[WRC] News & rumours (part II)

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Originally Posted by cali

Yes, that's what I'm saying, in this vid the part which I dislike the most about Safari starts around 1:10 when the cars barely get out from the mud. I like to see speed test not surviving test, no spectactle whatsoever .. just my two cents

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I've not watched the video but the Safari hasn't been like that for ages......

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Originally Posted by cali

I meant the "interesting" part of that sentence, not "unique".

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Uniqueness makes interesting.

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Originally Posted by Mirek

Anyway the real problem of public interest is not the name of the event or its nature. It's the work of promoter. A real promoter makes a global superstar from a teenage guy who sings two songs of Michael Jackson. There's so much potential in rallying but wasted.

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^^^ this is the major problem for WRC right now. Forget which events could or should be in, there is time for that to change. What WRC needs is proper promotion to get people watching it whether that's on TV, over the web streamed or in the flesh. The 500m figure is false...sure it's potentially broadcast to that many but how many actually watch it, compared to say when the BBC used to follow the RAC rally? I used to love getting up early to see Steve Rider tell me someone had been "got" by Keilder.

Without that coverage, the argument over whether X rally should be in are moot. WRC needs more manufacturers teams, more sponsors looking to be involved and right now there's very little to justify that investment - very few people know about WRC and it's a shame because it is a fantastic sport.

I would agree that in recent years there's been too many identikit rallies, anonymous gravel and tarmac roads that really could in any of about 20 places. But right now the modern WRC has to get people interested, new followers who don't know the history have no idea what you mean by "the yellow house" or "turini". Then we can start talking about bringing back those events

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Originally Posted by cali

Yes, that's what I'm saying, in this vid the part which I dislike the most about Safari starts around 1:10 when the cars barely get out from the mud. I like to see speed test not surviving test, no spectactle whatsoever .. just my two cents

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Apart from Finland, I think the highest average speeds were always set in Safari. Going through mud is just one of many elements.

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Originally Posted by Mirek

Anyway the real problem of public interest is not the name of the event or its nature. It's the work of promoter. A real promoter makes a global superstar from a teenage guy who sings two songs of Michael Jackson. There's so much potential in rallying but wasted.

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Agree.

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Originally Posted by Daniel

Why no Safari Tomi? It's an iconic rally and I think the WRC needs some icons.

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Simply because they would not run it like safari in old days, its too dangerous and also too expensive and allso rally I think is a spectator sport, I dont remember seen many in Kenya.
Im quite sure no team support that it would be back, and if it will be it will be samekind of gay version, they have been running it lately, it's just as amusing like it is to call a endurance event run in Argentina Paris-Dakar.

World Rally Championship - News - Hirvonen aims for Ford extension

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Originally Posted by Barreis

Safari and SanRemo should be back.

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YES.
And swap Alsace for corsica :) And more mixed gravel/tarmac events like catalunya.

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Originally Posted by Barreis

World Rally Championship - News - Hirvonen aims for Ford extension

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Ah you beat me to it. Did you get my PM?

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Originally Posted by Daniel

Amen brother. A-f***ing-men to that.

I think a rally should almost always bring something unique to the party.

For instance I think Rally Australia should be in Perth (with its ball bearing gravel) or not in Australia at all.

I'll give

my thoughts on the current calendar
Sweden - Superb as ever, but it really should be the 2nd round, after the Monte.
Mexico - Sorry, boring.
Portugal - Seems OK, but I preferred it where they used to have it back in 2001.
Jordan - Sorry, it's crap.
Sardinia - Crap
Argentina - OK
Greece - Good rally
Finland - FANTASTIC!
Rallye Deutschland - I actually quite like it.
Rally De France - Having seen some footage I think this could be a good event. But I'll wait till it's run. Would prefer Corsica if I'm honest.

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Anyone who says "quite like" about Germany, which is straights-hairpin-straight-90° corner-straight, can't talk anymore.
France? It's unbelievable that TWO slots of the world calendar are 150 km away each other. Unbelievable, scandalous. One of them MUST be sacrificed, or have to merger.