WRC future

[AnttiL]

Maybe you’ve been distracted but this forum is an open debate space and posts don’t need to strictly respect the thread title.

Anyway, once you’re mentioning it, probably what’s missing in this sport promotion is a better way to show that ‘romantic depiction of braveness’, because it’s real and makes thousands going to rally stages, at least to proper ones.

Well right now no one can go to any rally stages, whether on circuit or on roads. But the series pushes on and someone pays the bills.

[wyler]

Maybe you’ve been distracted but this forum is an open debate space and posts don’t need to strictly respect the thread title.

Funny you say this having said that just a few lines above: "Sorry mate; hard to follow you. The post is about considering Rally mainly as an entertainment, or not. It has nothing to do with forecasting its future or comparing fans passion. For gods sake."

so can we speak freely, or we have to stick to the post? I'm more confused than distracted...

Let's go on with the real topic: i agree with the post above that is enough a point to continue the discussion. Btw this storytelling of braveness and romanticism fails to represent todays reality, as the new main actor of rallying wants to show something different. Maybe we fan would love that, but manus want to speak to a generic and casual attendee, the one that buys their cars.

[denkimi]

I'm not familiar with other motorsports very much, but at least rallying differs from most conventional sports by being very expensive to run, and the money to run the sport on professional level comes from the marketing budgets of car manufacturers. It's entertainment for sure, but also marketing, very much, more than just the external sponsors like in most sports.

Actually wrc is a cheap sport. For a few million dollars you can participate, and for a few tens of millions you can actually get a real shot at a world title.

Many other professional sports have much greater budgets.

[Rally Power]

Btw this storytelling of braveness and romanticism fails to represent todays reality, as the new main actor of rallying wants to show something different. Maybe we fan would love that, but manus want to speak to a generic and casual attendee, the one that buys their cars.

We keep seeing brands, from all sectors, using personal stories of resilience from their sponsored athlete’s to promote their products; for sure rally drivers bravery can also have marketing value.

[wyler]

We keep seeing brands, from all sectors, using personal stories of resilience from their sponsored athlete’s to promote their products; for sure rally drivers bravery can also have marketing value.

Not really imo, foe this to work you have to know the athlete.
the % of general public that knows rally heroes is very low. you can't compare the mediatic power of rally athletes to soccer or nba...

[the sniper]

I've got to be honest, I feel like now is almost* the most despondent I've felt about the future of the WRC. At least in 2009 the only way was up! Back then everyone knew the WRC was in trouble, now it feels like they're sleep walking into a worse situation. Back then we had two manufacturers. Now we essentially have two manufacturers, with M-Sport increasingly feeling like a zombie manufacturer team. But unlike 2009, the two manufactures seem more selfish in a way now. The future WRC car regulations don't seem to be being crafted sensibly given the current circumstances. At least in 2009 there seemed to be more of an understanding of the necessity to support the running of more WRC cars for the benefit of the sport. Back then I didn't feel like M-Sport or Citroen would disappear, but Hyundai seem uncertain to me. I know a lot has gone on this year, but Adamo seemed weird this weekend. M-Sport seemed rather detached from proceedings. Lappi's casual announcement at the end of the Power Stage that he wouldn't be back, though not unpredictable news, was quite striking to me a way.

Listening to Julian Porter talking glowingly about having a few more rallies like Rally Monza was depressing. Rally Monza was a good idea under the circumstances of this year/Covid, which ended up being made much better by unplannable weather intervention. If Porter is as usually on message as anyone on WRC+, the official mouth piece of WRC Promoter, I fear this is the direction the WRC wishes to go. As if that is a surprise. We've already lost so many of the classic rallies. Rallies are getting shorter still. Now we're aspirationally looking at what would once have been considered a joke, WRC rounds becoming glorified single venue events... How low can the WRC go? Is anybody interested in protecting the integrity of the WRC or has that ship long sailed?

This is the first time in a decade that I've felt underwhelmed by the prospect of the following season.

*The main difference between 2009 and now, there's a lot of talented young guys now that could flourish in a revived WRC. Whereas, in 2009, there was only one name, Sebastien... It almost makes the situation worse now though, as we could see so much talent wasted...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Hyundai testing for Monte this week. So at least they seem committed to another season in WRC and not bailing to an electric series.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Ogier is now off The Sniper's christmas card list...

https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...showcase-evnts

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Autosport @autosport

The Monza Rally was an unusual way to end an unusual #WRC season, and while far from ideal, without it the series could have faced serious ramifications. To persuade stakeholders to commit to an uncertain future, Monza was an important showcase.

Anyone have access to this ?

http://www.autosport.com/wrc/feature...-necessary-one

[wyler]

Autosport @autosport

The Monza Rally was an unusual way to end an unusual #WRC season, and while far from ideal, without it the series could have faced serious ramifications. To persuade stakeholders to commit to an uncertain future, Monza was an important showcase.

Anyone have access to this ?

http://www.autosport.com/wrc/feature...-necessary-one

try using outline[dot]com