Was the WRC too popular...???

[AndyRAC]

After watching videos and DVD's from a few years ago, it got me thinking. There seemed to be lots of interest and media coverage, spectators. The Rallies were noticeably different to each other, variety of cars, specialist drivers(snow,Tarmac). But there wasn't live TV, so the F1A decided to make changes to make it easier to cover the Rallies live. Central servicing, cloverleaf format to Rallies meaning no overnight halts away from host town.
So the reason for these changes was for better promotion of the sport, but really was it? Was it just too popular, threatening the F1A's precious F1, with excitement and drama?
Or have I got the wrong end of the stick??

[LotusElise]

I think it was apathy and poor management on the part of the FIA, rather than direct sabotage.

[MJW]

I think there is more than a grain of truth in what AndyRAC is saying.

[Daniel]

A little bit I guess. I think two things that helped with the decline of the WRC are Peugeot and Citroen. They came in and raised the bar so high that the other teams could simply not afford to take them on. Ford is the only one that managed to stay there and even Subaru has fallen behind :mark:

[Brother John]

I think it was apathy and poor management on the part of the FIA, rather than direct sabotage.

Poor managment????????? Very smart was it, with live TV and coverage the F.I.A. make money!!! :s mokin:

[LotusElise]

That's media management, not management of the actual championship.

I think you're joking anyway...

[A.F.F.]

Somehow all the big manufacturers got interested in F1 where the big money is??

Have to wonder, which has done more good to Toyota's image for instance? Years of success in WRC or years of wasting money in F1 ?

Damn right WRC was a threat to F1.

[grugsticles]

I wouldnt have said the WRC was too popular back in the mid 90's.
Id say that it was not as popular/mainstream as it is today.

The reason for the lack of... umm, ...'appeal', IMO, is more along the lines of what Daniel was hinting at - where huge budget teams lift the performance standard and the finanical commitment required.
Teams like Pug/Cit are willing to take a risk that they can spend huge amount of money for short periods of time, achive great championship results and them move on.
That leaves the other manufactures (Hyundai/Mitsubishi/Skoda/Seat/etc.) re-assessing their marketing budgets to see if they can be better spent elsewhere, which in most cases seems to be true.

In a world where we are looking for alternate transportation to cars, there isnt the consumer demand for manufacturers to pump a crap load of money into a marketing scheme that isnt going to bring results.


So, I dont think the WRC was too popular for its own good, but its popularity did cause its demise in a way through attracting new contenders.

[pentti]

Somehow all the big manufacturers got interested in F1 where the big money is??

Have to wonder, which has done more good to Toyota's image for instance? Years of success in WRC or years of wasting money in F1 ?

Damn right WRC was a threat to F1.All car companies have motorsport budget. Suddenly the most money was going to rallying. Bernie knew this and he did not like that.He needed engines in Formula bbbbbbbbbbbboring.So he banned Group B. Where were 12 car companies ready to put money in rallying for the following year.

[LotusElise]

Was it really Ecclestone that ordered the Grp B ban? I've always attributed that to Jean-Marie Balestre, but I don't know that much about the machinations behind it.
Sorry if I'm coming across as overly skeptical on this thread - it is not deliberate.

[Josti]

Was it really Ecclestone that ordered the Grp B ban? I've always attributed that to Jean-Marie Balestre, but I don't know that much about the machinations behind it.
Sorry if I'm coming across as overly skeptical on this thread - it is not deliberate.

I thought it was mainly Baléstre, but I think Pentti is right in saying certain F1 people were threatened and may pushed FIA's button on banning Group B. It's what comes from hardly spending attention on it. It's better now, but sadly F1 is still FIA's little precious...

[Tom206wrc]

A little bit I guess. I think two things that helped with the decline of the WRC are Peugeot and Citroen. They came in and raised the bar so high that the other teams could simply not afford to take them on. Ford is the only one that managed to stay there and even Subaru has fallen behind :mark:



I don't think a team like Lancia and even Audi years ago put less money in that sport than the PSA brand !! :rolleyes:

A bit easy to put responsabilities on certain teams shoulders :mark:

[Daniel]

I don't think a team like Lancia and even Audi years ago put less money in that sport than the PSA brand !! :rolleyes:

A bit easy to put responsabilities on certain teams shoulders :mark:
*sigh* always so defensive. I was merely saying that Peugeot and Citroen put in a lot of money and were simply too good for the rest of the teams and they couldn't keep up in regards to funding.

[RallyCat909]

It bothers me greatly that the individual responsible for the prosperity of the WRC has such a massive distraction with his F1 attachments.

As for the FIA, I'd love very much to visit their planet to understand the logic they come up with.

[AndyRAC]

It bothers me greatly that the individual responsible for the prosperity of the WRC has such a massive distraction with his F1 attachments.

As for the FIA, I'd love very much to visit their planet to understand the logic they come up with.

Yes, I know, he should be spending every hour sorting out the WRC. Though saying that his comments on this years Monte show how out of touch he is. Maybe he should give up his commitments to the WRC, and let somebody else takeover.