When did the World Rally Championship jump the shark?

[colin edwards]

As in, the point where it was all downhill from then on? For me, it was when they brought in the SupeRally rule at the start of the 2005 season. Allowing competitors to rejoin and have a chance of scoring points after a DNF is ludicrous and the series has never been the same for me since.

[Mintexmemory]

When the cloverleaf became the accepted format for WRC events or maybe when RAC / Network Q rally became Wales Rally GB

[Daniel]

2005 or so for me too.

[Hartusvuori]

Yet another therapic topic?

[Daniel]

Yet another therapic topic?

Time to call the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaambulance?

[gravelman]

I reckon around 2004-2004, when the cars became more and more far removed form their roadgoing counterparts in terms of their appearance. Early WR cars were much more similar in appearance to the cars they were based upon. The glamourising and hypeing up of the scen by ISC as being F1 on gravel etc.. Generally the unique character of the various rallies being taken away and having to adapt to this formulaic template set out by the promotors; Rally(insert country name here) instead of what they were originally known as; 1000 lakes, Acropolis etc.

[MJW]

it was good up til about year 2000, Finland had two service parks at Tikakasi and Halli. GB still had a Cheltenham base, allthough all forest stages were in Wales it still had a few stately homes of England type stages. In a nutshell it started to turn to **** when DR tried to make it F1 with a paddock style service park.
Great days in the 1990's when Toyota had 2 helicopters, 2 mobile workshops 5 Lancruisers and 15 vans,,,,,,, It sad when oldies like me prefer recce servicing to the actual rally. Its boring at service park.....

[HaCo]

I think it was when they only allowed 2-car teams.

[koko0703]

I think it was when they only allowed 2-car teams.

I agree. At the begining of 2004 when FIA introduced new 3 car team rule with 3rd car only for young driver without podium for previous 2 seasons and then ditched the new rule before the season even started.

[tmx]

Rally(insert country name here) instead of what they were originally known as; 1000 lakes, Acropolis etc.

It's actually obnoxious and come from F1 too. Abu Dhabi BP Ultimate Ford World Rally Team, and now referring to the car "Mad-Croc Petter Solberg World Rally Team Citroen C4 WRC".

For me, it must have been when Markko Martin stop rallying and there wasn't any real competition on the top anymore with Citroen dominating.