[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[Rallyper]

I don´t think we are pretending it´s not an issue. But we are trying to argue why they are more or less wrong not supporting even motorsports.

Carsales have been up and down almost since they started selling cars. Racing with cars still is a very big sport.

[Mirek]

I don´t think we are pretending it´s not an issue. But we are trying to argue why they are more or less wrong not supporting even motorsports.

That's quite a bold claim. I would not dare to say that.

[Rallyper]

That's quite a bold claim. I would not dare to say that.

I´m talking about this forums members.

[Jarek Z]

Most European countries had already either completely banned or restricted the tobacco advertising coming into the new millennium. The EU directive for the complete ban came into effect in 2005.

The number of big rally teams that we lost then is enormous - Marlboro, Camel, Rothmans, Bastos, Gitanes, 555, the list goes on... Motorsport sponsorship was actually the only good thing about cigarettes

[jbmarcus21]

#WRC #DAKAR ** GAME CONTEST ** with PLANETEMARCUS : One question to win Peugeot 2008DKR Loeb Dakar 2016 ► http://bit.ly/2AifTe0

[Rally Power]

I agree the real reason why they are not joining is political. Just like VW exit was.
For Skoda it's about 60% the money related to coming investments (and the PR/shareholders effect if they use large sums on WRC at same time). The rest is related to the current rules cycle coming to an end in 2-3? years. The new rules definitely need to include some hybridization else WRC ends like WRX did.

The WRX is failing after the sudden annoucement of a switch to EV’s, just like Le Mans main category has turned into a joke (3 of 4 manus have pull out) due to the extreme costs of higth tec hybrid systems.

We’re still in WRC new rules first cycle (2017-19) and even if some insist the second cycle should be shortened (taking one year from the planned 2020-22), there’s no need to rush into EV’s or hybrids; what mostly mater is to avoid a disruption in the series that could make fans, manus and teams running off.

Btw, let’s not take the eco-political correctness too seriously; Nascar is probably one of the most pollutant motorsport series in the world, yet it’s by far the most popular one and an amazing sponsor’s magnet.

[Tarmop]

Wasn`t it the opposite with WRX? Manuf. wanting to introduce new technologies and not interested in internal combustion anymore? And WEC, well, VAG was really succesful, when pulling out, so one could say, that with the current regulations, they took almost everything they could. Also they are still a present in GTE. They also did pull out of other series`. There were also talks this year from Peugeot, that they are planning a return when new rules are introduced. Cost is an issue and always will be, but stagnation or worse, going back, isn`t a solution also.

[mknight]

The WRX is failing after the sudden annoucement of a switch to EV’s, just like Le Mans main category has turned into a joke (3 of 4 manus have pull out) due to the extreme costs of higth tec hybrid systems.

We’re still in WRC new rules first cycle (2017-19) and even if some insist the second cycle should be shortened (taking one year from the planned 2020-22), there’s no need to rush into EV’s or hybrids; what mostly mater is to avoid a disruption in the series that could make fans, manus and teams running off.

Btw, let’s not take the eco-political correctness too seriously; Nascar is probably one of the most pollutant motorsport series in the world, yet it’s by far the most popular one and an amazing sponsor’s magnet.

1. WRX sequence of events:
a) FIA delays EVs from 2020 to 2021, quite some time after they were announced for 2020
b) Audi then Peugeot withdraw (Ford left a year before), after that VW leaves too cause there is nobody to fight

(so basically what Tarmop says, manus left cause the rules were not changing)

2. WRC rules:
Originally the rules were 2017-2019 and the extension was optional 2 years, which seems to have changed to 3. Keeping these rules for "just a few years" is imo part of the reason why Skoda didn't join. Note that this came AFTER VW leadership said that WRC needs hybrids or EVs. (Skoda is owned by VW as most know)

3. Nascar is basically all about US, WRC is very much Europe-centered. (teams (and rules banning some testing outside of europe), rallies, fans)

[dnb]

Nascar is probably one of the most pollutant motorsport series in the world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiNR3kTq_pc
There are also [monster] trucks and until they've been banned, WRC is nothing. And what about planes and fighter aircrafts or even spaceplanes. Oops, not a sport anymore...

[Rally Power]

Wasn`t it the opposite with WRX? Manuf. wanting to introduce new technologies and not interested in internal combustion anymore? And WEC, well, VAG was really succesful, when pulling out, so one could say, that with the current regulations, they took almost everything they could. Also they are still a present in GTE. They also did pull out of other series`. There were also talks this year from Peugeot, that they are planning a return when new rules are introduced. Cost is an issue and always will be, but stagnation or worse, going back, isn`t a solution also.

Untill VW and Peugeot get in on a full scale, the WRX was doing fine; the problems came from those 2 wanting a full switch to EV’s, which no one else supported. After Audi and, mainly, Porsche pull out from Le Mans, the organizers realize they needed a less ambitious regulation, with more simple and less expensive hybrid cars, as they’ve now announced.

Honestly, I can’t see how the WRC is stagnating when we’re only in the 3rd year of one of the most fantastic rally eras; this urgent need for discussing the future regs is a total nonsense, just like all the allegedly Eco BS were facing in our lives.