How do you see the future of rally?

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Originally Posted by Mirek

And in the end for manufacturer it is important also to defeat its own privateers. It's a question of credit - an ordinary privateer must not defeat the manufacturer.

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It might well be the case in respect of manufacturers attitudes presently but it hasn't always been so and it's not universal thinking across all motorsport.
A classic example of how it could/should work is Aussie V8 Supercars. The factory supports their own team which contributes a significant amount of the R&D but each brand is backed up by a number of other 'private' teams and the manufacturer exercises bragging rights regardless of which team wins.
I'm sure it's the same in many other touring car championships throughout the world and used to be the case with rallying.

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Originally Posted by sollitt

It might well be the case in respect of manufacturers attitudes presently but it hasn't always been so and it's not universal thinking across all motorsport.
A classic example of how it could/should work is Aussie V8 Supercars. The factory supports their own team which contributes a significant amount of the R&D but each brand is backed up by a number of other 'private' teams and the manufacturer exercises bragging rights regardless of which team wins.
I'm sure it's the same in many other touring car championships throughout the world and used to be the case with rallying.

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I see your point and its inarguable that if a Ford winsd , Ford gets to blow their horn..

But Mirek's point is that NOW, the 2 MFGs who have been in WRC look at the whole damn thing as one big carefully tailored music video aimed at "that all important demographic: 12-26 year old male VIEWERS" That's why its vital to have 23 year old boys in WRC seats. And silly baseball hats. And coverage that is barely distinguisable from a 14 year old playing him little game Boy or whatever....

You don't really except a 14 year old pimple squeezing to recall for more than 10 seconds more than 4 names do you????

Shirley, you jest.

You're right of course John. What was I thinking?

One of the problems I can see is that through the years manufacturers keep joining into bigger and bigger corporations which just logically makes number of possible manufacturer entrants lower and lower. If let's say 10% of manufacturers are interested in our sport, it's in overall numbers way less now than thirty years a go when it was already way less than sixty years a go...

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Originally Posted by Mirek

I also don't agree with making all cars using same standard components. That's no longer a manufacturer competition. It can be done for some cup to make numbers of entrants but not more.

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I don’t like that either although I’ve said that I was hoping for a single source engine for R4T. Dampers and brakes are anyway acquired from elsewhere and I could live with a two-manufacturer source for the gearbox and rear differential. But the engine IMO is the soul of the car so it should be original.

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Originally Posted by Mirek

For me the way to make the sport cheaper is to cancel any homologations completely. Just make clear simple rules and let anyone build whatever he wants. But this is what manufacturers will never allow to happen so again just an utopia.

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This is what I’ve been dreaming about already for some time and I recall I’ve posted something like that sometimes. During the group an era many parts were free and I’m convinced that by regulations this could be done and still keep the costs down. The manufacturers wouldn’t like this at least in WRC but in regional and national championships this could maybe work.

Nowadays with the group R regulations everything has to be homologated, even dampers and springs that are still free in group N.

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Originally Posted by Mirek

One of the problems I can see is that through the years manufacturers keep joining into bigger and bigger corporations which just logically makes number of possible manufacturer entrants lower and lower. If let's say 10% of manufacturers are interested in our sport, it's in overall numbers way less now than thirty years a go when it was already way less than sixty years a go...

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And a lot of manufacturers that don’t even exist anymore.

Rallying has to go back to GpA and GpN. That way the rally car follows the road car for driven wheels, bodywork, engine and induction.

Privateers can then build their own cars.

world rally car, S2000 etc do no allow this. GpA and GpN allows anyone to repair bodywork easily as it is road car bodywork.

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Originally Posted by navtheace

Rallying has to go back to GpA and GpN. That way the rally car follows the road car for driven wheels, bodywork, engine and induction.

Privateers can then build their own cars.

world rally car, S2000 etc do no allow this. GpA and GpN allows anyone to repair bodywork easily as it is road car bodywork.

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If there was an accident, the drivers could rob panels and things from the road cars between stages :D

Should we see any of the live streams this season after WRC promotor is gone with the wind?!

Is there any bailout money left for the WRC ?

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Originally Posted by Barreis

Should we see any of the live streams this season after WRC promotor is gone with the wind?!

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North One is not just 1 person...