2022 ERC News & Rumours

[rallyfiend]

The ERC needs a rethink regarding the calendar, and host countries......And they need to sort the promotion. It's not good enough....

I guess next year the new promoter gets their first real chance to make changes. I think they were stuck with what Eurosport had agreed for this year.

I hope there are some new events.

It needs a bit of a shakeup

[Tom K]

So.. Catalunya as a ERC finale. Interesting solution. Maybe we will see only ERC in Salou next year...

[Eli]

So.. Catalunya as a ERC finale. Interesting solution. Maybe we will see only ERC in Salou next year...

Exactly what I wanted to say, is this their way of preparing the ground for next season? Would be a shame to lose this rally from the WRC, they need that tarmac round, especially now it's full tarmac again.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Spain confirmed then.... I wonder how WRC+ / ERC+ will show both ?

https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/2022-erc-finale-confirmed/

[Sal yet again]

What a lame cop out but can see why they have done it with a Spaniard likely to win the championship! Will save a few euro shipping BeccsyWeksy and co on another junket.

[PLuto]

It is simple - they didnt found any other event interested in investing money for the last round. And as they need to have 8 rounds because of all agreements and TV rights, they have found the easiest way...

[Sal yet again]

Which speaks volumes for the current state of the championship/s promoter. Everything is like a sticking plaster and needs a proper shakeup.

[Sal yet again]

Like a lot of people I had hoped that all the talk of a new dawn for the ERC and a feeder series for the WRC/WRC2/3 would have already born fruit however its kind of turned into the problem child that the parents just pack off to boarding school rather than sit down and work out what the problem is.

There still seem to be enough well healed younger drivers in Europe that could populate the championship however a bit like our own "premier" series it seems that there no longer is a reason to wait and its better to jump straight to WRC level even if its just the European rounds. Maybe only allowing Rally3 and below machinery for the overall title and putting an upper age limit for the drivers crown would push the series as a talent factory as we are not seeing the "Junior" teams from the manufacturers a few people were touting a season or two ago.

As it stands IMO the ERC will just be a backing singer in Spain. FFS they cant even give proper coverage to class winners in the WRC and on WRC+ so how is the offspring series going to fare any better?

[AndyRAC]

I wonder whether the ERC should be a 'stepping stone' championship. Isn't that what WRC2/3 are for? The ERC needs to be a championship in its own right - and one worth winning. Put decent events in it, promote it properly, and make it worth doing.

And go to the major markets; Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium then add in Barum, Azores, etc Or be really radical and make it a Tarmac only series.....but I'm not sure that would be popular.

[HKSjbg]

I know it was a very different prospect back then with 40+ rounds in a season, but why was the ERC so strong in the 1980s/1990s despite a strong WRC? Is my perception of the ERC in the 90s wrong or was it just that rallying in general was in better health?

[Jarek Z]

why was the ERC so strong in the 1980s/1990s despite a strong WRC? Is my perception of the ERC in the 90s wrong or was it just that rallying in general was in better health?

Both ERC and WRC were strong in the 1980s, because it was the golden era of rallying. But it's long gone.

[WRCStan]

I know it was a very different prospect back then with 40+ rounds in a season, but why was the ERC so strong in the 1980s/1990s despite a strong WRC? Is my perception of the ERC in the 90s wrong or was it just that rallying in general was in better health?

Maybe because ERC looked more like a ranking system back then. Nobody did the full rounds which wouldn't make for great entertainment today and the leading crews rarely met. You could even do the same for 2022 by selecting 40+ rounds off eWRC and mathematics of your choice and still say the sport looks in good health.

[RS]

Nobody did the full rounds which wouldn't make for great entertainment today and the leading crews rarely met.

Sounds like WRC2.

Regarding ERC, i don't really see a huge problem with the calendar. There are some good events in some countries with a strong rallying heritage.

In theory the better tv coverage for ERC than WRC2 should be attractive to sponsors, but that is no use if only a few hundred people are watching. In order to gain more viewers and maybe to act as a 'gateway drug' for All-Live they should broadcast the ERC powerstage on Youtube for free (i know i've said it before but i stand by it)

[WRCStan]

Like a lot of people I had hoped that all the talk of a new dawn for the ERC and a feeder series for the WRC/WRC2/3 would have already born fruit however its kind of turned into the problem child that the parents just pack off to boarding school rather than sit down and work out what the problem is.

There still seem to be enough well healed younger drivers in Europe that could populate the championship however a bit like our own "premier" series it seems that there no longer is a reason to wait and its better to jump straight to WRC level even if its just the European rounds. Maybe only allowing Rally3 and below machinery for the overall title and putting an upper age limit for the drivers crown would push the series as a talent factory as we are not seeing the "Junior" teams from the manufacturers a few people were touting a season or two ago.

As it stands IMO the ERC will just be a backing singer in Spain. FFS they cant even give proper coverage to class winners in the WRC and on WRC+ so how is the offspring series going to fare any better?

I'd go the other way and this is why I said WRC2 time is up in another thread. Mikkelsen is Champion of the World and Europe yet he never left Europe last year and did 7 rounds in each, dropping one in Europe because he already won. Ok it was a 'covid year' but as somebody pointed out - you can in theory only do gravel rounds and on one continent in WRC2, that's no world champion. So give the regionals the Rally2 prestige and have cups to support WRC.

On other points I'd give the promoter time to put their own stamp on things.

[AndyRAC]

Sounds like WRC2.

Regarding ERC, i don't really see a huge problem with the calendar. There are some good events in some countries with a strong rallying heritage.

In theory the better tv coverage for ERC than WRC2 should be attractive to sponsors, but that is no use if only a few hundred people are watching. In order to gain more viewers and maybe to act as a 'gateway drug' for All-Live they should broadcast the ERC Powerstage on YouTube for free (i know i've said it before but i stand by it)

Agree - it's hidden away. Is the interest really there? I try to mention upcoming ERC rounds on the Autosport and Pistonheads forums, and it's a waste of time.....

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Maybe we have to face facts that rallying isn't as popular as it once was and only the WRC has any real kudos for drivers and most fans.

Even with major sports, like football for example, the big coverage and viewers are only for the Premier League not the Championship... and for the Champions Leage not the Europa League or Europa Conference.

Theres so much sport to watch and so many other distractions nowadays that the average viewer is only really interested in the very top level.

[WRCStan]

Maybe we have to face facts that rallying isn't as popular as it once was and only the WRC has any real kudos for drivers

I don't agree. Every weekend ewrc homepage is full of well subscribed events up and down the ladder.


and most fans.

Even with major sports, like football for example, the big coverage and viewers are only for the Premier League not the Championship... and for the Champions Leage not the Europa League or Europa Conference.

Theres so much sport to watch and so many other distractions nowadays that the average viewer is only really interested in the very top level.

I completely agree, ERC will have very limited appeal to the average scrolling joe, but that doesn't or shouldn't spell anything negative because we are already here for some time - we are comparing with the 80s/90s as usual. There's also too high expectations here of how to grow the sport and what more eyeballs can do. But for a few crews, isn't third party sponsorship kind of dead anyway?

Don't forget that the football clubs tried to do something new to replace the champions league because "kids aren't interested". After England won on Sunday, 3/4 of the post game chat was how to grow the women's game. Cricket has been trying new formats for years, even NFL are doing more games abroad to 'grow'. I'm beginning to feel sad for the F1 drivers who are having to do so much more retarded soshul mejuh stuff, it's not sustainable for their heads. And blow me, even Neighbours has been cancelled because it's too expnsive to film and at the same time Netflix is losing subs. Practically no walk of life is immune to the fact that there isn't enough money in the world at the moment. There's really no point IMO pushing unachievable 'growth' goals onto ERC.

[RS]

Like a lot of people I had hoped that all the talk of a new dawn for the ERC and a feeder series for the WRC/WRC2/3 would have already born fruit however its kind of turned into the problem child that the parents just pack off to boarding school rather than sit down and work out what the problem is.

There still seem to be enough well healed younger drivers in Europe that could populate the championship however a bit like our own "premier" series it seems that there no longer is a reason to wait and its better to jump straight to WRC level even if its just the European rounds. Maybe only allowing Rally3 and below machinery for the overall title and putting an upper age limit for the drivers crown would push the series as a talent factory as we are not seeing the "Junior" teams from the manufacturers a few people were touting a season or two ago.


Too much obsession with youth these days.. no need to rush things and actually sometimes it’s better if you don’t (Solberg)

In Eurosport days there actually were some prizes to try and help people progress up the ladder.. don’t think there’s anything like that now? Wasn’t there supposed to be something with M-Sport?

[PLuto]

Too much obsession with youth these days.. no need to rush things and actually sometimes it’s better if you don’t (Solberg)

In Eurosport days there actually were some prizes to try and help people progress up the ladder.. don’t think there’s anything like that now? Wasn’t there supposed to be something with M-Sport?

I will say it in very short - Eurosport was trying to growth the championship. Step by step, with some limited sources. New promoter is interested only in All live and TV rights... ...and has it as "second league" with top priority for WRC.

[Danny0405]

Well, as a lot of you has evoked, even if the Catalunya solution can seem prestigious, it is really a sign of the lack of interest for ERC to have to go for such a workaround solution after more than 6 months of search, with a visibility that may not be that great as the two events will be separated (so clearly the ERC stages might be completly shadowed by WRC and WRC-2).
Clearly worrying for the future.

About one point being said above, I wouldn’t consider it as a sign that Catalunya will step down to ERC next year with rumors saying WRC status was threatened. Personally, on the contrary, I would more see him as a positive point for WRC bid next year in a sense «*okay we help you there by taking ERC event as you’re in dire situation but we want a reward (=keeping WRC status next year) » because, here, it is clearly Catalunya helping FIA and Promoter, not the opposite. Also the fact that it is announced beginning of August with a 2023 WRC calendar announcement during the month may not seem as a pure coincidence; could be a decision-maker against Latvia, Cyprus or Portugal.

Maybe Catalunya organizers will take profit of it to assess interest for ERC for further future but not 2023 IMO. But in such a shadowed situation, I’m not sure you can make a proper assessment,

[Jarek Z]

Tempestini has already won Michelin Talent Factory competition:
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/talent-factory-champion-tempestini-gets-michelin-tyre-boost/

[RS]

IIRC it was warned when the WRC promoter took over that there could be some combined WRC/ERC events. A huge step back IMO which only dilutes attention for ERC.

[WRCStan]

IIRC it was warned when the WRC promoter took over that there could be some combined WRC/ERC events. A huge step back IMO which only dilutes attention for ERC.

Maybe if that happens on the 2023 calendars. If all the rumours and suggestions in this thread are to be believed as considered but unviable, how is Catalunya a step back? It's not like it was arranged in January, it's two months before the event and end of the season. Lucky to have something and not nothing. What round would Eurosport have got in? And, who's responsibility was it to organise the 2022 calendar, the first 7 rounds were inherited weren't they?

[PLuto]

Maybe if that happens on the 2023 calendars. If all the rumours and suggestions in this thread are to be believed as considered but unviable, how is Catalunya a step back? It's not like it was arranged in January, it's two months before the event and end of the season. Lucky to have something and not nothing. What round would Eurosport have got in? And, who's responsibility was it to organise the 2022 calendar, the first 7 rounds were inherited weren't they?

Sorry, but promoter was trying to find a last round for almost 10 months and failed. For me Catalunya is the last possilbe version before cancellation of the last event. And from my point of view, this is not a good step for ERC...

[WRCStan]

Sorry, but promoter was trying to find a last round for almost 10 months and failed. For me Catalunya is the last possilbe version before cancellation of the last event. And from my point of view, this is not a good step for ERC...

Agreed. Not really understanding why you replied though - my point was that in this thread it is said that Cyprus was a done deal and soon to be announced, then same with Romania, before we arrived at Catalunya, (with other suggestions and gossip on the rumour mill), so I don't think it's right for RS to raise whoever said "I knew this would happen with Promoter".

It's a genuine question if under Eurosport any of these or any other event would have been secured, and how when Promoter couldn't.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I don't agree. Every weekend ewrc homepage is full of well subscribed events up and down

Maybe but the entry for the ERC has been pretty poor. And how many of the national events listed get big crowds or any coverage beyond social media ?

[WRCStan]

And how many of the national events listed get big crowds or any coverage beyond social media ?

Practically none, that's why I agreed with you on that point. If we're disagreeing anywhere maybe it's because I don't believe that it's a point of concern.

[Reis Eduardo]

If the WRC promoter had 10 months to find the final round for 2022, and I couldn't, I can't imagine what it will be like with the calendar for 2023. Either the promoter finds a reasonable solution for 2023 or the European will again cross a long desert as it did in the years before Eurosports arrived.

[Danny0405]

It's a genuine question if under Eurosport any of these or any other event would have been secured, and how when Promoter couldn't.

Difficult to say who is responsible for the situation but new Promoter was announced since mid-year last year.
Probably there were some contracts but issues with Hungary were known for a while.

On the topic to know if Eurosport could have found a non-WRC event instead of Catalunya, difficult to answer: but in 2020 (even if the constraints were not the same than WRC), they succeeded post-Covid lockout in building a 5-round program including one new event (Fafe, even if it remains Portugal) whereas WRC only did 4 rounds (including a Monza workaround solution but also e new event with Estonia) after Covid break.
So I don’t say it was a sure fact but would think Eurosport could have succeeded; maybe they were a bit more flexible also. Also, maybe the fact that it is same promoter now makes the new one less flexible with other possibilities as they had Catalunya as last-resort option (whereas Eurosport wouldn’t have so they should have to find a real solution to avoid TV contract issues).

[AndyRAC]

I'm going to guess that WRC Promoter want a lot more money than Eurosport did for a ERC round.......That's why they were struggling for a final round. I hope this is just a 'one off' and doesn't happen again. The ERC has to be a stand alone championship, and not a support category for the WRC.

[Jarek Z]

I'm going to guess that WRC Promoter want a lot more money than Eurosport did for a ERC round.......That's why they were struggling for a final round. I hope this is just a 'one off' and doesn't happen again. The ERC has to be a stand alone championship, and not a support category for the WRC.

Yeah, it must be connected with money. I can't believe there are no organizers in the whole Europe who want to have an ERC round.

[Jarek Z]

Filip Mareš hopes for a full European Rally Championship campaign in 2023:
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/mares-keen-for-full-2023-campaign/

[RS]

Tempestini withdrew from Barum, Llarena is the champion. Congratulations to him but what a boring way to take a title!

[Jarek Z]

Yes, what a shame that it happened in such a way. But nevertheless - congratulations to Llarena and the whole MRF team!
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/llarena-fernandez-crowned-2022-fia-erc-champions/

[manthey]

Tempestini withdrew from Barum, Llarena is the champion. Congratulations to him but what a boring way to take a title!Problems with the car?

Inviato dal mio ELE-L29 utilizzando Tapatalk

[Danny0405]

Problems with the car?

Inviato dal mio ELE-L29 utilizzando Tapatalk

More probably problem with money; he was already not sure to make it for Roma because of that.
ERC promoter probably tried to find some help but was complicated with almost no chance to beat Llarena in the championship and the Czech guys for a top 5. Even if a pity, quite logical in my mind that he skipped Barum if he is short in money.

Quite a logical end for a season that has been a mess in terms of entries. Not really Tempestini’s fault as he shouldn’t have been a contender and must admit I don’t like the sentence «*Tempestini could not be convinced*» from Promoter; the issue is clearly about the attractivity of the championship and if they had to try hard to find solutions for a driver, they should have tried before with Solans

[Jarek Z]

Not only Llarena was crowned champion before Barum Rally even started. Igor Widlak is celebrating clinching the title in ERC3. He was not always fastest, but contested every single rally and collected enough points to win ERC3 category:
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/widlak-and-dymurski-celebrate-erc3-crown/

[Jarek Z]

After Llarena and Widlak we have another European champion this weekend. Laurent Pellier is the 2022 Junior ERC Champion:
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/pellier-soars-to-junior-erc-title-/

[Jarek Z]

“Next year we will be even stronger and there will be more teams running with MRF. What those teams are, I don’t know yet. All I can say is that there will be more cars and more drivers in all categories. For us, to win ERC3 and ERC4 is our goal for next year - plus, obviously, the main title.” - says Vivek Ponnusamy from MRF Tyres:
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/relentless-hard-work-pays-off-for-team-mrf-tyres/

[Tom K]

Good news from Gran Canaria. Organizers told that they are close to agreement and stay in calendar for 2023 and 2024.

https://rallyislascanarias.com/index.php/en/component/k2/item/236-rally-islas-canarias-close-to-agreement-to-remain-in-fia-erc

[Jarek Z]

I didn't even know that Bryan Bouffier ended his rally career. I have always liked this driver:
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/where-are-they-now-bryan-bouffier/

[PLuto]

I didn't even know that Bryan Bouffier ended his rally career. I have always liked this driver:
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/where-are-they-now-bryan-bouffier/

He didnt ended his rally career. He just dont have partners to put together proper programme...

[RS]

I didn't even know that Bryan Bouffier ended his rally career. I have always liked this driver:
https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/where-are-they-now-bryan-bouffier/

It’s funny how the article is titled ‘Where are they now?’ and then doesn’t tell you.

[WRCStan]

It’s funny how the article is titled ‘Where are they now?’ and then doesn’t tell you.

Not really, they wouldn't ask if they knew.

[Jarek Z]

There is a contest for the best photograph of the year 2022 in ERC. Some interesting photos there. Results will be published in January 2023. You can vote at https://www.fiaerc.com/erc/news/erc/2022/vote-now-digital-photo-of-the-year/