Wow, how did I miss that one. It is so hard keeping up with everything here in the U.S., you can read everything you can find but you still miss things. Sometimes big things :eek: , thinks for the info!Quote:
Originally Posted by cali
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Wow, how did I miss that one. It is so hard keeping up with everything here in the U.S., you can read everything you can find but you still miss things. Sometimes big things :eek: , thinks for the info!Quote:
Originally Posted by cali
answers on boldQuote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
Jaromir Tarabus will start with his Punto in Wales Rally GB in PCWRC (Motoring Club 2): http://www.autosport.cz/clanek.php?cl=7453
http://www.autosport.cz/img/clanky/b...ece410642b.jpg
Two interesting stories
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71113
DR if I remember correctly was the global promoter from about 1999 with ISC and was frustrated back then when FIA insisted it was "their championship, their ruleas and their calendar" It looks to me like that the Max & Bernie show still dont want a strong WRC. Especially when you read this - it shows Lapworths frustrations with FIA tinkering when the fundamentals are still not resolved.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71114
Both very short, but interesting interviews. There must be consistency - either the F1A lets the Promoter take full control - a la Bernie - or they don't let Bernie/WRC Promoter have full control. It's totally out of order that one has full say - but the other doesn't.Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
Something drastic is needed, this winter calendar to me doesn't make sense. Where did they dream this up from. I've read that people watch more TV in the winter, so they've latched on to this. Sorry, that won't work - the reason people don't watch the WRC is simple. It's not exciting, or interesting enough. Every event is virtually the same - that needs to change. Have different type events - some short 2 day Rallies, some long 'classic type' 4-5 day events, and finally some current style events.
Honestly, if things don't change I can see the WRC becoming like the WEC, and that's no offence - but a smallish passionate fanbase ignored by the mainstream media/sponsors. Most of it's sponsors are involved in Motorcycles.
In reality, it doesn't matter what happens with F1. This is WRC and it needs it's own agenda, not a carbon copy of another sport's.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
To my mind, the sport must determine whether the championship is a sporting contest or a commercial venture. It must decide what it is wanting to achieve with the championship, plot a course and engage partners that will deliver on that direction.
It would be irresponsible to hand absolute control over to a single commercial entity. We've seen the result of going down that road already and it appears to have been pretty unpalatable so far.
DR's comment regarding buying a shop only to then be told what you can & can't sell is a red herring. If you owned a motor vehicle franchise, a McDonalds or any number of other branded outlets this is exactly what happens. It is commercial reality today.
The sport must maintain control and determine a calendar of events much as you have have described here ...... to preserve the culture and uniqueness of the sport and it should then tender the promotional rights which should come with some performance criteria. If you want to play do so, if you don't ... stay away!Quote:
Originally Posted by "
It's actually very simple and only complicated by the agenda of the numerous players, not the least of whom are the interviewees in the articles you've posted.
You make good points, Sollitt, once again. It's completely true that F1 should not be copied but having said that, it's understandable that F1 is being looked up admiringly because it's been such a commercial success in the past 20 or so years. While emulating F1 is not advisable, for benchmarking reasons it's good to take a look at F1's strengths and weaknesses, it's business model et al in order to learn and devise solutions which, while not being direct copies, do sport lessons learned.Quote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
For example, using common points scoring system scheme has it's advantages due the simple principle of knowledge transfer. People who already are familiar with points scoring in F1 can translate that to WRC easier than if it had completely different scheme. Having said that, because manufacturers' championship points is different (and must be different because there are privateers unlike in F1), the whole need for similar points scheme is a half measure.
I agree but for slightly different reasons. I do see the blatant commercialism as the greatest threat too but don't fear it that much because I trust that conflicting wishes of involved manufacturers would temper that trend somewhat, preventing the most outrageous ideas and trends.Quote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
Besides the commercialism, I am against handing the complete control to an outside party because I think that FIA must have control over the sporting and regulatory aspects of the sport, that's their agenda in the first place. However, I do share DR's worry about being told what to sell in the shop you buy so it's a requirement that the promoter has to have a say in how the things are run.
Yes but in case of McD or car dealership you can trust that the franchise owner will do their utmost to promote the brand and give you the tools needed to run that shop of yours because if you don't generate money, they don't get any either. But with WRC, FIA has no vested interest. Sure, struggling WRC doesn't make them as much money as it could but money isn't FIA's number one goal - unlike some seem to think. Instead, there are some who see WRC as the little brother to the F1 and want it to stay that way, effectively opposing any improvement to the situation. I think that to most of the FIA's members WRC is irrelevant, they don't care about it all. And then there is the small minority that feel very strongly about it, most likely those federations that either have strong rallying roots or those who have active manufacturers in WRC.Quote:
Originally Posted by sollitt
Because of this, WRC needs someone who has interest to improve things and in order to attract that someone and enable him to actually achieve that improvement, a sufficiently broad mandate must be given - with clear, measurable and achievable goals.
I wonder who the three interested candidates mentioned in the article are...
Very good news!Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
With all of this why do people still feel the need to protect the F1A?Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
FIA = :mad: Independent Rally championship = :D
Wow, looks like the FIA have had a few too many drinks at the meeting!
1. Managing to scare ISC with putting the license up for renewal when they have two years to run - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71210
2. Not appointing a Global Promoter as requested by Ford, Subaru and others
3. No confirmed calendar for 2009