Petter Solberg WRT

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Originally Posted by EavesFan09

Atleast the symptoms of the sick dog doesn't change from week to week, unlike the result on the dead duck's cause of death.

The primary reason why I have no stomach to follow the IRC is because it occured to me one day I was actually following something with interest that had an entry list that could change every five seconds. I discovered suddenly that in actual fact didn't have a clue as to what rounds each of them was doing.

Nah. Give me the dependable and realiable WRC any day.

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That is part of the IRC's charm that the entry lists and leader boards aren't identical from round to round, surface to surface. IRC still holds the local heroes factor (Andreucci, Magalhaes, Valousek, Feghali, to name a few from last season, even Loix to a degree), which has been very typical in the history of this sport, and also crucial for its support. Sadly that local heroes thing was changed to pay drivers finally when teams were changed from three seats to only two seats. OK, it can get very confusing if the entries change - and perhaps the potential modern fan would prefer stability - but how I see it, it's a breath of fresh air, wish WRC would have it more. Still, most IRC rounds include most of the top driver. Since Monte Carlo have started the series, the contrast with next few rounds have only been too big (Monte will always be the biggest).

With WRC you'll get 4-7 top drivers this season and rest of the bunch will be picking up what's left - it've been like that for too long. I don't say that WRC wouldn't be the absolute top of this sport, but over all, with IRC alongside, as a fan you definitely get more.

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Originally Posted by Hartusvuori

With WRC you'll get 4-7 top drivers this season and rest of the bunch will be picking up what's left - it've been like that for too long. I don't say that WRC wouldn't be the absolute top of this sport, but over all, with IRC alongside, as a fan you definitely get more.

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+1

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Originally Posted by Hartusvuori

With WRC you'll get 4-7 top drivers this season and rest of the bunch will be picking up what's left - it've been like that for too long. I don't say that WRC wouldn't be the absolute top of this sport, but over all, with IRC alongside, as a fan you definitely get more.

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Make that 3-4 drivers paid by the manufacturer and getting the best material. The rest is just spectators, paying big money to sit on the front row.

I consider myself as a huge rallyfan and from my point of view I'm very happy that there are two such series and that I can follow hi-level rally action in a half of weekends during the year. I don't bother which one is better, such penis-measuring contest leads nowhere. I'm happy that both series have different approach to the competitors because if they were same, one would be just a copy. Now they are different and that's absolutely ok. Of course only one of them has world championship status and that won't change even if there is only one top-class car competing.

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Originally Posted by Hartusvuori

With WRC you'll get 4-7 top drivers this season and rest of the bunch will be picking up what's left - it've been like that for too long. I don't say that WRC wouldn't be the absolute top of this sport, but over all, with IRC alongside, as a fan you definitely get more.

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As a fan, maybe. But any sport must do more than appeal to a hardcore group of enthusiasts.

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Originally Posted by Mirek

I don't bother which one is better, such penis-measuring contest leads nowhere.

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Indeed not, but the existence of two series is not sustainable.

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

Indeed not, but the existence of two series is not sustainable.

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I'm not sure... Let's compare the situation some 5 years ago... There was the World Championship and the European Championship - the latter was not much worth, no factory was really interested, there were no serious "whole year battles", maybe with the exception Thiry/Campos or who was it in this tight battle this exceptional season... and even those two weren't top drivers... (compared to Meeke/Hanninen/Atkinson/Mikkelsen/Wilks(let's count him)/(?)Andersson) -most of the other seasons had one clear winner, I believe. Now we have this IRC "inbetween", more drivers get the drive, they even could "qualify" for the WC (from EC it was never the case), new (or even "old" - only pity about Safari) rallies get "the place on the sun"... For the WC it is of course worse, but for the rallysport as a total... hmm...

Back on track, even if it is a good discussion, perhaps the wrong thread.

Looking at Petters site it looks to become more yellow and black, looking at the prep of his trailer. Tomorrow we will see, but I expect him to be on the list for Sweden, and lets take it from there, first lets enjoy MC !

Solberg testing Peugeot 207:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GYZM...layer_embedded

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Originally Posted by FabiaFan

I'm not sure... Let's compare the situation some 5 years ago... There was the World Championship and the European Championship - the latter was not much worth, no factory was really interested, there were no serious "whole year battles", maybe with the exception Thiry/Campos or who was it in this tight battle this exceptional season... and even those two weren't top drivers... (compared to Meeke/Hanninen/Atkinson/Mikkelsen/Wilks(let's count him)/(?)Andersson) -most of the other seasons had one clear winner, I believe. Now we have this IRC "inbetween", more drivers get the drive, they even could "qualify" for the WC (from EC it was never the case), new (or even "old" - only pity about Safari) rallies get "the place on the sun"... For the WC it is of course worse, but for the rallysport as a total... hmm...

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Five years ago is approximately 2005 , and that was in my opinion the last true ERC ... You had Simon Jean Joseph , Giandomenico Basso and Renato Travaglia , all 3 top class drivers , with SJJ being a works Renault effort and Basso a works Fiat driver . Those 3 had almost full programmes if I remember and they battled it out very nicely . Unfortunately , the competition behind them was slim , with no one other doing more than 2 rallies ...