Loeb against endurance rallies

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Originally Posted by MJW

bit of an update - from the printed version of Autosport -Bullet points from the article:-
1.The championship organisers are adamant that a greater element of endurance will be brought in to the championship.
2. Rally cars could go all day without service.
3. These will be implemented in 2014.
4. Todt says that this year the rule will change to split rallies into two defined patterns, Classic rallies will have a total stage distance of between 300 and 400kms whilst endurance rallies will be between 400 and 500kms with 6 classics and 6 endurance rallies making the championship.

In another section it refers to an imminent conflict in Portugal with the drivers against night stages with potential for dust. Michelle said she understands their concerns but its important that rallying becomes more challenging. "Drivers will have to use their brains more for something that is challenging"

I predict a conflict between Jean Todt / Michelle Mouton on the FIA side versus the paddock club service park set. This is going to run for a bit but from what I have been told the FIA President is a determined (opinionated) individual who gets his way. I think FIA will win, but at what cost?

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In other words...

.....Damn nothing happens in rallying we need NEWS !!!
..... I know lets MAKE THINGS UP !!!!
..... YAAAAAAY !!!!

Classic autosport articles....

The FIA are actually right for once (well in my opinion). Rallies do need to become more of a challenge, and need to have a better variation of stages instead of just repeating the same stages of the morning loop. I just do not see how the teams and drivers cannot support the FIA's outlook on this. Its crazy, frustrating for the fan and just seems a little selfish instead of doing what obviously the fans want and need (as shown with support on this forum). Michelle Mouton is right, we need a true challenge, a true adventure.

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Originally Posted by Mirek

No WRC event lasts two weeks and no drivers do it on motorcycles. So the safety level just from that is way higher. The point was that two days of driving with little rest can't be a big problem for safety. It is only a problem of comfort. In my opinion it is nothing in terms of safety compared to the nature of the roads in Finland (or in my country) for example.

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I was actually referring to the spectator safety. The guys in the car are protected but the thousands of fans at the road side have got only trees, if even that. And if we'd push all the spectators hundreds of meters away from the road, then I personally can't see how the fans could enjoy watching something in the distance.
I might exaggerate because I don't have a huge knowledge of racing, even less of endurance racing. But I prefer to return home after a rally, so safety is important for me.

Also from a spectator point of view, I wouldn't like that long days (20 hour days). If I'd follow a rally at home behind a computer screen, then I wouldn't have anything against that long days but when on the road then I think I wouldn't enjoy the rally as much because I'd be just exhausted by the mid-point of the second day. And if we take away the joy of attending a rally, then it isn't a spectator sport any more.
I also don't like when the day ends in the afternoon. If the last stage would start in the evening, then it would be great.

More longer rallies! I don't understand Loeb, his career is not so long?! History knows lots of drivers WHO owns more active years or kilometers/miles.

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Originally Posted by Franky

I was actually referring to the spectator safety. The guys in the car are protected but the thousands of fans at the road side have got only trees, if even that. And if we'd push all the spectators hundreds of meters away from the road, then I personally can't see how the fans could enjoy watching something in the distance.
I might exaggerate because I don't have a huge knowledge of racing, even less of endurance racing. But I prefer to return home after a rally, so safety is important for me.

Also from a spectator point of view, I wouldn't like that long days (20 hour days). If I'd follow a rally at home behind a computer screen, then I wouldn't have anything against that long days but when on the road then I think I wouldn't enjoy the rally as much because I'd be just exhausted by the mid-point of the second day. And if we take away the joy of attending a rally, then it isn't a spectator sport any more.
I also don't like when the day ends in the afternoon. If the last stage would start in the evening, then it would be great.

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Spectating, back when WRC was really popular to watch, used to be a big adventure for spectators also...
It was a big adventure for my service crew the one WRC event I do. Fond memories even 20 years later of a sense of accomplishment... 3 out of 3 went on to build and run cars for years (all Opels, too and all full of nice parts I imported from Din Rallyboutique i Varmland and Trend AB in Stockholm (Tackar grabbar!).

Now most events are forgotten pretty quickly.

For me, personally, rallying (and motorsports in general) is about the fastest man winning. And yes, I DO like some kind of endurance events, but not if we end up having a championship with only endurance events. One whole day without service for the cars? Crazy. Imagine someone getting a mechanical problem on the very first stage.... A split between the two kinds of events would be fine (50% like it is now, 50% endurance type).

For me there is hardly any endurance event now. The longer format of five days is not endurance, in Monte Carlo he had 5 days with legs consisting of one stage. For me endurance means hard and long hours for men and machine.

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Originally Posted by Francis44

For me there is hardly any endurance event now. The longer format of five days is not endurance, in Monte Carlo he had 5 days with legs consisting of one stage. For me endurance menas hard and long hours for men and machine which then demands thinking, planning, maybe some mechanical sympathy and is therefore much more complex and nuanced, and that translates into more interesting...

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Fixed that for you

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Originally Posted by Francis44

For me there is hardly any endurance event now. The longer format of five days is not endurance, in Monte Carlo he had 5 days with legs consisting of one stage. For me endurance means hard and long hours for men and machine.

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I agree I like the endurance aspect but am in favour of full on two format rather than 5 days. I do like the Loeb suggested format, and I dont like the 3 stages long lunch and 3 stages repeated. I really wish I could find the itinery Kris Meeke suggested for last years rally GB. It was a bit like a flat out San Remo. I donr think 5 or 7 nights in a hotel is good, thats why my version of endurance is compressed into 4 days inc 2 for competion and two for recce / shakedown.

I have an idea for this let the 'whinger' retire

He has never driven a proper event in his career and yet people bleet on about him being the best ever....what utter crap!!!

Let him pee off to his roundy roundy racing with the other pre madonnas