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I think that the last paragraph on this article is silly. The writer questions the morality of having an event in Greece as it is in economic difficulties. It's not like you can't say that about South Africa.
Looks like NZ is ****ed. I don't see how Australia got spared?
I don't think it would be prudent to have 12 rallies. That would be another nail in the coffin.
Australia is heavily govt backed, so that might have something to do with it. Aus and NZ could just continue to rotateQuote:
Originally Posted by Plan9
They may be having "joint" rounds in Argentina and Brazil, so why not Australia and NZ a few weeks apart??
;(
Also why not run South Africa in summer time, so beginning or end of year :s
Keen to see what the calendar will be. I'm always keen to go to new events.
Yes that does not surprise me. Coffs Harbor is trying to get it for 3 years in a row so no more NZ is that comes true. 2 things do surprise me about Australia-NZ WRC event; I thought V8 ruled the roost in Oz so I am surprised they are fighting for the event so hard. The second is why the FIA goes to the Antipodes at all when their are other fish to fry.
That would be ideal for many of us down here but its difficult seeing manufacturers not dragging their knuckles on that. Need more that 12-13 events per year.Quote:
Originally Posted by J4MIE
I think maybe you are mixing your metaphors?Quote:
Originally Posted by Plan9
'Dragging your feet' = implication of being slow to act
'dragging your knuckles' = implication of neanderthalic instincts
I like Africa idea.
Nissen went into administration (maybe 'cos of Latvala's contract. :P)
Jost Capito officially confirmed as new head of Volkswagen Motorsport - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com
Interview with Mads Ostberg before Talsu rally: VIDEO
WRC 2013 calendar decision postponed to 15 July
source?
Thanx for video.Quote:
Originally Posted by garais22
I'll be there to check his speed :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by J4MIE
I have been saying that for ages, I just cant see the sense in the teams having to go all that way to only have one event. It would be nice to see the two events competing with eac other, fastest average speed, biggest jumps, which has the most live televised stages etc etc.
Time to stop pandering to useless rallies and idiots with a few extra 'notes' being waved around.
'New rallies can be great for the championship' - Yeah and they can also be disastrous too. Rallying in Jordan? The biggest failure of the WRC in the last 30 years.
All the rallies that are looking to be thrown out have been the backbone of the sport for 2-3 decades and in some cases longer. No one thinks about that, it's entirely about which country can pay the most. It's inevitable and a very sad state of affairs for anyone who is a real 'rally enthusiast'.
I think that Austraia doesn't have a market to sell the cars to the public. Nor does NZ as i've read. But does that really matter? To be honest - I'm not sure which rally I would prefer. NZ is fantastic in many ways and so has Rally Australia in Coffs Harbour! I'm going to NZ again this year, Coffs was last year and will head to that again when it's on. Both amazing rallies and think that rotating will be great. Rally Aus going in for the kill to be permanent for 3 years will kill it... I think rotating is the way to go!
Really? I think Ogier's victory of 0.2 seconds last year was fantastic, particularly when there had been so much emphasis on road position and team tactics. And Jordan also had a very unique surface, since the roads were graded and then sprayed with water from the Dead Sea, so the high salt content gave the roads a diamond-like finish. I still remember watching on-board videos from the rally where you can't actually tell the difference between the road and the scenery. The rally might not have attracted lots of sponsors, and there might not have been much reason for the teams to be there in the first place, but I think that Rally Jordan was actually a pretty unique event.Quote:
Originally Posted by WRCfan
If you want an absolute disaster, look not further than Super Rally, the way rally routes were steadily cut down so that television crews could get to them easily, and the introduction of constant spectator-friendly super-special stages. All of them have worked together to dilute the concept of rallying.
Agree with you on the super rally to an extent, although the other side of the coin is you get to see as a spectator more rally (and remember if you are watching live it only comes once a year) so that is good.
Smaller compact routes are a fail, agree with you there.
Jordan however just grinds me despite it being 'unique'. Scenery was one tree every 5 or so km, watching on tv it was like someone drove a grader blindfolded around in the desert to make the stages. Horrible rally, and pointless for all the teams being there really. I guess the bottom line for me is that a 'pointless' rally such as Jordan is taking spots of classics and rallies which formed the backbone of the WRC for many years. Maybe I am too old fashioned? haha
Yeah, it has to be rotation. In an ideal world they'd both run every year. But the best compromise is for them to rotate year by year. Rally Australia can't be allowed to ride roughshod over NZ. Look at the bigger picture. Both may not be huge car markets for European Manufacturers, but they have a large spectator numbers, which is important. Brazil/India are big markets, but where is the audience? Too many of the best events are being dropped. Remember, to qualify for a World Championship, a series must visit at least 4 continents.Quote:
Originally Posted by GigiGalliNo1
VW COMMITTED TO WRC iRally | The free independent Rally App for the iPhone, iPad and Android
I don't want to die without seeing the WRC back to Kielder...Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
Next year, I'm sure it will be back in Kielder with a Sunderland start. Unless of course Rally GB is the casualty when manufactureres want 8 European rounds if 4 flyaways are included in the calendar. Apparently the reason for the delay in announcing the calendar this week was that FIA want 13 rounds, 4 flyaways and 9 European rounds and manufacturers insist on cost that if they have to go to 4 flyaways then another European round is dropped to 8 rounds - assuming it's definate that Acropolis is out for next year, I can't see MC, Sweden (only snow round) Finland, Germany (VW year) France (Cit& Loeb) out, maybe Portugal or GB is the "weaker" European round, Portugal because this year's event was disrupted by weather (last time in 2001, they used that as an excuse) and GB if the Welsh funding stops, and as we heared before Yorkshire was supposed to come in, in the end they had no money, and it was back to Wales but with the sponsor getting away with paying less money.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kielder
I reckon Italy would be dropped before Portugal. That seems to be a very well run event with things like the Lisbon SSS and good support from sponsors like Vodafone.Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
Wasn't Italy only a last minute inclusion for this year after Abu Dhabi was dumped? Surely an indication that it is very much out of favour anyway?
Portugal is going to be in the calendar in 2013 & 2014.
We've to wait for the entire new calendar until 15th of June.
Marcus Grönholm prepares Global Rallycross Championship 2012 with Ford Fiesta RC .. All the photos from MG Tests Image
Mads Ostberg 2nd in Talsi Rally Shakedown - Results and Photo here
I think they'll gradually work towards it. Jean Todt has been pushing for extended routes on the rallies, and given the reception that Argentina received, I think we'll see a lot more rallies at least experimenting with it. I think that 2013 will see more rallies expanding their routes, and Wales would be a prime candidate since the cars are already crossing the country from Great Orme to Cardiff just in the liasion routes. If we're looking at rallies that cover 500 or 600 competitive kilometres, a return to Kielder and Sunderland is a definite possibility for the event.Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
And a concept that goes hand-in-hand with Todt's preference is a more-diverse range of events. He's already pointed out that there isn't a whole lot of difference between France and Germany, least of all because Strasbourg and Trier are so close together geographically. Like I said, as pointless as the Rally of Jordan was, it also had one of the most unique surfaces of any rally on the calendar, and that, I think, merits consideration. Given the challenging surface of many of the Welsh stages, I think the rally fits this definition of a unique surface, and that might be enough for the FIA to protect it.
This is all well and good, but who's going to fund it? Rally GB is already suffering from a drop in income from the Welsh Government, so who's going to fund a more expensive version of the event that crosses in to 'enemy' territory?Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
This is the same with multi-country territory rallies, the costs go up, but the potential return to any one country goes down as the exposure is split across two of more countries.
Latvala was testing in Sardinia for two days. He ran a total mileage that rounds the one he will have to do in Greece (even he did 30 kms without stopping). His arm is OK, ready for Greece.
News for a friend from Madagascar : "Joda" will run PWRC 2013, and maybe some rounds with a Subaru R4 from Makinen Racing.
Latvala tested in Portugal! And in 2013 I think that Italy is in the WRCQuote:
Originally Posted by Kielder
I read about the Italian test here: Jari Matti LatvalaQuote:
Originally Posted by Bartolbia84
This year we are having excessive secrecy around the test.
I wont be too sure about that...Quote:
Originally Posted by Bartolbia84
I'm sure, because I know the organizers of the tests ... and unfortunately, Ford has nottested here. I know you were in Portugal ... :) There will be definitely towards the month of October to prepare for the race ... ...
Sorry, that I cannot tell you. Again, I think Italy is out for 2013.Quote:
Originally Posted by tommeke_B
Czech rally driver Martin Hudec will drive on Deutschland rally 2012 with evo IX.
Visit Qatar brings Thierry Neuville at the start Rally New Zealand! Neuville at Ypres is now impossible..