Originally Posted by
Lundefaret
This is actually VERY GOOD!
One thing the WRC-promotors has done to get in more money in the short term, but cutting interest in the long run, is in my opinion to stage WRC-rounds in places where there are no spectators, and next to none interest. Jordan etc.
Northern Portugal is absolutely crazy, in a very very good way, and will be a huge asset.
Rallying is very big in Eastern Europe, so the WRC-calendar should reflect this. The same with the Nordic countries. Classics such as Corsica and Monte Carlo are very important, and also making new classics in places that people actually care. This is what builds interest.
To have a succesfull WRC-round in a new market/country, requiers that You build up the interest from the ground up. By both helping the national organizers of the national series, but also letting the countrie get TV-rights,a nd making the TV-broadcasts as spectacular as possible. When one feels that there is enough interest, well then one can stage a WRC-event.
This should be put to the test in Norther America/USA, where the rallying interest is steadily growing, but where one lacks the experience/means to really make it big.
Factory teams should visit a round with a WRC driver/car (ex Volkswagen, who is in the market), to create further interest.
In norhern Portugal the interest for rallying and the WRC-event has epic proportions, and this is places we need to be. Very good!
