WRC future

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Wasnt it the spaceframe chassis that made the super-specialised, mid-engined, Gr.B cars possible ? Plus create their inherent danger with lighweight panels stuck on ?

[Mirek]

Wasnt it the spaceframe chassis that made the super-specialised, mid-engined, Gr.B cars possible ? Plus create their inherent danger with lighweight panels stuck on ?

No. The reason why they were crazy and dangerous was that there were basically no limits in the rules. Spaceframe itself is safer than bodyshell and much easier to design to be safe.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

So the current cars based on a bodyshell are dangerous but the rules make them safer ?

[Mirek]

So the current cars based on a bodyshell are dangerous but the rules make them safer ?

The current cars are not dangerous but spaceframe cars can be easier made safer because unlike in production-based bodyshells everything can be designed and optimized for its role from the get-go. In the current scenario a lot is given by the stock production and most of that is not very useful for race department and what is worst a lot of that can not be changed.

[Sulland]

Next generation top class rally car should get a safety cell ala F1. We saw last weekend what passive security measures does, and it saves people's life.

[Sulland]

And remember that the manufacturers are deciding the rules together with FIA, it's not just FIA telling the teams what to do.

I'm sure that if all the manufacturers would have wanted R5 to be the main class in 2022, FIA would have agreed.

And there is where the cat is barried, some things manufacturers should not be a part of deciding.
At some big crossroads FIA need to cut though the noice and decide, to make series bigger in numbers, and by that more exiting for us, who indirectly pay the bills.
It is only a few in the crowd that will notice if in 2021 R5 became top-dog.

[denkimi]

Wasnt it the spaceframe chassis that made the super-specialised, mid-engined, Gr.B cars possible ? Plus create their inherent danger with lighweight panels stuck on ?

Group b was dangerous because they were allowed to put an aluminium fuel tank under the drivers seat and next to a glowing hot turbo.

[AnttiL]

And there is where the cat is barried, some things manufacturers should not be a part of deciding.
At some big crossroads FIA need to cut though the noice and decide, to make series bigger in numbers, and by that more exiting for us, who indirectly pay the bills.
It is only a few in the crowd that will notice if in 2021 R5 became top-dog.

In the end rallying is marketing for the car manufacturers. They pay the big bills. It's only fair that the get to be in the deciding process.

Like you said, for most in the crowd it doesn't matter what is the top class. It matters more for the manufacturers.

[mknight]

Problem is the manus already in the series (and doing well) usualy want as few changes as possible, both to keep their advantage and to avoid extra costs. This in turn makes it harder for new ones to join.

[AnttiL]

Another stakeholder in the equation is WRC Promoter. I know that they've been pushing for shorter stages and ways to make the sport more directly followable (like the fake podium at the end of the power stage although most of the cars haven't yet even run through the last stage and the end scrutineerings are yet to be done).

Now, imagine the situation that we have 50 top class cars on the start line of the first forest stage, anyone of which could score the stage win. With 2-3 minute start intervals it would take roughly two hours until all the top cars are through and we can declare the stage winner.

Right now with 10 top cars, we can do it in 30 minutes. In most cases we have all the top cars through the stage until the next stage begins and you don't have to follow two stages at the same time (except for lower classes).

And of course, we could only see the first 15 cars on television because of physical and economical limitations.

I believe the WRC Promoter is happier with 10 top cars rather than 50 top cars. Or then they will have to start creating artificial leagues or similar cars like WRC2/3 this year.