[WRC] News & rumours (part II)

Aston Martin eat all DR money?!

Loeb will quit WRC if FIA get it their way on the next WMSC meeting. He doesn't want the simple S2000 / Group N format without the possibility of adding the S2000+ kit.

I honestly don't think that FIA cares what Loeb think or if he will quit the sport. Their main focus is cost-cutting. But I think that the sport will suffer big time if we only get S2000 - the cars are simply not spectacular enough IMO.

But I wonder if the teams and fans will care if Loeb quits? Will the sport suffer if the biggest name retires, or are there so few fans left that it doesn't matter?

http://rallybuzz.stagetimes.com/loeb-quit-wrc-s2000/

On one hand it would be sad to seen Seb move on (although im sure he would suceed in other areas) but on the other hand wouldnt mind too much.

If the FIA's propsed implemenmtation of S2000/Group N as the primary category then I agree that the cars arnt visually appealing but if the current regs were relaxed a bit, say perhaps S2500/Group N with larger restictor as well as a manditory 40/60 front/rear tourque split centre differential then the cars could be sideways more often and have sufficiant power to please most.

To me spectacular driving come from having the car sideways under power, sliding the car around corners, using scandinavians flicks to get around hair pins and generally putting the car to the limit of sideways grip.

Recently been driving my Subaru Liberty/Legacy RS Turbo with a Version 2 STi DCCD close ratio gear box. I havent installed the electronic side of this rendereing a 35/65 torque split.
To the non Subaru inclined that wont mean a great deal but the point im trying to make is that its a blast to drive - especially on gravel. It get sideways quite easily, but most importantly its VERY controlable yet I dont have a great deal of power at the wheels.

Thoughts?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikeD

Loeb will quit WRC if FIA get it their way on the next WMSC meeting. He doesn't want the simple S2000 / Group N format without the possibility of adding the S2000+ kit.

I honestly don't think that FIA cares what Loeb think or if he will quit the sport. Their main focus is cost-cutting. But I think that the sport will suffer big time if we only get S2000 - the cars are simply not spectacular enough IMO.

But I wonder if the teams and fans will care if Loeb quits? Will the sport suffer if the biggest name retires, or are there so few fans left that it doesn't matter?

http://rallybuzz.stagetimes.com/loeb-quit-wrc-s2000/

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While I'm a fan of Loeb, it's not for him to decide what future direction the sport goes. The S2000 are pretty expensive at the moment - then add a Turbo and Rear wing - how much will they then cost? And whether he's right or wrong regarding S2000 - if there are lots of Teams/cars/drivers with S2000 - What is wrong with that? A strong WRC is what is wanted. The early days of GroupA were hardly earth shattering, were they?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AndyRAC

if there are lots of Teams/cars/drivers with S2000 - What is wrong with that? A strong WRC is what is wanted.

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There seems to be the idea that having wrc-cars and wrc-drivers in local rallies, diminishes the WRC itself. This because the WRC is supposedly the pinnacle. Having local guest drivers beating wrc-drivers shatters that idea. In their opinion the WRC must be as exclusive as possible, not only to lock out the opposition, but also to ask very high prices for entering.

Of course, I think the exact opposite of this vision.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lousada

There seems to be the idea that having wrc-cars and wrc-drivers in local rallies, diminishes the WRC itself. This because the WRC is supposedly the pinnacle. Having local guest drivers beating wrc-drivers shatters that idea. In their opinion the WRC must be as exclusive as possible, not only to lock out the opposition, but also to ask very high prices for entering.

Of course, I think the exact opposite of this vision.

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Seem to remember DR saying this as well - comparing it to F1. Sorry, this is Rallying, not F1, a completely different sport. It's always happened, get over it.

In an interview Olivier Quesnel was also worried about privateers winning rallies. I don’t remember where I read that interview but I’m quite sure it was in crash.net. I tried to search for it in crash.net but couldn’t find it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by grugsticles

On one hand it would be sad to seen Seb move on (although im sure he would suceed in other areas) but on the other hand wouldnt mind too much.

If the FIA's propsed implemenmtation of S2000/Group N as the primary category then I agree that the cars arnt visually appealing but if the current regs were relaxed a bit, say perhaps S2500/Group N with larger restictor as well as a manditory 40/60 front/rear tourque split centre differential then the cars could be sideways more often and have sufficiant power to please most.

To me spectacular driving come from having the car sideways under power, sliding the car around corners, using scandinavians flicks to get around hair pins and generally putting the car to the limit of sideways grip.

Recently been driving my Subaru Liberty/Legacy RS Turbo with a Version 2 STi DCCD close ratio gear box. I havent installed the electronic side of this rendereing a 35/65 torque split.
To the non Subaru inclined that wont mean a great deal but the point im trying to make is that its a blast to drive - especially on gravel. It get sideways quite easily, but most importantly its VERY controlable yet I dont have a great deal of power at the wheels.

Thoughts?

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This not so much about “News & rumours” so I comment it in the thread “Technical Regulations 2010 –delayed”

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lousada

There seems to be the idea that having wrc-cars and wrc-drivers in local rallies, diminishes the WRC itself. This because the WRC is supposedly the pinnacle. Having local guest drivers beating wrc-drivers shatters that idea. In their opinion the WRC must be as exclusive as possible, not only to lock out the opposition, but also to ask very high prices for entering.

Of course, I think the exact opposite of this vision.

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MotoGP and the Superbikes on two wheels have always faced the threat from an invited wildcard rider. The biggest threat coming during the Japanese events because of special factory 'hand grenades' built especially for the current local whizz kid to know the big boys off their perch. Usually it would end up with the whizz kid crashing out into the gravel, but occasionally it did cause an upset win that also affected the overall championship. However it has not brought the sport down a notch, increased local interest in the event and was great to see at times.

There is nothing different under the proposed changes that would be greatly different than the pay-ride one off rally appearances that happen now. Just at a more affordable level with S2000+. The major teams will still rise to the top with the greater budgets. Just like the factories rise above the rest despite local entries in the IRC.

Video of Loeb Rally GB test
http://rallybuzz.stagetimes.com/loeb-pre-rally-gb-test/