Yes Azerbaijan is Asia, but may well be one of those ambiguous locations that somehow gets itself in the European song contest and has football teams trying to qualify for various UEFA sanctioned events haha
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Yes Azerbaijan is Asia, but may well be one of those ambiguous locations that somehow gets itself in the European song contest and has football teams trying to qualify for various UEFA sanctioned events haha
Yeh it's a funny one. Think the top half is in Europe, bottom half Asia.
I really don't know why some are bashing Jordan rally? at least that rally proved to be hard and also the finale of Jordan rally 2010 was really epic when Ogier won by 0.2 against Latvala..
Most of you complain about the lack of audience, if 100k people or 100 people are watching this, it wont make any difference! FIA got the money from that event!
We are fans of WRC as well, same as you, but probably not in huge numbers compared to Europe, I am sure if the situation was stable at Syria things will be much better, and I really hope Jordan will host again a round in WRC in the future!
Every Rally with lot of rocks is hard :) I personally don't mind Jordan or Azerbaijan or whatsoever strange location once per calendar year. It's enough for me the promoter to do more coverage on these events as it is now, but this applies to any other Rally anyway :) .
Why not have a WRC event in Qatar or Abu Dhabi? Both already have the title sponsorship of a team each.
Do You like artificial roads built in the desert? That's what I really don't like about rallies in these countries. Rallying is not about purpose-built race tracks even if those are gravel rough ones.
Additionally even if, as in Jordan's case, the venue isn't next to a destabilised / warring state there are the security issues which caused Paris-Dakar to move continent. We have seen the F1 problems regarding sport in the Gulf. Almost certainly Abu Dhabi and Qatar would like a WRC round, BUT are they able to provide the necessary level of security in a situation totally different from a closed race track?
I've heard of a rocky gravel rally event that's in Europe actually, WRC promoter would do well to include it in the schedule. Apparently it's called 'Acropolis Rally' or something like that, it's been going for quite a few years too.
Apart from the fact that Todt isn't prepared to take a deposit in dolmas and taramasalata. I would love the Acropolis to be in the championship, clearly no one sees Greece as an important market at present. I forget who said 'money doesn't talk it swears!' but sadly the halcyon days are gone forever - unless a European breakaway championship could be established! (I can dream)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack4688`
The APRC rally in China is in Chinese terms at least in the middle of nowhere, so no wonder there are no spectators on stages. Actually seremonial start and roadsections that go through villages attract lots of people. I would imagine that given the right lcation, rallying could attract more spectators than the organizers could handleQuote:
Originally Posted by makinen_fan
Erm you mean the ERC? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Mintexmemory
We can always hope that the ERC gets stronger and stronger. I watched this year mainly for the attraction of seeing Tour de Corse and Sanremo. I was disappointed with Sanremo, it's not like I remember it when it was a WRC round, but still next year the championship will feature Tour de Corse, Acropolis, Circuit of Ireland, Rally Estonia, Rallye du Valais & Jannerrallye just to name a few I love to watch or am looking forward to seeing for the first time.
What events does the WRC feature that will attract fans like me to watch it on TV? Rallye Monte Carlo, Rally Finland and errr I guess Sweden and GB are still interesting to watch...
Not the current ERC with its limited appeal to team, something more like the old ERC with the variable coeff rallies. Don't forget Ypres ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack4688`
400 rallies a season and variable coefficient points is NOT easy to follow. Especially for simpletons like me with a shot attention span! But not so short that I prefer Rallycross I might add...
The onboard of Gill I watched led through several villages (half of the stage was on asphalt road in populated area) and the only man I saw in whole length of the stage was somebody building a house next to the road. No spectator and no marshal from start to finish anywhere...Quote:
Originally Posted by COD
You really want the coefficients and dozens of counted rallies back? Please not! We need to reduce the existing one to 10 or even 8 events, not to enlarge it to 50 where no direct competitors would ever meet!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mintexmemory
No not dozens - 20 European Rallies. the top 8 being coeff 10, 4 being coeff 6 amd 8 being coeff 3. Only best 10 results to count but unclassified unless you compete in at least 10. I think that would address your concerns and prevent the farce we've had in WRC2 and WRC3Quote:
Originally Posted by Mirek
It's clear that you haven't followed ERC for a very long time. I don't remember in last ten years a single season where more than one or two crews would do ten events in a year. That is utopia in ERC and it was proven again and again that it doesn't work. People who have money for such program drive in WRC. For example this year only one ERC driver did more than 9 events, only two did more than 8 and only 4 more than 6!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mintexmemory
And I dont know anybody who liked old system with coefficients (except FIA who has liked it because they earn more money from organisers).
And actual system for WRC2 is not good too. Main rivals Robert Kubica and Abdullaziz Al Kuwari almost didnt meet directly during the season...
Colin Clark ?@voiceofrally 1h
Nasser confirms to me that he had positive discussions yesterday in Dubai with MW about continuing Qatar involvement with M-Sport.
Colin Clark ?@voiceofrally 1h
Nasser also confirmed that if deal is done he will do 5/6 rounds and share car with @ElfynEvans.
That's a very good news, also happy for Evans :)Quote:
Originally Posted by OldF
I'm sure Malcolm will do everything to make it a done deal.
That would be in third car, right? So we still have to seats to fill. Evgenij and Mads probably? Where do we find Mikko?
Well, this year we had basically 4 cars, so it COULD be:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
2013: Ostberg, Novikov, Neuville, Al Attiyah
2014: Ostberg, Novikov, Hirvonen, Al Attiyah/Evans sharing one car
theorically there could be a seat for everyone...
I understood that one of EN's key sponsors had got tired / run out of money / been put in prison so he'll be lucky to be anywhere next year.
Mads will probably turn up in a Citroen if anywhere. Not sure they're that happy with the car they paid for this year.
I'd bet on Hirvonen / Kubica / Nasser / Evans.
I 'd say you are spot on with that :-) Mads, Meeke and Sordo at CitroenQuote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
Not a bad guess either... ;)
Was he driving a different version of Fiesta than Neuville ???? :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
Quote:
Originally Posted by MJW
On the Czech site page posted on the M Sport thread (story of Nasser defecting) linked below
http://www.rally-mania.cz/news.php?id=15240
there is a video of Mads testing with M Sport for MC. If this is from 2013 then it's highly likely he is already contracted for next year, or am I missing something (like the page has hugely out of date videos?)
Also the Hyundai 2nd MC car debate still being open indicates that Dani hasn't got a full deal offer from Citroen and is hence still weighing up the options
This is an old one P
Published on 10 Dec 2012
Mads Ostberg testing for the 2013 Rallye Monte-Carlo with M-Sport.
Thanks - should have run some czechs first ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by makinen_fan
No, but had some technical failures as well as he had some offs... :|Quote:
Originally Posted by makinen_fan
Ahhh, so this would explain why teams are "chasing" Ostberg's signature.Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
:laugh: , it definetly explains it because on driving talent alone he simply dosent cut it imo. As the saying goes- its easier to make a really fast driver consistent than a consistent driver really fast. Ostberg used to be relatively consistent but this year he hasnt even had that - but hes got the cash so id certainly expect he will have a drive for 2014.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
I think you´re ruling out Mads too easy. He´s one of the 5-6 fastest guys in WRC and for sure deserves a place in one of the teams. I think you should not only read one season to come up with you quotes. If your observation and conclusion would be adequat we wouldn´t had more drivers in WRC than Mr Loeb... :dozey:Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
There were only 5-6 guys in permanent WRC seats this year...Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
I am sure he will have some kind of drive next year, and hopefully he proves us wrong but I just don't see it. He's been around quite a long time now.
(I think you´re ruling out Mads too easy. He´s one of the 5-6 fastest guys in WRC and for sure deserves a place in one of the teams. I think you should not only read one season to come up with you quotes. If your observation and conclusion would be adequat we wouldn´t had more drivers in WRC than Mr Loeb... :dozey:[/quote] )
No, my post was alluding to the fact that teams wouldn't be 'chasing' ostberg, a guy who was annihilated by his younger teammate who has vastly less wrc experience, if he didnt have the financial backing. I want mads in the championship, the more decent drivers the better but if it wasnt for his money he would have considerably less options than he 'supposedly' has :dozey:
Some rumors are telling that the rule of keeping driver nr 1 for the whole season will be cancelled from next year. That mean, you can change both drivers if you want. So, if it is true, then it brings many new sides to the market.
Less options than the 5 faster guys or less options compared to slower guys? Normally a driver with Mads quality would have a couple of options, as well as for example Mikko, just because there are not so many, but paying drivers (which are quite slower) to choose from.
For 2014 we'll have the same drivers at VW as 2013 and TN & JH + 1 at Hyundai ...
So all we are chatting about now are a mix of the existing Ford & Citroen drivers swapping about... :rolleyes:
I think meeke will get the gig at citroen ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC