To make rallying great, we need to dream. Great stuff is founded on dreams.
Today it does not matter if the WRC goes to China or Argentina, Finland or Greece, there will be more similarities than differences, and the sense of adventure has gone.
The Rally Monte Carlo is maybe the best example. It is ruined, but it could be made great again (it was on its way during the IRC days).
Not that many years ago it started from starting points across Europe. Even in Oslo, Norway. They all gathered in France, and ran the rally in the alps around Monaco. It was night stages, more days, the drivers needed to endure a harder work out, again making them seem like bigger heroes.
Today such a layout for Monaco would be 100% doable (it is still done in the Historic, which I have had the pleassure to attend as a codriver).
It would be great for bringing rally to the people, and would fit hand in glove with social media.
Every check point in Europe would be host of larger or smaller events, and the Return On Investment in regards to marketing would be great. You would have a lot of press in national, regional and local media, which have several benefits. 1) Media exposure. 2) Creating a demand in the public of wanting to know more about the event, including results, etc. Increasing the value of the event, and the sport all the way.
Each rally should be looked at in the same way. How can we make the best possible event/show out of this?
And each rally should have its own character. A totally similar German and French event is a no go. And all rallies dont need to be 1000KM, but some should.
To make this feasible, one needs to take the total responsibility of the event away from the local organizer, and set up a WRC orginazing team that works with the locals in a whole other fashion then now.
Take Rally China as an example.
This could be a great rally for China and the WRC. This could and should be The Great Oriental Adventure.
To make this happen one can not rely on local organization achieving above their experience and competence in a test event. One have to have a large team from the promotor that does the organizing, this have to be experienced rally organizers that are of the same calibre as the ones that made the 1970 London to Mexico happen, and also a "concept staff" making the event the best adventure it could be.
If that is in place, then one off course need a very good dialogue with the locals, so that everything is in order with the local communities etc.
Then one could start to brain storm. What about a jump over the Great Wall Of China, what about etc etc.
Today arranging a WRC rally is made very difficult because one are so reliant on local forces both in organizing and financing. This makes it unnecessarily difficult to "think big".
Then a few points to Mirek: I am a great admirer of both Loeb and Ogier, and know their history quit well. Talking about the expense of WRC-cars, I was referring to the times when everthing was active etc. (But i still would like to see more cost cuts to modern rallycars, or more bang for the buck)
