When did the World Rally Championship jump the shark? [Archive]

colin edwards

9th July 2010, 09:57

As in, the point where it was all downhill from then on? For me, it was when they brought in the SupeRally rule at the start of the 2005 season. Allowing competitors to rejoin and have a chance of scoring points after a DNF is ludicrous and the series has never been the same for me since.

Mintexmemory

9th July 2010, 10:26

When the cloverleaf became the accepted format for WRC events or maybe when RAC / Network Q rally became Wales Rally GB :rolleyes:

Daniel

9th July 2010, 10:30

2005 or so for me too.

Hartusvuori

9th July 2010, 10:48

Yet another therapic topic?

Daniel

9th July 2010, 13:43

Yet another therapic topic?
Time to call the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaambulance? :)

gravelman

9th July 2010, 18:55

I reckon around 2004-2004, when the cars became more and more far removed form their roadgoing counterparts in terms of their appearance. Early WR cars were much more similar in appearance to the cars they were based upon. The glamourising and hypeing up of the scen by ISC as being F1 on gravel etc.. Generally the unique character of the various rallies being taken away and having to adapt to this formulaic template set out by the promotors; Rally(insert country name here) instead of what they were originally known as; 1000 lakes, Acropolis etc.

MJW

9th July 2010, 19:21

it was good up til about year 2000, Finland had two service parks at Tikakasi and Halli. GB still had a Cheltenham base, allthough all forest stages were in Wales it still had a few stately homes of England type stages. In a nutshell it started to turn to **** when DR tried to make it F1 with a paddock style service park.
Great days in the 1990's when Toyota had 2 helicopters, 2 mobile workshops 5 Lancruisers and 15 vans,,,,,,, It sad when oldies like me prefer recce servicing to the actual rally. Its boring at service park.....

HaCo

9th July 2010, 19:32

I think it was when they only allowed 2-car teams.

koko0703

10th July 2010, 12:29

I think it was when they only allowed 2-car teams.

I agree. At the begining of 2004 when FIA introduced new 3 car team rule with 3rd car only for young driver without podium for previous 2 seasons and then ditched the new rule before the season even started.

tmx

10th July 2010, 18:14

Rally(insert country name here) instead of what they were originally known as; 1000 lakes, Acropolis etc. It's actually obnoxious and come from F1 too. Abu Dhabi BP Ultimate Ford World Rally Team, and now referring to the car "Mad-Croc Petter Solberg World Rally Team Citroen C4 WRC".

For me, it must have been when Markko Martin stop rallying and there wasn't any real competition on the top anymore with Citroen dominating.

N.O.T

10th July 2010, 19:58

on july 16th 1975 around 4:37pm GMT...maybe.

cut the b.s.

10th July 2010, 22:36

on july 16th 1975 around 4:37pm GMT...maybe.

your birthday?? :)

N.O.T

10th July 2010, 22:41

i am not that old, but far grumpier than that age...

Daniel

11th July 2010, 15:37

I must say that the WRC has gone from strength to strength now that codrivers names are allowed on the side windows of the cars :)

pino

11th July 2010, 17:20

When Gigi Galli retired :( :p :

Macd

12th July 2010, 01:48

When Colin McRae retired. But really I would say this slippery slope started in 2002/03

lcd

12th July 2010, 08:14

When they ( FIA, teams, drivers e.t.c. ) started thinking of ways
to protect the cars from serious damages...

AndyRAC

12th July 2010, 08:49

Interesting question. Personally, I think there have been a few ‘moments’ that have put the sport on a downward spiral.
The FiA’s decision to introduce the ‘cloverleaf’ format – immediately, the roaming ‘classic’ events (Monte, RAC, etc) were emasculated, add in the 9-5 hours, no night stages. Trying to make it ‘F1 on Gravel’. What we are left with are identikit events; 2/3 stages, service, same stages repeated. Not exactly endurance!! Events should be a mix of 2,3,4,5 days – all with different challenges.
The other pivotal moment was 2004/5 when a few Manufacturers all left at the same time. So the FiA brought in SupeRally. What they should have done was brought in a new cheaper formula for 2007/8 to attract the Manufacturers. More Manufacturers=more drivers, possibly more drivers challenging. With more drivers challenging, there is a story, and possibly attracting better media coverage.
I honestly don’t see what Ford/Citroen get out of the current WRC – Wow, you beat one other competitor!

N.O.T

12th July 2010, 09:23

I honestly don’t see what Ford/Citroen get out of the current WRC – Wow, you beat one other competitor!

it was always like that....1-2 maximum 3 competitve manufacturers and the rest were just spectators...whats the difference in having 10 manufacturers when you actually have a battle beteween the 2 of them seat hyundai mitsubishi suzuki and subaru in the last few years were just watching the action from the sidelines.

the problem is you seem to be very pesimistic about the sport....as everything in life this also goes in circles.... good times lead to bad times and visa versa. the thing is that crybabies will always be crybabies and will cry like little girls all the time no matter what. the thing is crying never solved anything and suggesting stupid solutions like 10 day events 100 night stages and crocodile pits just shows you must start watching some girly sport like football.

BOZIANracing

12th July 2010, 14:26

the problem is you seem to be very pesimistic about the sport....as everything in life this also goes in circles.... good times lead to bad times and visa versa. the thing is that crybabies will always be crybabies and will cry like little girls all the time no matter what. the thing is crying never solved anything and suggesting stupid solutions like 10 day events 100 night stages and crocodile pits just shows you must start watching some girly sport like football.[/QUOTE]

ouch! everyone is entitled to their opinion man.. was watching the old 2001 videos on youtube,differen times.. :( the sport is a shadow of itself

12th July 2010, 18:19

When Peugeot left, when Subaru wasn't competative and all we were left with was with Citroen and Ford teams with 2 drivers each.

But I must say that this season is actually quite interesting for me, Oiger challenging Loeb, P. Solberg is in a good car setting good times. Rally NZ was really exciting for me this year. This year we have had 4 different drivers win a rally. I think the WRC hit it's low and is on its way back. Hopefully with new cars next year, more teams and more drivers, it will be like before.

lcd

13th July 2010, 08:02

it was always like that....1-2 maximum 3 competitve manufacturers and the rest were just spectators...whats the difference in having 10 manufacturers when you actually have a battle beteween the 2 of them seat hyundai mitsubishi suzuki and subaru in the last few years were just watching the action from the sidelines...

Very much agreed!

Glee

14th July 2010, 23:24

The WRC did get one thing from F1, a Schumacher (Loeb).
A competition with only one fixed winner is not interesting.

sollitt

15th July 2010, 00:05

There is no one to blame for that. All you can do is revell in his excellence and when, years from now, when people talk in awe of his multiple title wins and his genuis, (as happens today with Vatenan, Toivenan etc... ) you'll be able to do as we older fans do now and say "I was there, I remember seeing that."

NOT, once again you're spot on. There's far too much whinging. The sport's fortunes have always fluctuated ... and they always will.

Anderton

15th July 2010, 08:07

For me, since Gronholm left, it has just been total dominance by Loeb, which isn't really interesting. Lack of teams at the moment also meaning less interest :(

figjam

15th July 2010, 13:02

Ford cannot complete with a company like Citroen which gets millions of euros from french tax payers. Citroen went bankrupt in 1974 for the second time and should of been allowed to die then. This did not happen due to french nationalism.

Seriously what country the size of france needs 3 major car manufacturers. If it wasn't for government bailouts they would not be able to compete in an open market place. It's all down to egos from the "surrender monkeys".

Level playing field, my arse...........

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/europe/article5554586.ece

http://www.france24.com/en/20090211-france-defends-auto-bailout-amid-protectionism-row-lemaire-eu

http://www.computeroutpost.com.au/store/item.asp?code=A-CITTX3

"....... brought about Citroen's bankruptcy in the mid 1930s"

Daniel

15th July 2010, 13:10

:rotflmao: that's made my day.

I may be wrong but I think Renno, Citroen and Peugeot export cars so that's how they can justify 3 biig car makers.

Soem British sour grapes at the practically non-existent British car manufacturing industry?

N.O.T

15th July 2010, 13:11

Francis44

15th July 2010, 13:15

Yeah and American government has also helped some car company's, they didn't help Ford because they didn't needed.

Daniel

15th July 2010, 13:15

NOT, perhaps we need to call a waaaaaaaaambulance for this sick dog :D

janvanvurpa

16th July 2010, 19:37

It's all down to egos from the "surrender monkeys".

Level playing field, my arse...........

You sound like an idiot American, yet that's not a US flag you're flying...and I can't make out what flag it is except the Union Jack in the field.

Have you no sense of shame?

I think the inappropriateness of that idiotic and offensive comment ought to earn figjam a couple of weeks ban, unless he can explain clearly why he felt he should insult a nation of millions of people with impunity.

Daniel

16th July 2010, 19:53

You sound like an idiot American, yet that's not a US flag you're flying...and I can't make out what flag it is except the Union Jack in the field.

Have you no sense of shame?

I think the inappropriateness of that idiotic and offensive comment ought to earn figjam a couple of weeks ban, unless he can explain clearly why he felt he should insult a nation of millions of people with impunity.
Just call him a sick dog and move on :D I'm beginning to understand why NOT says it :D

serial jeff

16th July 2010, 20:21

the problem is you seem to be very pesimistic about the sport....as everything in life this also goes in circles.... good times lead to bad times and visa versa. the thing is that crybabies will always be crybabies and will cry like little girls all the time no matter what. the thing is crying never solved anything and suggesting stupid solutions like 10 day events 100 night stages and crocodile pits just shows you must start watching some girly sport like football.

Word.

Also, I suspect this topic was created mostly because the OP wanted to use the phrase 'jump the shark'.