would kill priveteer competition

[grugsticles]

Visually and technically I like it but I dont think manufacturers will go for it.

Personally, Id like a formula that is basically Group N.
Ie. Take any car, turbo charge the stock engine, add a front mount inter cooler, use a control ECU (ie. Motec/Autronic), add roll cage, add dampers and bolt on suspension modifications and add required safety gear.
As for drive line teams can choose to use a mixture of stock components, off the shelf after market parts, and or an array specifically developed parts as described by the FIA (like how S2000 cars use a common drive line).

One thing to emphasize that the strength of components can only be increased by re-enforcing a stock component rather than redesigning a new component specifically for rallying. The trade off is extra weight from reinforced components adds weight to the car and lessens performance.
The end result is a battle for teams to find a balance between reliability and outright speed.

I dont see how any manufacturer could not have a competative car for under AU $200,000, if not less.

[serial jeff]

Personally, Id like a formula that is basically Group N.
Ie. Take any car, turbo charge the stock engine, add a front mount inter cooler, use a control ECU (ie. Motec/Autronic), add roll cage, add dampers and bolt on suspension modifications and add required safety gear.
...
I dont see how any manufacturer could not have a competative car for under AU $200,000, if not less.

That's exactly the direction I'd like best... I want to see production derived vehicles, not purpose-built cars. What is the point of calling it a Focus or C4 if its nothing remotely like the actual vehicle?

If they were cheaper and closer to production vehicles we could see a lot more competitive privateers in the WRC. Mostly running in a wrx or evo, but maybe even a TTS quattro, or a 997 on tarmac.

[Ghostwalker]

That's exactly the direction I'd like best... I want to see production derived vehicles, not purpose-built cars. What is the point of calling it a Focus or C4 if its nothing remotely like the actual vehicle?

If they were cheaper and closer to production vehicles we could see a lot more competitive privateers in the WRC. Mostly running in a wrx or evo, but maybe even a TTS quattro, or a 997 on tarmac.

actually i'd like the opposite. This is the WRC the pinnacle championship
of rallying. If i want to see some standard cars i'll go watch a local rally.

For the world championship i would like to see purpose built cars
like Grp A or WRC cars. They are appealing to me because they are advanced cars that are fast and powerful without being as extreme as the GrpB cars.

If i would put the effort, time and money on attending a wrc rally i would like to get good value in return.
And grp N (and to some extent <=S2k) cars alone wont give me that value.

IMO all this simplification and cost saving just devaluates the
World Rally Championship from a pinnacle to some standard b-series.

Its like FIA would transform F1 to GP2/3 standards.

[alexw]

One of the disappointing things I see about the WRC is that the cars are so fragile these days.

Once upon a time, drivers could have a rollover, push the car back on it's wheels and keep going.

I have a photo on my wall of Sainz's car on it's side (from 2004?) - the text below it says that he finished the event on the podium. Compare that to Hirvonen's experience in Jordan rally.

Longer, harder stages and more robust cars would make the competition more interesting (but less close).

[6789]

actually i'd like the opposite. This is the WRC the pinnacle championship
of rallying. If i want to see some standard cars i'll go watch a local rally.

For the world championship i would like to see purpose built cars
like Grp A or WRC cars. They are appealing to me because they are advanced cars that are fast and powerful without being as extreme as the GrpB cars.

If i would put the effort, time and money on attending a wrc rally i would like to get good value in return.
And grp N (and to some extent <=S2k) cars alone wont give me that value.

IMO all this simplification and cost saving just devaluates the
World Rally Championship from a pinnacle to some standard b-series.

Its like FIA would transform F1 to GP2/3 standards.

I like your idea :)

Group N Cars are alittle boring compared to thw WRC cars, thats just my opinion

[AndyRAC]

actually i'd like the opposite. This is the WRC the pinnacle championship
of rallying. If i want to see some standard cars i'll go watch a local rally.

For the world championship i would like to see purpose built cars
like Grp A or WRC cars. They are appealing to me because they are advanced cars that are fast and powerful without being as extreme as the GrpB cars.

If i would put the effort, time and money on attending a wrc rally i would like to get good value in return.
And grp N (and to some extent <=S2k) cars alone wont give me that value.

IMO all this simplification and cost saving just devaluates the
World Rally Championship from a pinnacle to some standard b-series.

Its like FIA would transform F1 to GP2/3 standards.

Do we want a series for 'Production based' cars, or Prototypes??

I think that the more specialised the car, the more expensive - and less Manufacturer interest. And that is the problem - World Rallying has become less relevant. Make the cars simpler and cheaper to attract interest, then it maybe better.

[Gard]

I want it much simpler. except for safety requirements it should only be one rule. IT MUST BE WHEEL DRIVEN

[grugsticles]

Do we want a series for 'Production based' cars, or Prototypes??

I think that the more specialised the car, the more expensive - and less Manufacturer interest. And that is the problem - World Rallying has become less relevant. Make the cars simpler and cheaper to attract interest, then it maybe better.
Thats how I see it and the point I was trying to get across - the WRC should be more relevant for the cars they are supposed to be advertising.
Great work of being able to put thought to writing.

[koko0703]

To attract more manufacturers, the cost of operating WRC program has to stay in a reasonable range but the cost shouldn't take the technical challenge away. In general, a lot of car manufacturers are putting their effort in hybrid, electric, and clean-diesel, so I think WRC should also allow some freedom in the direction of where the car manufacturers are looking into. I think Le Mans are a good example of letting manufactures to introduce what they are actually interested in, and WRC should follow the same.

[Simmi]

One of the disappointing things I see about the WRC is that the cars are so fragile these days.

Once upon a time, drivers could have a rollover, push the car back on it's wheels and keep going.

I have a photo on my wall of Sainz's car on it's side (from 2004?) - the text below it says that he finished the event on the podium. Compare that to Hirvonen's experience in Jordan rally.

Longer, harder stages and more robust cars would make the competition more interesting (but less close).

I dont think there are any huge differences between now and the Xsara. Its to do with the force/loadings on the components in the two accidents. It comes down to fine fractions as to whether one breaks and another survives. You could say Sainz was lucky or Hirvonen unlucky. WRCs have not suddenly got less robust in the past five years.

Also funny to see the sarcasm missed at the start of the thread. One of the best things about forums.