WRC future

[djip]

And what is it that every manufacturer talks about in their WEC/IMSA program announcements? They talk not about the series, but about their classic endurance events, Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring...

The last time manufacturers were joining the WRC in the early 2010s, the WRC was all about talking up longer events, returning to endurance... That lasted, what, a few years, before people realised it was too much like hard work?

If there's an announcement from a manufacturer re-joining the WRC, I doubt it'll sing the virtues of taking on a quick sprint around a small bit of Croatia. Though there won't be many classics left to mention.

+1 you make a story with history. Even the greedy promoters of F1 understand that you must keep the iconic events that relate to the past,and which can get average Joe's interest if properly marketed. Then you can wrap around new events, new ideas to cash in.

In our WRC world, this means MonteCarlo, Sweden, 1000 Lakes (and the name is important, not just dull "rally finland"), safari (even if very different), maybe Acropolis, RAC ...and then all the "old regulars" and new events, eventually rotating.

And please each with its own character : "extended" framework for some and short sprints for others - endurance on some, sheer speed on others, etc ... Rallying is about diversity, drivers able to compete everywhere, in every season, just like what people encounter in their driving life. Not the boring, always the same, 3-days, 2x3 stages, 9 to noon, 2 to 4 framework.

This would create a story that maybe PR guys would love to tell.

[Sulland]

He said it in the post. Bigger restrictor and 6-speed transmission.

sorry, my miss.
need new glasses....

[Mirek]

Seeing what is happening with M-Sport, I think everyone should consider R5+, with just a considerably bigger restrictor, a 6-speed transmission and no other modifications from R5.

Good luck with pushing for a car which will not finish a single WRC event without mechanical problems.

For reliable car with larger restrictor you need also stronger gearbox, clutch, differentials, driveshafts, propshaft and possibly also rear axle release clutch. New driveshafts may require new wheelhubs and uprights and... your engine may likely need redesign as well because it's not optimized for higher power and torque.

[Essaj]

... And we're back with 500k+ cars with no electricity/hybrid but with less aero than we have no. Would that mean more manufacturers? well no.

Also WRC car is a lot safer than R5, add that to the cost and we're back with WRC budget.

[AnttiL]

They say that these current cars are too expensive for privateers to run, but still we had a pretty high amount of private WRC2017 entries this year.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...78UmzP/pubhtml

The number by year

2017 - 13
2018 - 4
2019 - 10
2020 - 13

and 2020 had only 7 rallies, others had 13.

[Andre Oliveira]

Gus privateer?

[AnttiL]

Yeah, I also wouldn't count Loubet and Veiby as privateers. That left us with only 4 real privateer starts.

Loubet and Veiby used Hyundai’s customer car, with their own fundings. However, Katsuta is paid by the factory.

What M-Sport does is blurring the lines because they are both a world rally team and a rally car rental service.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Interesting podcast:
https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/podca...n-future-hold/

[Tanelv]

Interesting podcast:
https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/podca...n-future-hold/

Really good points brought out there.

[Rally Power]

The debate was started in the 'Rally Bar' thread but it makes sense to bring it here: Should private tuners be allowed to homologate WRC cars in the future, once WRC cars will stop being based in production models? Wouldn't privately funded WRC cars help to boost the series, always short of manus teams? Is there any valid reason to keep the WRC as a manus monopoly, unlike most of the top motorsport series?

When everybody is talking about the need to evolve the sport, it's extraordinary how private tuners potential role in Rally keeps being forgotten.