BRC to be two wheel drive only in 2012

[Martin Liddle]

This is where the organsisers need to take note & find sections of road that lend themselves to this type of car & get spectators to go there.

I take it that you are not familiar with the ever increasing difficulties of organising rallies in the UK?

[MrJan]

This is where the organsisers need to take note & find sections of road that lend themselves to this type of car & get spectators to go there.

Take it you haven't been to a rally in Britain recently, organisers are lucky to find a venue at all and they're losing venues all the time.

[Allyc85]

So what cars are we going to see in britains "premier rally" series? R2 Fiestas and Clios?

If theres a date clash between the BRC and BTRDA I know which one id be going to see!

[macksrallye]

I take it that you are not familiar with the ever increasing difficulties of organising rallies in the UK?

No... but I am familiar with organising Rallies in Australia where not only are our Forests being taken away from underneath us (by new government legislation let alone anything else) but the ever increasing struggle to find officials means we have to use some very inventive ways of getting competative km's in an event before we've even considered spectator's/service parks/accomodation. Don't worry, it's a struggle everywhere but if the organisers are serious about making it work they will find a way to do it!

If... and it's a very big IF, the manufacturers start to get behind it you will find good drivers in these cars. Good drivers trying to prove a point which is always a good recipe for some entertaining competition. Remember rallying is about pure speed to the average spectator, they want spectacle, why else would so many people want to see a crash? If they get the recipe right this might work.

[urabus-denoS2000]

I am really shocked ba the idiocy of this idea ...

Can those organizers give me one positive side of this idea , except for "smaller costs" ??? I believe that the only remotely attractive modern 2WD car is the Clio R3 and that is only in fast parts ? Actually , including the R2 cars , that is the only one which actually HAS a sound ...

Honestly , my British friends , if my destiny for the next few year is to watch a 207 R3T struggling to pass a harpin and wearing number 1 on its doors , I would switch to Nascar ... At least those cars have a sound


I didn't mention S1600 because they are an outdated and expensive class , doubt they will make a significant impact on this "premiere" championship ...

[HaCo]

At first glance it might be a case of "Oh, no", but thinking more about it, then it does make some sense. Cars will be more affordable, and probably cheaper to run, and could lead to renegotiation of Forestry Commission charges as they will be a lot less damaging (again reducing costs).

Okay they will not be as fast, but there again how many drivers touch the potential of 4wd cars? Same number could make fwd reasonable to watch, and there again how long is it since spectators have been present in large numbers on BRC rounds??

WT

I'm sharing your opinion.

[RAS007]

Hmm, I don't think that it's good decision. To have lower cost is for sure one way to attract more competitors but in my opinion more public interest is more important. And it's quite impossible to make more people watching and enjoying rally with 2WD FWD cars (there are almost no modern RWD with FIA homologation). These cars are too slow and boring in places where general public is watching like hairpins or junctions.

+1

This is a terrible decsion. F2 was a total joke before. So, so boring.

[Sulland]

This post was of course ment for this thread:

Strange that UK do not follow the R Class concept in total and include R4 as the top class.
Do anyone know why ?

The UK have gone in this direction once before, in the 90s or something, where F2 kit cars was top class - and that was not a huge success if I remember correct.

[sal]

The Group A7 kit car era of the mid 90s was one of the times when there were more "factory" teams in the BRC than at any other ironically!

I have my own thoughts on this move and will post them in due course but wanted some perspective from other members especially in other parts of the world first and your reactions have been very intersting so far!

[MrJan]

While the move to 2wd doesn't exactly excite me, I feel that they have to do something. The series is floundering, dying, and they need to make it interesting. They're stuck really, too many people moaning that costs are too high (meaning limited numbers at the top) and others moaning when they try something different. IMO this won't really cut costs but the only way to tell if it helps increase entries will be to try it.