Motorsport UK have suspended all event permits until the at least the end of April.
Official announcement here:
https://www.motorsportuk.org/motorsp...vid-19-update/
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Motorsport UK have suspended all event permits until the at least the end of April.
Official announcement here:
https://www.motorsportuk.org/motorsp...vid-19-update/
Motorsport Ireland has done the same, suspended events until the 1st of June.
Motorsport UK - COVID-19 Update
Following the address to the nation by the Prime Minister, Motorsport UK has today extended its suspension until at least 30th June.
Head to http://motorsportuk.org to read more.
The Scottish Rally Championship had cancellef the remainder of its 2020 season, having previously called off four of its seven rounds due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
I expect most championships around the world will follow suit. It’s the big World- or Regional championships (ERC etc.) that are still trying to keep going - but I don’t see that happening for the rest of this year.
https://www.autosport.com/national/n...orsport-return
Rallysprints rather than Special Stage rallying.......Is/ would there the will for these? Haye park, Sweetlamb both held them, and the Malton Forest rally was originally a Rallysprint.
RALLY - GETTING BACK ON TRACK:
Click here to read or download @ourmotorsportuk’s newly published plans to restart rallying in the UK...
https://twitter.com/RallyingUK/statu...946316800?s=20
It'll be interesting to see how other countries approach this, but it's no surprise under any circumstances to see MSUK jump to put another nail in the coffin of rallying. At least it gives someone the opportunity to get some momentum behind another relaunch of the BRC in a few years.
A well organised Rally Sprint Championship in the style of the old Mobil 1 Rally Challenge would be a nice idea though, under the circumstances, in the meantime. If done properly and presented professionally, it could be better than the current BRC! I shan't hold my breath though, as MSUK would probably only stretch to sending the work experience boy to stand up on Sweet Lamb and stream proceeding on the BRC Facebook page via his phone... How about a 2021 Mobil 1 British Rallysprint Championship, with evocative venues like Gale Rigg, Walters Arena, Sweet Lamb, Great Orme, Castle O'er, Drummond Hill, Torr Head, Tholt-y-Will...
To be honest, I've always wondered why there wasn't a Rallysprint series; a single venue, no road miles, less costs, a car can be shared between two, etc
You could even run a 2 day event at Walters as there are loads of roads in there. And talking of 'normal times' they can be a better spectating experience; 1 practice run followed by 3-4 timed runs, a lunch break, then the same again, but in the opposite direction. Haye Park & Sweetlamb were fabulous days spectating.
However, back to the current situation, I've constantly stated that flexibility is the way to survive; events, if they can run, will have to be flexible - and multi stage events are seemingly out - so Rallysprints seem to be the only solution. Or not bother at all....
There's already the MN Circuit Championship as a guide to what could be used.
http://msnrallychamp.co.uk/calendar/
https://www.motorsportuk.org/motorsp...from-4th-july/
Re-start 4th July - no details about rallying though...
Listening to the Dirtfish podcast, and David Evans was furious with MUK's guidance in regards to rallying's return, or not as it turns out.
UK Rallying to resume & updated guidance:
https://www.motorsportuk.org/motorsp...t-to-rallying/
https://dirtfish.com/rally/brc/uk-ra...ead-to-return/
Good news, a shame most events have gone this year. But I saw the Nicky Grist (Quinton) Stages is going ahead late November; and the BTRDA is hoping to compete the championship.
M-Sport event !!
https://www.m-sport.co.uk/single-pos...O-RALLY-STAGES
I'm intrigued to see what this'll mean. To me, one of the critical things going forward with British rallying is how it's going to reach the public. This has to be the point at which internet coverage of National events (all we've got left...) finally comes to the fore.Quote:
although spectators will unfortunately not be permitted, work is afoot to deliver the best of the action to the public.
Watching the Mediasport.cz/videonovinky coverage of Czech events shows the quality of coverage that can be achieved with modest means. Okay, many of our National rallies are now too short to tell any kind of narrative story of an 'event', but at least coverage like that is a model that facilitates it.
This will annoy the purists but having events with no spectators, either at the event or online watching is almost pointless.......
If there's no decent coverage of it online, it makes no sense. Though as we know, the sport in this country does seem to be oddly comfortable with the idea of nobody watching it. It's been such a receipt for success... Though I've seen the argument online that there shouldn't be online live coverage as it only encourages people to turn up. I don't buy into that at all!
I think the only 'progress' we'll actually see in the sport in this country is a re-emboldening of the anti-spectator types who'll take great satisfaction from approaching people to quote Covid laws in the middle of an empty forest.
"...work is afoot to deliver the best of the action to the public".
Well if they are filming it for training and example purposes I expect there to be good professional coverage online.
And the fact that it is held in Greystoke, M-Sport's private testing forest, they should be well used to policing the area from prying eyes..
It's happening.....we knew it was going to happen but, the pandemic is providing them with a reason/excuse to pull access to motorsport on their land. It may only be for this year for now, but sooner rather than later they'll more than likely decide 'no more'. The warning signs have been there; less and less events particularly in Yorkshire; also both the Robin Hood & Dukeries have gone from Sherwood forest area.
Saying that, I take it leisure visitors (Mountain bikers, etc) are still allowed in the forests? I take it they're not a CoVID risk, but motorsport is? Okay......
Yep, wouldn't surprise me if they take the opportunity to substantially limit events going forward. The opportunity is there, the continuity of unofficial grandfather rights has been broken. The sport hasn't helped itself by alienating spectators and rendering the sport culturally irrelevant, so there'll be no mass uproar if Forestry England say no more.
Being forced into fewer, more substantial EVENTS of note, shaking up the system of Clubs and forest allocations could be a good thing, if we get away with that. Time will tell.
Proper events; imagine that; something we don't really see that much in UK rallying. That could work, but even that maybe not possible.
Taking my rally tinted glasses off; one has to say the sport has been poorly run when compared with lots of other motorsports/sports - is it any wonder we are in this position?
No live online coverage of the M-Sport Return to Rally event :( :
"The M-Sport Return to Rally Stages takes place this Saturday, and the Cumbrian squad are pleased to confirm a rally review programme for fans as well as copyright-free images, video and an extensive prize list for competitors.
While the event is strictly non-spectator and designed to showcase how rallying can restart safely and responsibly in the UK, fans have been missing the action and M-Sport have commissioned Seb Scott and Adam Smith to produce a 40-minute review programme.
The programme will be aired on M-Sport’s Facebook page at 7pm (BST) on Thursday 27 August and is the first project of this size for the young film crew."
Laughable. If ever there were a British rally suited to having live coverage online, this was it. There's no hope for the sport in this country.
If nothing else, the gradual running down of the sport over the last 20 years makes the end rather more tolerable.
Not really a surprise, is it? However, it's still somewhat disappointing. Never mind, there's plenty of other live motorsport to watch online. Rallying losing out again......
Social media clips is all we have:
https://twitter.com/DirtFishRally/st...01010805108736
Some of the tweets and PR wording make me laugh. Essentially "everything is fine" when in reality there are no other events this year and nothing of note planned for what, five/six months? Top level rallying taking place across Europe this weekend.
At least the'Official' M-Sport cars finished 1-2-3.
Overall Results - M-Sport Stages
1/ Mathew Wilson-Stuart Loudon
2/ Rhys Yates-James Morgan +0.36
3/ Adrien Fourmaux-Renud Jamoul +0.43
If it runs...
...As a fan one hopes it does - but nothing is for certain especially in UK rallying.
That's me being optimistic! Hopefully Forestry England don't call time on us and Mr Heppenstall still has the opportunity to do the impossible...
Malcolm explains his off: https://dirtfish.com/rally/malcolm-w...ages-incident/
Nice write-up by David Evans:
https://dirtfish.com/rally/the-insid...o-rally-stages