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The basic idea was that a driver could attend both regional and a WRC event with the same car with minor changes. As it seems by now the restrictor size for both SP and WRC will be the same but I’m quite sure that when we see the first homologation (Mini), the size of the restrictor is smaller for a SP.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
Olivier Quensel has said Citroen board only funded two works cars, all other cars, Kimi's Van Merkstein, and Petter's are available if the drivers can provide or source the funds required to run these. If you remember Sordo also had the option to provide the funding...he couldn't and in all probability will be announced at Prodrive Mini after 1st Jan 2011.Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
There were report all year that in 2011 the team wants to expand. Ken Block was trying to get Kimi Raikkonen in a second Monster Ford, so there has to be some budget, because Kimi seems to not want to spend his own money on rally. Atkinson has no (real) cash for a couple of years now?!Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomi
There are too few teams in WRC today. Ten years ago there were a lot more and they had three car teams, wich I´m sure payed drivers.
Remember we had many drivers earning 2-5 million Euros a year for driving WRC.
Now almost everyone have to pay. It´s a shame!
Why that is? regulations and rules are not friendly for the sport. FIA doesn´t act as they should.
Economic reality I'm afraid...years of bad promotion has left WRC as the FiA's poorest series (WTCC doesn't count!). So it has poor TV coverage and a small global audience for such a big series. As a result sponsors are harder to come by to allow manufacturers to run bigger teams. Doubly so right now in the worst recession since the 1930s.
If it weren't for pay drivers the likes of MSport wouldn't even exist beyond maybe two cars.
As it have been hinted in here, FCACA team than ran Jari Ketomaa's Fiesta S2000 for 2010 season has ended its action at WRC level at least. This means that Ketomaa was left without a ride for 2011 season. In a recent interview for Finnish yellow newspaper Ilta-Sanomat Ketomaa said that the team was already negoatiating a package of 6-7 rallies in the new Mini WRC, but suddenly money problems (surprise!) put an end to this all.
However Ketomaa is now trying to gather a budget to race in World Rally Championship. It is sure that he will miss Sweden and Mexico, but beyond that - who knows. The article doesn't say is he trying to get a budget for a WRC car or S2000. He just might compete in China championship as well, as he did in season 2009.
Here's a source link (Finnish): http://www.iltasanomat.fi/ralli/Suom...359636559.html
Good post!! Sadly, you're quite correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by I am evil Homer
The sport still isn't as attractive as it should be.
^^
Agree, it's a difficult situation. But I think it could be a solution.
Quesnel told us (Rally Emotion) they need absolutely the official WRC WEB-TV. It costs about 8 millions €, so WRC can reach much more fans all over the world with the new WRC Power Stages broadcasted live! (look at GT1 World champ, they revamped all and it's much more followed since this year!).
Think a 15-16 km stage broadcasted live, maybe just before an F1 race! WRC + F1 would be interesting...
Here in Italy has been tested this for the italian rally championship. It worked extremely well! The channel Rai Sport 1 (which is not free-to-air, but free only on digital terrestrial), has attracted more than 500k people at EVERY live stage! And the stage was just 1-2 km!
Look at what Ken Block does with the internet: he's a nub driving the Focus, but he's got lots of fans, maybe more than Hirvonen+Latvala!
The internet is necessary, the 8 million-wrc webtv is absolutely a priority for the series!
I think that they can gain also much money from it... ;)
Good post, I think this could be very good ideaQuote:
Originally Posted by Motorsportfun
http://translate.googleusercontent.c...0mifvN5BKBUoWQ
understandable, but sad news if true. I liked Kimi.
Mostly Finnish Yellow press speculation. Only fact that has been told is that current negotations are on hold because of what happened. That does not mean anything yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
Journalists are the worst kind of vultures.....
I will show you better example - look at live coverage from some IRC events... That is the thing which was missing at WRC and people from ISC/NOS were many years talking, that it isnt possible. But few years ago Eurosport showed to everybody, that it is possible. And now, NOS is finally "inventing" live broadcast...Quote:
Originally Posted by Motorsportfun
I would argue though that the current level of IRC live coverage (whilst thorough and suitable for the existing rally fan base) is suitable only for Eurosport's own channels. I doubt that the large number of international broadcasters that the WRC has to please would accept this level of coverage. They are not 'complete' programmes with start, finish and end.Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
^^Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
You could agree that major sponsors wants a LIVE exposure in ALL the rallies, not in just 5 rounds. That's the point, no doubts about it. IRC isn't able yet to broadcast LIVE all the rallies...
Eurosport has just his tv shedule to arrange, but NOS needs to create a valid product which could be integrated to lots of televisions. Example: Al Jazeera has 2 hours of time, BBC 1 hour, another one 2 hours, etc...
A unique stage (not of 1 or 2 kms, but like probably will be Rally d'Italia one in RG2 with 13-15 km), maybe anticipated by highlights of the weekend, could be a good example to pack all the action for the new public which even don't know what a rally is. So the 3-days highlights and the latest stage broadcasted LIVE it could be a good give-and-take.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alleskids
i think we will find out that the second monster seat will go to wilson jr , it would have been nice to see a new face but cant see it happening :(
No news about Atkinson in that monster seat is bad. Petter to touring cars? Seems like speculation, or atleast I hope so!
+1
I am afraid that nobody from other international broadcasters will go into it. Because live coverage from the stages is really very expensive and the "result" (people which will watch it on TV) isnt good comparing to this expenses.Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
As I wrote in previous message, I dont believe that so many international televisions will be interested in this project. Only one chance is that NOS will give them the rights for very low price...Quote:
Originally Posted by Motorsportfun
One unique stage on TV is nice for rally fans, but I am afraid it isnt enough for other people and needed numbers of visitors. On circuit races you will sit 1-2 hours at TV, you still see the race, you know who is leader, you see crashes and at the end you know who is winner. On rally in one stage you see some cars going through stage, you are watching it about one hour and at the end you know that one of the driver (it will be Loeb :s mokin: ) is fastest and actually leading. Or if the stage will be last stage of the rally, before it results will be done and you will only watch the cars going through (and if superally will be canceled, you will be happy if you will see at least ten interesting cars).
I am too sceptic to properly working live coverage from rallies. It should work from Monte (famous name of event, good time in January when lot of people is at home and not so many other sports on TV), but I dont believe so much in other months...
In fact, it is very expensive. If I remember correctly, to broadcast four hours of live stages (two special stages repeated) on the Sata Azores Rally, would cost around 500,000€Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
How hard can it be when we have cross country skiing live for 10 hours each weekend the whole ****ing winter! It's basicly the same thing filming it...
Same thing here in Finland.Quote:
Originally Posted by SubaruNorway
I think 1 possibility would be to show the same stage 2 times each day, if it would be a 2 min stage (no superspecial) and the drivers would start in 2 min intervals, they could easily do the full coverage, if showing 30 first drivers they would already have 2 hours of stuff to show every day.
They manged to send the norwegian rally championship live in the 70's. It's only about money and politics. Same reason Petter can't get a decent car. Even Sordo was left in the cold, despite beeing from a big car market. Citroen want a french winner. Nobody else has a chance.
Cross country skiers don't carry on-board cameras and the necessary links! The helicopters and planes for the links aren't free. Also, for winter events you would need a secondary system to get the signal from the cars in case the weather is too bad for the planes / helicopters to fly!Quote:
Originally Posted by SubaruNorway
I don't agree fully as Ogier was clearly the best driver available for long term.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gard
Agree best guy for long and short term aswell, but they should have kept Sordo, or maybe Sordo knew he would not become a first driver at Citroen, so he took his money to prodrive instead where he has the best chanses.Quote:
Originally Posted by vkangas
So, you really think that Sordo's loss of pace, has nothing todo with Citroen. I agree that Ogier is a better long term option. Especially since he is frenchQuote:
Originally Posted by vkangas
So we have a team with 2 Finns, and another team with 2 Frenchmen........
....in a World Championship....
and we wonder why the sport struggles.
Yep you are right, but dont worry every 20 years or so 1 reasonable Brittish driver pop up, so it's just for you to be patient.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
There's the Finnish national team and the French national team. Why there are only two, well that's more of question to the other nations who aren't there.
But they do carry heart beat monitors connected to the TV screen ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
...while there were at any time 2, 3 or 4 "reasonable" Finnish drivers able to compete for the wins in single rounds or even the whole championship... :-( Yes, you're definitely right, but just at this moment those Finns are as week (i.e. uncapable of fighting for the title) as never... :-(((Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomi
Let's wait until the next season starts, but otherwise I feel the same. French car with french drivers should be dominant again and it's not only because of the "superior" car ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by FabiaFan
My hopes are still on Petter - he could spice up this championship
Thats how sport is, sometime you win sometime loose, sometimes things changes rapidly too, better wait and see.Quote:
Originally Posted by FabiaFan
I'm not bothered about a British driver, though it would be nice - we need more countries represented in the WRC, if it is to grow. Having only 2 nations is not the sign of a strong and healthy series.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomi
training and more training should do the job and driving in competitive series.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
Don't forgot the Dutch drivers in the B teams ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
How about Mini with Meeke and most likely Sordo. They'll be in soon.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
I don't care if their are only 2 nationalities represented at the moment. At this point I'm more interested in potential manufacturers to join the series.