[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

Long haul events have to be gravel events. Gravel spec cars, spares and equipment are loaded up for Rally Mexico, then travel to Argentina before arriving at Rally Australia this year. The cost of transport tarmac spec cars for a single event is out of reach for competitors. So it does not make any sense to be looking at Beijing as a Chinese based round. Yet the WRC Promoter and Car companies refuse to see past the major eastern Chinese cities. Any Chinese competitor or western onlooker like myself will tell you that Zhangye is the choice event for the WRC within China that is ready to go. Any other event would have to be built up from the ground up, as no other event exists that will correlate with the WRC wishes.

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Originally Posted by AndyRAC

I read that article - and I just shake my head. "We/ the Championship doesn't want another Tarmac event" Er, why? The WRC should be an even split between gravel and tar. Or am I missing something? They talk about 'road relevance', yet don't want the surface that the majority of road cars run on.

That Ciesla bloke needs firing, he has no idea about the WRC, and I'm not sure RedBull do either.

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Remember when David Richards was in charge of the WRC? As far as I remember when Rallye sanremo was dropped it was because 'the WRC had too many tarmac events'. That was 5 (if you include Rallye Monte Carlo) out of 14! Madness

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Originally Posted by vino_93

About FAW team : FIA authorize local homologated car to take part to WRC events. So, according this rule, the Golf SCRC developped by Prodrive for FAW could be part of this potential event, couldn't it ?

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Can you clarify this? As it has a 2.0ltr engine I don't understand how it would run as part of a WRC event...

There is this new rule :
4.4 NATIONAL/REGIONAL CARS (NOT VALID IN EUROPE)
4.4.1 Cars homologated or approved by the ASN of the organising country will be permitted to take part in WRC events outside Europe, without eligibility to score Championship points.
4.4.2 Prior to the rally, the organiser will propose to the FIA a list of cars for approval.
4.4.3 Drivers entered in the national class shall always use a different entry form.

http://www.fia.com/sites/default/fil...ions_all_2.pdf

Corsica...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117891

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Originally Posted by Barreis

Corsica...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117891

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Yes, I read somewhere else that Michelin and Pirelli also complained about their proposal and have asked for keeping the route like this but splitting each stage into two stages.
Not a reliable source btw.

To be honest, it would be great but I would like to go there and I won't go if I can see only a pass per day. Let's see.

Leave it as it's proposed. It's different - and a challenge from the start. More events should try something different. It's what the sport of rallying is all about.

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Originally Posted by AL14

Yes, I read somewhere else that Michelin and Pirelli also complained about their proposal and have asked for keeping the route like this but splitting each stage into two stages.
Not a reliable source btw.

To be honest, it would be great but I would like to go there and I won't go if I can see only a pass per day. Let's see.

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But this time it is true. But with one "minor" change - it is nor proposal from corsican organisers, but it is idea of FFSA. Also corsican people from organisation are against this stupid idea.

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Originally Posted by AndyRAC

Leave it as it's proposed. It's different - and a challenge from the start. More events should try something different. It's what the sport of rallying is all about.

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The meaning of rally are also people in the stages. This would kill it. Who's gonna book a trip to see cars once and then go back home? I'd like more different rallys and big challenges too but I think this is not a right way to differentiate.

How many people go to see the bicycles once a day? Much more than the rally. So you are wrong.

That is not a fair comparison. But well if it remains like this we just have to wait to see who's wrong.

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Originally Posted by SlowSon

How many people go to see the bicycles once a day? Much more than the rally. So you are wrong.

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were you always that special ??

the difference between going to see a rally and a worthless lowlife junkie going uphill on a bicycle is that in adrenaline sports you need to repeat the experience as often as possible...

while when going to see those useless drug addicts you basically do it to support the pharmaceutical companies that support them.

Loeb wrote at his interview after Argentina win, that he ''waiting for rally news''

http://www.sebastienloeb.com/heureux...-en-argentine/


google translate
https://translate.google.gr/#auto/en...20%C2%BB%0ASeb.

I heard a few weeks ago that Loeb may return for one or two events. Think I posted about it last week.

He will do Rallye d'Epernay at the end of the month (first round of french 2nd division champ)

no wrc?
Finland will be great choice for him :) and for us

Several years a go in a talk show of Czech TV Loeb said that Finland was the only event where he felt scared. I doubt he was choose it now when he can do whatever he wants.

Testa and Andolfi start in #wrc3. Start season in Portugal with Peugeot 208 R2 by ACI Italia Team

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Originally Posted by Mirek

Several years a go in a talk show of Czech TV Loeb said that Finland was the only event where he felt scared. I doubt he was choose it now when he can do whatever he wants.

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Only Finland and Germany have a big gap to wtcc events, so if it be WRC rally it must be one from this two.
Or two of two, who knows :)

PS: wrc - green, wtcc - yellow
http://i.piccy.info/i9/2b8befa16df29...3/wrc_wtcc.jpg

Girl talk...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118132

Any news of some other drivers progress?

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Originally Posted by Barreis

Girl talk...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118132

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Am i right in thinking that the roads in Sardinia usually are so soft that they don''t really clean that much?

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Originally Posted by SubaruNorway

Am i right in thinking that the roads in Sardinia usually are so soft that they don''t really clean that much?

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Completly wrong...they are soft and sandy, só There is much more to clean...

I can confirm that, Sardinia is very thoug for the first. And anyway Prokop was second at a certain point in 2014 if I remember well, so it must be a disadvantage for sure :)

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Originally Posted by polo10

Completly wrong...they are soft and sandy, só There is much more to clean...

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That's what i meant so being 1st or 5th doesn't really matter as it's still soft, just what remember from when i was there 2011

Monte, Sweden with some conditions, Germany (a bit), France, Spain cause of the dust and Wales are generally an advantage for the first.

Sweden with some other conditions, Mexico, Portugal, Poland, a bit Finland, Sardinia, Australia are a disadvantage.


It's almost a draw,,,and presuming it will never rain, that is almost impossible. I think this first-on-the-road issue is starting to be overrated, it counts less on second passes, and nothing on second days 'cause of rally2.

The difference in driving ability between Ogier and its "rivals" (LOL..what rivals ??) is that big that running order does not affect the final result so quit that useless discussion... yes Ogier might lose a rally or two this season because of it but in the long run it will not affect the outcome.

Loeb had no problem ridiculing and beating multiple champions like a dogs without an owners... Ogier will have no problem dealing with guys who never tasted true victory apart from some small wins... the only threat i see is mikkelsen when VW promote him to No2 driver and kick latvala and his money out of the team and hopefully out of the WRC...

Autosport started it - and possibly Ogier... Btw - small wins - which are?

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Autosport started it - and possibly Ogier... Btw - small wins - which are?

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some lousy event wins which most of the times were achieved because the top driver had some problems or did not eat his breakfast...

apart from Ogier right now we have some championless kids trying to become rally drivers for some time now and they FAIL... i am fed up with them...

Working late? Well, I guess WRC needs more than one driver to become WRC. But agree, much funnier if we had 10-12 Ogiers and Loebs. But - wishful thinking that is.

you do not need 10... we never had 10.. even in the old days where this was a sport for women (a bit hairy i must say... but women..sort of).

but you need 3-4 guys that can challenge each other.. of course someone would be on top but the rest should provide a challenge... what we have now is a bunch of headless chickens that Ogier makes fun of...

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Originally Posted by N.O.T

.. what we have now is a bunch of headless chickens that Ogier makes fun of...

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What you mean is 'that I (N.O.T) make fun of'

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Originally Posted by AL14

Monte, Sweden with some conditions, Germany (a bit), France, Spain cause of the dust and Wales are generally an advantage for the first.

Sweden with some other conditions, Mexico, Portugal, Poland, a bit Finland, Sardinia, Australia are a disadvantage.


It's almost a draw,,,and presuming it will never rain, that is almost impossible. I think this first-on-the-road issue is starting to be overrated, it counts less on second passes, and nothing on second days 'cause of rally2.

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Every rally except dry tarmac ones can be disadvantage for the first driver, and the opposite can be true for most of them, except dry gravel and loose snow events. But this is not really the problem, the problem is Ogier have problem only with this (or at least the media just blows it, just because there is nothing else to), but not to care about some serious competition, which is sad. So FIA is trying to make some competition artificially, I'm afraid the effect is the opposite, now Ogier drives better and the competition is left even further behind.

Argentinean website Rallynoticias.com is saying that Citroen reserved space for 3 cars in the service park.
They're are saying that either Loeb or 2014 WTCC champion Pechito Lopez could be entered.

They also say that it could be for Chardonnet or Lefevbre with the R5.

http://rallynoticias.com/nivel2.php?id_noticia=9303

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Originally Posted by stefanvv

the problem is Ogier have problem only with this (or at least the media just blows it, just because there is nothing else to), .

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what do you mean? interviews are fake?

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Originally Posted by Co-driven

Argentinean website Rallynoticias.com is saying that Citroen reserved space for 3 cars in the service park.
They're are saying that either Loeb or 2014 WTCC champion Pechito Lopez could be entered.

They also say that it could be for Chardonnet or Lefevbre with the R5.

http://rallynoticias.com/nivel2.php?id_noticia=9303

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Oooh, I want to see how Pechito does in a rally.

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Originally Posted by dimviii

what do you mean? interviews are fake?

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No, I don't mean that.

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Originally Posted by stefanvv

the problem is Ogier have problem only with this (or at least the media just blows it, just because there is nothing else to), but not to care about some serious competition, which is sad.

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You're right but in this case I'm on Ogier's side. We can't ask him to want a serious competition, he wants to win and with a fair competition and that's completely fine for me. Now, we all know he's whining all the time and we have discussed a lot about it. But apart from the fact he seems a broken record I think he's right on the subject itself and it's not up to him to deliver serious competition but to other drivers. Unfortunately this year they seem to not have chances to challenge him seriously. Hope it will change but it's very unlikely.

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Originally Posted by AL14

You're right but in this case I'm on Ogier's side. We can't ask him to want a serious competition, he wants to win and with a fair competition and that's completely fine for me. Now, we all know he's whining all the time and we have discussed a lot about it. But apart from the fact he seems a broken record I think he's right on the subject itself and it's not up to him to deliver serious competition but to other drivers. Unfortunately this year they seem to not have chances to challenge him seriously. Hope it will change but it's very unlikely.

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It is sad isn't it? With all the changes in the running order there seem to be less and less competition. For sure it is not Ogier's fault, and for sure he has nothing else to speak about, but the road conditions, just because this is the only challenge he has, sad but true. Latvala is slowly fading in mediocracy, Neuville hasn't that good car yet, and is still prone to some errors, like in Mexico, probably only Mikelsen will be able for some challenge soon, but I think it'll take no less than 1 year. Citroen is completely out of the picture, Ford, well we didn't expected much from them this season, Evans is doing his progress slowly, Tanak perhaps needs some more time to adapt. All in all we can grant 3rd crown for Ogier, and for sure he deserves that.

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Originally Posted by AL14

You're right but in this case I'm on Ogier's side. We can't ask him to want a serious competition, he wants to win and with a fair competition and that's completely fine for me. Now, we all know he's whining all the time and we have discussed a lot about it. But apart from the fact he seems a broken record I think he's right on the subject itself and it's not up to him to deliver serious competition but to other drivers. Unfortunately this year they seem to not have chances to challenge him seriously. Hope it will change but it's very unlikely.

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Yes, he is absolutely right. All the major world championships — F1, WRC, WTCC — with the exception of the WEC are in an appalling state at present in terms of competitiveness. Why bother watching?