[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[doubled1978]

I have no issue with N.Ireland having the opportunity to host what is nominally Rally GB, but I do think if it becomes a tarmac rally it’s taking away an essential element of the WRC complete package. The WRC is the challenge it is because of the variety of conditions encountered, and Rally GB provides an outlier in that it is fast and wet/muddy.
It would like holding Rally Finland on tarmac...
I hasten to add that if it does end up being on tarmac in N.Ireland I will almost certainly still go and watch.

[EstWRC]

Hyundai joins the race to sign Ott Tanak for the 2020 #WRC season as team boss Andrea Adamo outlines his 'superteam' stance


https://t.co/1C7gKW1YOa

Tanak has already been linked with a possible return to M-Sport, but Autosport's sources indicate Hyundai is fast-becoming the most likely option if Tanak does move next

That is made up from Evans. But I can confirm that Hyundai has made an offer to him.

[BobJones]

That is made up from Evans. But I can confirm that Hyundai has made an offer to him.

Oh well, in that case, I'm glad I've heard it from you and not a measly journalist...

There's no smoke without fire.

[mknight]

What would Toyota do without Tanak and with Ogier and Neuville already signed for next year?

Meeke-(Latvala)-Rovanpera-Katsuta atm doesn't sound like a lineup capable of charging for any title.

[Oops!]

You make a great point, Irish rallying is a grass roots event and hugely difficult to marshal. With so many points of access crowd control is a major issue and certainly not amenable to getting spectators to pay for the privilege of watching.
The facilities for teams outside of Belfast and Dublin are slim to non-existent, while accommodation for fans during the 2007 and 2009 editions of Rally Ireland (both of which I attended) was extremely problematic.
This is the quote that is complete bull from the original article:
"Paisley believes that the WRC coming to Northern Ireland "is a real prospect" despite the lack of a local government at Stormont.
"Technically it can happen without Stormont in place, but it makes sense that the political drive is from our government," said the DUP MP."

There is no money from 'government' without Stormont in place, hence no underwriting of costs. Paisley is perhaps hoping for a massive bribe for the DUP from the Conservatives but I wouldn't be backing plans that relied on Boris Johnson being able to control his own bladder let alone the UK government!

If this does go ahead their won't be any charges to see a stage, it's not the same as running the stages through private land. Certain access roads will be closed to the stages and spectator area's will be allocated... But rallying is run very well in this country with a lot of experienced marshals and organisers.... We tend to focus on the smooth running of an event, not just all the "red tape". And there's plenty of experienced people all over the country that will give up their time to make sure it goes well. Yes we had our problems in 07 and 09 but they were both good events, the time of year they were ran at did'nt help either. Ireland has a very different type of terrain all over the country for stages, stages up north tend to be a lot faster, abrasive with less high ditches than say somewhere around the midlands or south. Every county tends to have a different type of tarmac surface/road....

[wia5958]

You make a great point, Irish rallying is a grass roots eventt!

Yet The British rally championship has 2 events in ireland. Yes that's right the BRITISH rally championship has 2 events of its calender in Ireland

[Oops!]

Only potential problem I can see if the UK round of the WRC moves to NI is finding stages that allow for a large number of spectators to view the action safely and easily. Been to a fair few events in Ireland and a lot of the the roads are narrow and hedge lined. Looking at quite a lot of the footage online from rallies there recently and a lot of taped off areas. Will be interesting to see how that issue is tackled.

Have you been to many tarmac rally's in NI? i'd say not because there is'nt that many up there! They are only allocated a very small number of road closure orders a year. If this goes ahead you can be sure it will be based in Belfast and stages like Torr head in the Antrim area will be used and in the surrounding county's.

[Oops!]

I think you've said it all there...... What do you mean by grass roots anyway? I've never met a single crew that travelled from the uk or further afield that did'nt think rallying here was world class, entry, stage or organised as so.

[wia5958]

And out of a 6 round BRITISH rally championship only 3 rounds are held in "BRITAIN"

[Mintexmemory]

Yet The British rally championship has 2 events in ireland. Yes that's right the BRITISH rally championship has 2 events of its calender in Ireland

It also has a round in BELGIUM yes that's right BELGIUM - Your point is?
.... In any case (back to the geography lesson) - 'British' means anywhere in the British Isles, of which the island of Ireland is the second largest after the island of Great Britain.