[WRC] Central European Rally 2023 (26-29 Oct)

[meh]

The fighting ninja in Taka woke up finally.

[EstWRC]

Tänak must be relieved the gap was so big with Ogier

He is so slow today

[meh]

When 2019 Tänak got title, then Neuville won the rally but all the attention went to Tänak.

Now, he again is going to win the rally but all attention goes to Rovanperä.

[Mirek]

When 2019 Tänak got title, then Neuville won the rally but all the attention went to Tänak.

Now, he again is going to win the rally but all attention goes to Rovanperä.

That's why winning the championship is more than winning a rally ;)

[meh]

Loubet...

last year championship overall he was 13th, 2 points behind Solberg.

this year he is currently 11th, and again behind Solberg.. who is not doing full-season and doing it with Rally2 car.

[dimviii]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL8AM9FMRfI

[Mirek]

Quite big crash for Jan Skála just in front of the WRC camera crew.
https://www.ewrc-results.com/media/80244-central-european-rally-2023/4156/

[EstWRC]

Loubet...

last year championship overall he was 13th, 2 points behind Solberg.

this year he is currently 11th, and again behind Solberg.. who is not doing full-season and doing it with Rally2 car.

He is so bad this year. Yes the puma is fragile and it’s also the reason for some of his bad results but overall he has made so many mistakes.

I’m still laughing at the fact that in the spring in one interview he said he has nothing to learn from Tänak

[focus206]

That's why winning the championship is more than winning a rally ;)

Depends who you are, I remember some comic drawing from Rally Alsace 2013, showing Ogier winning his first title but with all the medias focusing on Loeb retiring from WRC :D

[skarderud]

Loubet...

last year championship overall he was 13th, 2 points behind Solberg.

this year he is currently 11th, and again behind Solberg.. who is not doing full-season and doing it with Rally2 car.Could be interresting to see what Solberg could do in that seat this season...
Or any other of the top6 in wrc2.

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[satnav]

Power stage is delayed

[Mirek]

Power stage is delayed

I'm reading that there was a need for a medical assistance on stage not related to the rally.

[EstWRC]

They interview Mouton and no word what’s the reason

I just can’t stand anymore this BS

[Mirek]

Not having anything against fourmaux but I find it weird that they installed an onboard camera in his car while he's not running the WRC2 and in the same time they didn't install it in many actual WRC2 cars.

Very happy for Erik Cais to finally finish without punctures or crashes. Hopefully it will help him for securing the next season (and hopefully less chaotic program with less codrivers).

They said the issue of Loubet is broken front left driveshaft.

[EstWRC]

Loubet basically confirmed he will be at Msport next year

[skarderud]

Loubet basically confirmed he will be at Msport next yearI hope at wrc2?

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[Mirek]

I hope at wrc2?

Somewhat agree that he'd better step back for a season or two. After all he was like four times off the road in this rally alone.

[meh]

Kalle the King has arrived, congrats!

[meh]

Hopefully Neuville will not get stuck to this one tricky corner at the end section...

[EstWRC]

I hope at wrc2?

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I got the feeling it’s rally1

[Mirek]

At the end of this video there is a spin of Ciamin in a narrow place on stage Zvotoky on Friday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnnxCtOo2Xg

[dupanton]

WRC2 title "fight" will be decided in Japan. Mikkelsen needs 1 point there.

[KKS]

WRC2 title "fight" will be decided in Japan. Mikkelsen needs 1 point there.
Same 111 points but Andreas had more wins. So he champ.already

[meh]

WRC2 title "fight" will be decided in Japan. Mikkelsen needs 1 point there.

Did Mikkelsen actually got it now as he most likely won the PS?

[skarderud]

Did Mikkelsen actually got it now as he most likely won the PS?I think so.

Quite good by a driver to win with one less rally, even if he's not worthy a Rally1 seat...

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[Lead]

I think so.

Quite good by a driver to win with one less rally, even if he's not worthy a Rally1 seat...

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And he also missed two of his strongest events (Monte-Carlo and Sweden). That comeback in Greece was spectacular and clever drive combined with speed is what you need to be a champ.
I still would love to see him get one more chance in Rally1 car.

[denkimi]

I still would love to see him get one more chance in Rally1 car.
Although i feel like he has the speed needed to, and could probably do at least as good as suninen, there must be some reason why none of the factory teams have any interest in him at all.

[dupanton]

Same 111 points but Andreas had more wins. So he champ.already

Yes correct. When I wrote this, Greensmith had 3th time and I somehow thought nobody would get in between them

[skarderud]

Although i feel like he has the speed needed to, and could probably do at least as good as suninen, there must be some reason why none of the factory teams have any interest in him at all.Its probably down to money, he refuses to pay/ can't put in those kind of money.


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[meh]

Tweet as well: https://twitter.com/OfficialWRC/status/1718609085698851076

[bomber21]

I think putting the spectator areas so far away just makes people go into the more narrow and dangerous parts

To be honest, being so far away from the cars made me lose my interest.

This sport is so fabulous because it is spectacular to see from a logical and safe close distance. It is not so spectacular to see it …with binoculars. In my opinion, most spectator zones could be 10 meters closer.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

There's no need for the recent hammering of Loubet. As they pointed out on commentary the other day, Loubet also brings funding for his M-Sport drive. If he stays in Rally1 next year it wont stop anyone else having a seat if they can do the same. Only an elite driver gets paid to drive for M-Sport in WRC1.

[TypeR]

Tweet as well: https://twitter.com/OfficialWRC/status/1718609085698851076
(Official Wrc's post with this hashtag)

#WORLDCHAMPIONS

So end of ,,aCtUaLLy WRC2 isn't world championship'' stories.

Congratz! They kept going after losing so much time in ditch and repairing the car.

[Mirek]

Its probably down to money, he refuses to pay/ can't put in those kind of money.

I guess it's more about his age. He's not a long term prospect anymore.

[EstWRC]

I guess it's more about his age. He's not a long term prospect anymore.

This

[WRCStan]

#WORLDCHAMPIONS

So end of ,,aCtUaLLy WRC2 isn't world championship'' stories.

*Subject to FIA confirmation.

Let's wait and see. ;)

But yeah they never give in easily. Congrats.

[Andre Oliveira]

(Official Wrc's post with this hashtag)

#WORLDCHAMPIONS

So end of ,,aCtUaLLy WRC2 isn't world championship'' stories.

Congratz! They kept going after losing so much time in ditch and repairing the car.

Do you know that X account is managed by people, not FIA?

[TypeR]

Do you know that X account is managed by people, not FIA?
Didn't know that.
I thought it is also managed by the same aliens that ask donations for results and stats.

But from holygrail(FIA) web thry say so.

Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen have become two-time WRC champions, clinching the title on Sunday by finishing second overall at Central European Rally
AND

Andreas Mikkelsen and co-driver Torsten Eriksen are the 2023 WRC2 champions thanks to their Wolf Power Stage victory at Central European Rally on Sunday.

Both are world championships, just different car classes.
If not, why didn't FIA wrote WRC World Champions..

Maybe because it is obvious that there is no bigger championship in the world than that.

Oh g0d..

[hari]

Some pictures: https://www.ir7.at/content/fotos_bestof_wrc_central_european_rallye_2023.html
For me it was a very promising first edition of the WRC Central European Rally. :up:


https://www.ir7.at/content/fotos/2023/central5/1.jpghttps://www.ir7.at/content/fotos/2023/central4/1.jpghttps://www.ir7.at/content/fotos/2023/central3/2.jpghttps://www.ir7.at/content/fotos/2023/central5/3.jpghttps://www.ir7.at/content/fotos/2023/central5/2.jpghttps://www.ir7.at/content/fotos/2023/central4/2.jpg

[becher]

Didn't know that.
I thought it is also managed by the same aliens that ask donations for results and stats.

But from holygrail(FIA) web thry say so.

AND


Both are world championships, just different car classes.
If not, why didn't FIA wrote WRC World Champions..

Maybe because it is obvious that there is no bigger championship in the world than that.

Oh g0d..

Oh god indeed. They literally wrote WRC2 champions....

[TypeR]

Tweet as well: https://twitter.com/OfficialWRC/status/1718609085698851076


Oh god indeed. They literally wrote WRC2 champions....

and they literally wrote WRC champions..

[rallyfiend]

and they literally wrote WRC champions..

They wrote ‘champions’ of WRC2….

[skarderud]

I guess it's more about his age. He's not a long term prospect anymore.Sorry, that is BS.
How old is sordo?

Thats right, well over 40.

He is not a WDC prospect any more, but potentially a pretty good and safe pointscoring 2. or 3. driver in any team, and in atleast 3-4 years from now.

A young talent should be in the 4th car anyway, well of the pressure of scoring points in the manu's championship.

Less crashprone than most of the drivers too, and still some good speed.


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[WRCStan]

Didn't know that.
I thought it is also managed by the same aliens that ask donations for results and stats.

But from holygrail(FIA) web thry say so.

AND


Both are world championships, just different car classes.
If not, why didn't FIA wrote WRC World Champions..

Maybe because it is obvious that there is no bigger championship in the world than that.

Oh g0d..

I remember being told WRC2 has to mean World Rally Championship 2, as in "wHat DO YoU ThINk The lETtErs mEaN...". Now "World" has to be explicitly used.

Well, I have to say, having read the International Sporting Code, statutes of the FIA, General competition rules, general rally regs, WRC regs, etc, because I find it all interesting and enjoy the conversation surrounding that, and having it here with likeminded folk; I'm going to ignore it all.

Thanks for clearing this up and putting me right. Both are world championships, just different car classes.

[Kenneth]

Then care again to explain why in WRC sporting regulations, on FIA website and in FIA Ceremony bulletin there is category World Rally Championship for Drivers, and then WRC2 Championship for Drivers? So why they don't call it WRC Championship? There is it World Rally Championship 2 Championship? And why in W2RC there is writen World Rally Raid Championship at all categories and not something like W2RC-T4 Championship?

[WRCStan]

Then care again to explain why in WRC sporting regulations, on FIA website and in FIA Ceremony bulletin there is category World Rally Championship for Drivers, and then WRC2 Championship for Drivers? So why they don't call it WRC Championship? There is it World Rally Championship 2 Championship? And why in W2RC there is writen World Rally Raid Championship at all categories and not something like W2RC-T4 Championship?

Explained in private message.

[Mirek]

Sorry, that is BS.
How old is sordo?

Thats right, well over 40.

He is not a WDC prospect any more, but potentially a pretty good and safe pointscoring 2. or 3. driver in any team, and in atleast 3-4 years from now.

A young talent should be in the 4th car anyway, well of the pressure of scoring points in the manu's championship.

Less crashprone than most of the drivers too, and still some good speed

It's not bullshit. It's how it is.

Sordo is in WRC because he has been there continuously for almost two decades. If Sordo was out for couple of years in WRC2, nobody would have signed him again either.

[meh]

Rally1 must be boring like hell when after getting title done there are few comments about it but the main topic is how "legit" is the "world champion" title for WRC2 category :)

We can heat it up more - how legit for average spectator are WRC2 win, when there is faster guy in the same car and gets RC2 win? :)

[rallyfiend]

I guess now we wait to find out if Kalle has the motivation to continue next year, and to what extent.

That should give something to talk about other than wording about WRC2!

[ouvreur]

I guess now we wait to find out if Kalle has the motivation to continue next year, and to what extent.

That should give something to talk about other than wording about WRC2!

I have to ask again, on what basis are you doubting his motivation? I don't see it written or reported anywhere else.

[rp]

I guess now we wait to find out if Kalle has the motivation to continue next year, and to what extent.


Maybe Ogier has not enough motivation?

[Lord_Shaitan]

Same here. Sounds like completely made up wishful thinking.

Even Ogier, who is inside the team, said yesterday that there's probably more championships to come for Kalle.

Kalle looks to me like an individual programmed to be a rally driver for long years. I'd be stunned seeing him anywhere else than full WRC season in the next 10 years.

[spyros]

They must do something for Sundays, its so boring, as for the rally i think that they must find other stages not like this with straights and junctions.I'm happy for Kale and for his futher ( didnt see him at the finish ) maybe with some luck he could break Loebs record.

[EstWRC]

Same here. Sounds like completely made up wishful thinking.

Even Ogier, who is inside the team, said yesterday that there's probably more championships to come for Kalle.

Kalle looks to me like an individual programmed to be a rally driver for long years. I'd be stunned seeing him anywhere else than full WRC season in the next 10 years.

i dont actually see Kalle going for such a long time. He has been doing this since 4 years old basically, he is just 23 and already has 2 titles and for me he doesnt seem to be a guy who cares to beat Loebs or Ogiers numbers.

I personally can see him doing it until he is 30 years old MAX, maybe longer if he has some breaks between. Even if he retires at 30 he and wins all the titles by then, he would have 9 titles :D

[becher]

I have to ask again, on what basis are you doubting his motivation? I don't see it written or reported anywhere else.
Dirtfish jumpes on any opportunity to claim the he will be gone full time drifting soon. All BS I think.

Similar stuff is (was about two years ago) going on about Verstappen in F1.

Guess that's what happenes when everybody is desperate to manufacturer some news about the current in vouge driver.

[bomber21]

Jesus, he is a 23 year old young man and you are saying he has no motivation??

He is the best rally driver right now, he is so young, and he earns millions. This is enough.

[rallyfiend]

I just think that he’s more likely to step back from full time earlier rather than later.

He has made a lot of money, and would like to do new things. Just because he was born in to this, doesn’t mean he wants to do it forever. He has nothing to prove.

[sti123]

I just think that he’s more likely to step back from full time earlier rather than later.

He has made a lot of money, and would like to do new things. Just because he was born in to this, doesn’t mean he wants to do it forever. He has nothing to prove.

No, he hasn't earned lot of money but he will start earn a lot of money next year, as the 2 times World Champion. Until now he has been paying back to mr. Timo Jouhki, around 50% of his earnings.

[ouvreur]

I just think that he’s more likely to step back from full time earlier rather than later.

He has made a lot of money, and would like to do new things. Just because he was born in to this, doesn’t mean he wants to do it forever. He has nothing to prove.

I feel like, with respect, this is you imagining what you would do in his shoes. Your assertion that he has made money and would like to do new things has zero basis in fact.

For all we know, he is just as likely to be desperate to smash Loeb's title record as he is to just go drifting for the rest of his life - that is to say, we don't know, he hasn't stated either way.

Speculating on what's going inside his head is pretty foolish. Let's just enjoy what he's able to do with a rally car steering wheel in his hands for as long as we can.

[Duvel]

Rally1 must be boring like hell when after getting title done there are few comments about it but the main topic is how "legit" is the "world champion" title for WRC2 category :)

We can heat it up more - how legit for average spectator are WRC2 win, when there is faster guy in the same car and gets RC2 win? :)

Well Kalle titel was not a big surprise for anyone here,. There woyld have been more fuz when he went of and Evans took the win i guess.

It got clear in the last races ho would win the title, so tension was already gone..

Lets hope that we get a big battle for the title again next year. Neuville whit a more trouble free season, Tanak up there to, and hope Evans gets in the mix also!

[Jarek Z]

There's no need for the recent hammering of Loubet. As they pointed out on commentary the other day, Loubet also brings funding for his M-Sport drive.

Yes, I know what you mean. Maybe we shouldn't kick a man when he is down, but he has less points than Solberg, who drives a Rally2 car...
https://www.wrc.com/result-and-standings?menu=championshipStandingComponent&eventId=364

[becher]

Ah back in the day there was speculation that Loeb would do this or that and wasn't motivated to continue in the WRC. In the end he couldn't keep away from it for long.

I suspect it will be similar with Rovanperä. If he stops one day to chase something else, we might see him back part time because rallying is the ultimate challenge to those drivers.

[meh]

Yes, I know what you mean. Maybe we shouldn't kick a man when he is down, but he has less points than Solberg, who drives a Rally2 car...
https://www.wrc.com/result-and-standings?menu=championshipStandingComponent&eventId=364

As I was pointing it out before:

Loubet...

last year championship overall he was 13th, 2 points behind Solberg.

this year he is currently 11th, and again behind Solberg.. who is not doing full-season and doing it with Rally2 car.

I don't kick him - just pure facts that Solberg outscored him. I would like to see any competitor taking part, the more cars the more interesting it is.

And as he pays/has sponsored his drive, he has people to believe in him.

Personally I feel sorry for every mistake, crash or fail I see - there is huge amount of resource wasted or lost. There are only few guys in the world who has this opportunity, it's a shame when they don't make their dream work.

[PLuto]

*Subject to FIA confirmation.

Promoter and media are always forced to put this to their articles/posts until FIA officially approve it.

[manthey]

No, he hasn't earned lot of money but he will start earn a lot of money next year, as the 2 times World Champion. Until now he has been paying back to mr. Timo Jouhki, around 50% of his earnings.

50 %? very high part.

I thought was his father's network a big part of his development and find support.

[doubled1978]

Dirtfish jumpes on any opportunity to claim the he will be gone full time drifting soon. All BS I think.

Similar stuff is (was about two years ago) going on about Verstappen in F1.

Guess that's what happenes when everybody is desperate to manufacturer some news about the current in vouge driver.

Difference with Verstappen is that he has said himself that he probably won’t be around in F1 for ever. He has clearly stated that he want’s to go and do other things, WEC (Le Mans) and other stuff that won’t impose so much on his time. F1 will soon be 24 races which is a huge toll on the guys with the travelling they do, WEC is 8/9 races with a bit of testing. He’s already done 9 full seasons in F1 and is still only 26. Let’s see with Kalle, I can understand if he decides to try other things, as success has come so young, it’s normal that perhaps he is thinking about trying new stuff as he has lots of time to do so. I don’t know is he has any interest in circuit racing, but I’m sure he could get a test in the Hypercar if he wanted to, or the Super GT car. He could probably go and do Dakar, all by staying employed with Toyota.

[EstWRC]

Rallye Chrono vid

https://youtu.be/E4CT0b70KIw?si=S3uhRWSI_Mqm6Zgs

[Mirek]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCRe3yifnEI

This one is nice and it's even in 4K.

Watch the moment of Von Thurn und Taxis at 1:42 when a broken rim cuts a brake pipe and it immediately starts to burn!

[Mirek]

Watch at least 2:38 :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezj91yJneLM

[bluuford]

I liked the stages a lot, number of spectators was nice, but was very clear that first event to carry out by 3 different countries was lacking a lot from organizational side. Sometimes it was hard to keep up with documents when you had original document, then changes to this, then changes to changes and finally changes to changed changes :P From marshals point of view there was also clear lack of info given to them or lack of training/experience. I had to fight a lot for my meteo crews to get to the stages and do their job. In Czech, all worked quite well, in Austria, we had some problems, but we managed to solve these, in Germany.. complete nightmare!!! There were some strange rules that have never been in anywhere... and finally, they didn't follow their own rules and instructions: P That disappointed me a lot, because Germany was the only country that has recently run WRC rally. But in general, event was nice and I hope organizers visit some others rallies and learn how to make/run everything more smoothly and then this event has potential to become a really great event!

[becher]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCRe3yifnEI

This one is nice and it's even in 4K.

Watch the moment of Von Thurn und Taxis at 1:42 when a broken rim cuts a brake pipe and it immediately starts to burn!
Ah we stood there but missed that due to the delay.

[Mirek]

Ah we stood there but missed that due to the delay.

I originally planned to visit that place too.

[CeskyOndra]

I was there but on the second pass trough the stage

[becher]

Ah it was nice but very crowded.

[CeskyOndra]

Ah it was nice but very crowded.

And so cold in the evening :D

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Yes, I know what you mean. Maybe we shouldn't kick a man when he is down, but he has less points than Solberg, who drives a Rally2 car...
https://www.wrc.com/result-and-standings?menu=championshipStandingComponent&eventId=364

Factually correct but it's never that simple to compare, especially when drivers are using different types of car.

I would say that a driver with lots of seat time and testing in a Rally2 car would find it easier to drive, than one with little testing driving a Rally1 car. Plus, the unreliability of the Puma hasn't helped Loubet either.

[WRCStan]

Please can somebody explain (or link to) the issue with the insurance that made some crews retire.

Edit: License plates. And I'm asking what the law/rule/issue is that makes 'EU' look disjointed whilst hoping that is a fair question.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Per the Dirtfish review podcast saying CER was a rather clinical boring name. Can anyone think of a better, more sexy, interesting, title for this rally ?

[Mirek]

Please can somebody explain (or link to) the issue with the insurance that made some crews retire.

Edit: License plates. And I'm asking what the law/rule/issue is that makes 'EU' look disjointed whilst hoping that is a fair question.

It's not about disjoined EU. You simply can not use invalid number plates. The fact that in some coutries it's not being checked doesn't make it less wrong. It's nothing new. If you go the ewrc car database you can find there plenty of obviously invalid number plates being commonly used and you don't need to check any papers for seeing that (for example temporary export plates being used for years).

Even CER isn't the first international rally where this issue arose. I do remember similar cases with some foreign cars from Barum Rally.

Speaking for our country we have very strict system here with special number plates dedidated to rally cars and a manadatory yearly scrutineering for them. That's why we don't have this problem.

[Mirek]

Per the Dirtfish review podcast saying CER was a rather clinical boring name. Can anyone think of a better, more sexy, interesting, title for this rally ?

Rally of the Holly Roman Empire :D

[TypeR]

Per the Dirtfish review podcast saying CER was a rather clinical boring name. Can anyone think of a better, more sexy, interesting, title for this rally ?
KWSB rally - Krušovice Wiener Schnitzel Bratwurst Rally

[Mirek]

KWSB rally - Krušovice Wiener Schnitzel Bratwurst Rally

Some better beer, please!

[TypeR]

Some better beer, please!
I'm sorry, no offence :D
Just booked tickets/hotel to Czech for next summer, won't buy K beer :D

[Fast Eddie WRC]

It sounds and looks cooler in German...

Das MittelEuropa Rallye

[Mirek]

It sounds and looks cooler in German...

Das MittelEuropa Rallye

Try to pronounce it in our language :D

Středoevropská Rallye

[becher]

It sounds and looks cooler in German...

Das MittelEuropa Rallye
"Die"

Altough it's actually Rallye Zentraleuropa.

[WRCStan]

It's not about disjoined EU. You simply can not use invalid number plates. The fact that in some coutries it's not being checked doesn't make it less wrong. It's nothing new. If you go the ewrc car database you can find there plenty of obviously invalid number plates being commonly used and you don't need to check any papers for seeing that (for example temporary export plates being used for years).

Even CER isn't the first international rally where this issue arose. I do remember similar cases with some foreign cars from Barum Rally.

I read in a link I found early in this thread that these cars had temporary German plates that expired leaving the country, these cars went to Czechia and came back to be pulled over, but they were good for the initial time in Germany. I'm presuming, without checking, these are EU vehicles and assuming that no export/import rules are in place.

If that's not the case or I read it wrong and what you say is true, deary me!

Edit: context, link

Lisence plate drama in CER

The German police found out that 6 cars no longer have lisence plates that are valid. That means their insurance isn’t active

https://ralli.ee/uskumatu-lugu-saksa-politsei-keelas-vahemalt-kuuel-ekipaazil-kesk-euroopa-ralli-jatkamise/

context, I'm told this kind of thing doesn't happen (special operation?)

german customs checked the cars on czech-german border

[Mirek]

There are random custom and police checks on Czech-German border (and Czech-Slovak border) because of the illegal migration. Before they wouldn't check anything because noone would be there.

Anyway export plate is used for export not for daily or race use, that's why it's called export.

[becher]

Did Rossel really break his arm? Or was it speculation?

[WRCStan]

Anyway export plate is used for export not for daily or race use, that's why it's called export.

I guess then they were running them like this because nobody in the EU cared and they were always prepared to go ex-EU.

I've now read that it was a second set of hastily obtained ineligible plates that ended the rallies, the border didn't cause anything but was just the coincidental place of the police checkpoint.

All this aside from the forged documents lol. But I can sleep tonight now, thanks Mirek.

[bluuford]

Pilsner Urguell, ScHnitzel, Mud, Alps, Danube, FrOst, Rain RALLY
PUSH MAD FOR RALLY

[focus206]

Rally of the Holly Roman Empire :D

Start ceremony in Rome, then liasion to Germany/Czech/Austria for the stages :D

Rallye Mitropa doesn't sound bad (even though this year's Mitropa cup didn't have rallies in neither Germany nor Czech), but I'm fine with Central European Rally name.

[Rallyper]

CRAG Rally... ;)

[PLuto]

I guess then they were running them like this because nobody in the EU cared and they were always prepared to go ex-EU.

I've now read that it was a second set of hastily obtained ineligible plates that ended the rallies, the border didn't cause anything but was just the coincidental place of the police checkpoint.

All this aside from the forged documents lol. But I can sleep tonight now, thanks Mirek.

I can explain that situation a little bit. There is a problem that almost nobody in Europe is checking if the registration plates are really valid. On administrative checking they are checking insurance card, on scrutineering they are checking only FIA golden passport. This is on all WRC/ERC events, in some national championships it is even worse. In reality, there is plenty of cars going on different level of championships with not valid registration plates. And until you will arrive to the origin of the plate or the police is pro-active, nobody is taking care if it is ok or not. Problem is that lot of teams is keeping plates how they brought it from previous owner/manufacturer, but they are not checking the validity...

How the situation started in Germany? Car of Korhonen was moving from service area to scrutineering and police on the way has recognized not valid german plate. So they followed him to the scrutineering, where they started checking the car. Meanwhile they found that plate is not only valid, but also falsified. Meanwhile there was coming car of Jan Skala (rented from 2C as spare car after crash in Herbst previous weekend) with Alzenau plates and active policeman has checked the plate in his database - and it was again invalid. Since that time big action started. Two antons full of policemen arrived. And they were checking all the cars in the fields. In fact, there was more than 10 cars which didnt passed scrutineering because of it. Thanks for them there was enough time between scrutineering and start of rally so they had time to manage it. So in fact, all crews were allowed to start. But some of the teams were able to manage it correctly and some of them not...

BTW, Boland and Windischberger had originally not valid french plates, Gamba had originally not valid czech plates, only Korhonen had originally not valid german plates. But all of them solved the solution by wrong temporary export german plates. Other teams were more clever and used temporary plates of different countries. Including WRC2 winner Nicolas Ciamin. I am sure that if there will not be this german police action, when he will go on czech side, local police will check him and stopped for sure...

One more thing - as I know about this issue, I am in contact with all foreign teams starting on czech rallies, including Barum Rally. I am explaining them the situation and saying that they must come with correct documents and plates. I was not involved in CER organisation, so I was not able to warn them...

[masa90]

Wow that sounds weird. Like you would think that teams would get these things right, but I guess it is just one of these things.

[pucky54]

...But all of them solved the solution by wrong temporary export german plates...

Yes, those red plates are "one way plates" for export only, so if you leave Germany they get invalid in Germany and you cannot enter again!!

[PLuto]

Yes, those red plates are "one way plates" for export only, so if you leave Germany they get invalid in Germany and you cannot enter again!!

What is strange - Korhonen's car had on scrutineering red plates, but on Thursday and Friday yellow ones...

[WRCStan]

Yes, those red plates are "one way plates" for export only, so if you leave Germany they get invalid in Germany and you cannot enter again!!

I think I was focussed on boundaries of customs and not road traffic law which isn't common.

[Mirek]

I think I was focussed on boundaries of customs and not road traffic law which isn't common. One last question, were 'export' plates necessary on this occasion, or would 'ordinary' (let's say Italian) plates have been OK all along?

For the rally whatever valid plate is ok.

Export plates are for export not for use and they shall not be used for anything else (and yes, I am aware they they have been used in rallies for decades).

[WRCStan]

What is strange - Korhonen's car had on scrutineering red plates, but on Thursday and Friday yellow ones...

Well if you're puzzled, I've no chance! The stewards decision on the matter says the police found the plates not suitable for competition, makes it sound OK for ordinary road use.


For the rally whatever valid plate is ok.

Export plates are for export not for use and they shall not be used for anything else (and yes, I am aware they they have been used in rallies for decades).

Damn, thought I could get away with removing that dumb question.

[PLuto]

Well if you're puzzled, I've no chance! The stewards decision on the matter says the police found the plates not suitable for competition, makes it sound OK for ordinary road use.

Which is not true. Police has nothing to do if the plates are suitable for competition or not. They are just following traffic rules. After scrutineering they have noticed to organiser which plates are not valid. It was on the teams to manage it. All plates were OK for police for Thursday, otherwise they will not be allowed to pass the scrutineering and also not allowed to participate on shakedown (all involved cars were there). Only these four competitors has used "wrong" export german plates, so when the car left Germany, they cannot come back... Pure mistake/ignorance from the teams...

[pucky54]

What is strange - Korhonen's car had on scrutineering red plates, but on Thursday and Friday yellow ones...

Red ones are for dealers, yellow ones for private persons. Validity is the same! ;)

[dimviii]

Red ones are not only for dealers
I bought them for 15 days at 2022 when i bought a car and had to drive it to Greece.Export plates they called them,and you can bought them for 30 days too.