[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[deephouse]

I think that Greece rally is no more since there ain't any real sponsor...

Will you all think that two events outside of europe will be in South America and Mexico? If Kenya and Japan really come the teams will push to drop one of them. And since this year tdc is right after mexico and then argentina the cost goes up...

[Tarmop]

Cost is the same. They move everything else via sea, apart from WRC cars and personnel and that costs the same no matter when you do two rounds.

[GravelBen]

As someone from outside Europe, I think it would be a good thing for the WRC to be less Eurocentric. Its supposed to be a world championship after all, but WRC seems to be quite controlled by European interests (whether financially or socially via the 'old boys club') so the rest of the world doesn't get that much of a look in.

[Negaiss]

Gronhom. Sweden 2019. Toyota Yaris WRC. Confirmed

[Fast Eddie WRC]

As someone from outside Europe, I think it would be a good thing for the WRC to be less Eurocentric. Its supposed to be a world championship after all, but WRC seems to be quite controlled by European interests (whether financially or socially via the 'old boys club') so the rest of the world doesn't get that much of a look in.

With the Teams all based in Europe the WRC is bound to be Eurocentric.

It is also where the main fanbase is. The reaction of the teams to the 2018 finale being held in Aus said a lot.

S. America has a good fanbase hence the extra rally (and WRC+ now with Spanish comms).

[AnttiL]

The non-European rallies' entrylists are also usually much weaker.

[N.O.T]

Rallying is a european sport... if you are ok with 40 car entry lists in some irrelevant countries just because you want a "world" championship then you are the problem.

[Jarek Z]

Or even 30!
https://rallyaustralia.com.au/wp-con...d-23102018.pdf

[Andre Oliveira]

That search to WORLD championship will kill WRC, that and F1zation of rally FIA have to understand... Rally is a traditional sport, the most untouched... better.

[Allez Andruet]

Rallying is a european sport... if you are ok with 40 car entry lists in some irrelevant countries just because you want a "world" championship then you are the problem.

That search to WORLD championship will kill WRC, that and F1zation of rally FIA have to understand... Rally is a traditional sport, the most untouched... better.

In a way I do agree, but... the safest way to kill a sport is to keep it untouched. Rally, like any other sport, needs to be attractive, and to be attractive (towards manufacturers, sponsors etc.) means that you need to have a plan for growth. And to grow, you have to be Global. One way or another. And don't get it wrong, there are ways to do it. WRC going to Japan or Africa would be brilliant, totally different than F1 (which, just to clarify, I have zero interest for) going to Azerbaijan or Bahrain.

Like it or not, the masses (i.e. the majority of onsite WRC crowds) don't give that much about the supporting classes. They're there to see the best cars and the drivers they know by name. So for them it's irrelevant whether there's 40 or 120 cars on the entry list.

Ofcourse WRC has to understand that most of its fans are European, but that doesn't mean we can't go Global.