WRC future

[Rallyper]

To me I can watch Pumas or new SUV Yaris or whatelse brands come up with SUV. As long as they looks like rallycars and - SOUND like rallycars. With electric silence on the stages I maybe should start rethinking...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

As long as they looks like rallycars and - SOUND like rallycars. With electric silence on the stages I maybe should start rethinking...

Can an SUV look like a rally car as we know them, especially on tarmac ?

Yes, noise is at least 50% of the spectacle and I doubt it can be replicated well-enough artificially. Plus what would be the point in it. Maybe just to warn fans ? It's a big issue.

[Barreis]

Suzuki SX4 WRC (and Ignis S1600) was just like those "SUV" which are now coming.

I have never heard that someone has stopped watching rallies because of those Suzuki´s

I don´t care which models they are using.

both versions of Ignis were cool to watch on the stages. Daniel Carlsson was great with that car (smaller version)

[Franky]

Can an SUV look like a rally car as we know them, especially on tarmac ?

Isn't the Mini Countryman an SUV?

[Rallyper]

Can an SUV look like a rally car as we know them, especially on tarmac ?

Yes, noise is at least 50% of the spectacle and I doubt it can be replicated well-enough artificially. Plus what would be the point in it. Maybe just to warn fans ? It's a big issue.

I would say Citroen C3 almost looks like SUV in street version...

[deephouse]

Wow, teams will sure made cars that will look great. Even if they will be using SUV platforms. Accept it. It is coming. And with Hybrid too. I will be surely watching and I am happy to see positive rumours about Solberg and new team coming. I really hope so, they or anyone won't ruin it before it even starts.

[AnttiL]

Hardcore fans who would watch anything might still watch ugly SUV's but not the general public who wont see any excitement in it. .

What is this general public who follows rallying? It's a niche sport.

Also, not everyone follows rallying because they're car enthusiasts. You know how crazy I'm about rallying, but I don't even own a car!

I don't know how it's in other countries, but I would bet 75% of Rally Finland audience don't follow rallying at all except during Rally Finland. And there's a good percentage of those who pay the ticket but don't even follow the results, they just have a good party like going to a festival. They will sooner notice a change in beer brand served in Kakaristo rather than car models.

[AndyRAC]

What is this general public who follows rallying? It's a niche sport.

Yeah, the mythical 'casual fan' - who doesn't really exist. I remember a discussion on this years ago on Midweek Motorsport. Concentrate on your core support - if you gain extra fans, then good. But never alienate the core fans = bad move. Motorsport is niche - and rallying is even more of a niche in motorsport.

[T16]

Hardcore fans who would watch anything might still watch ugly SUV's but not the general public who wont see any excitement in it. Therefore a big source of publicity will be lost.

And electric is the next step and probably sooner than you think as hybrid is already 'old tech'.

Real fans have stuck with rally through thick and thin and rule changes, but ugly, silent, electric SUV's is more than a change from Gp B to Gp A or 2.0 to 1.6.

Hybrid IS the next step, not electric. The next regulations in rallying are simply not for EVs. Please do your homework.

Can you back up your claims that a 'big source of publicity Will be lost' or is that you simply speculating? Look at it this way, if you are correct and there is a big sector of the 'public' that are into rallying and it is them who are buying the road-going SUVs (because, lets face it, there's plenty getting sold) then why on earth wouldn't they want to watch them as rallycars??

[T16]

In other words you'll watch anything... great argument.

The best in the world wont drive just 'anything' though. Ogier will be gone and Neuville has already said he's not happy with the new cars. Tanak also says no to WRC being R5-based...

I am saying I will watch whatever the rule makers deem to be the WRC car category (or whatever it is rebranded as). I think that's fair enough, as a rally fan. Shame you seem to be a fan, but can't support M-Sport using a Puma or whatever. Do you honestly think it's going to look crap and not be entertaining? It will be a full-spec rallycar, built by one of the best teams in the world and driven by the top drivers in the world... of course it's going to be spectacular.
Sorry Eddie, but it shows your true colours when it comes to this sport if you are going to jump ship just because of a tiny bit of different bodywork. pathetic TBH.

And your argument about who will drive it doesn't have much weight behind it:

Ogier is (potentially) retiring at the end of this year, so the next gen being SUV is nothing to do with whether he will drive or not.
Neuville said 'he's not happy and Tanak 'says no'.... OK - jog on then boys and we'll have plenty of takers who can do the same job thanks. So no, I really don't see them talking away from their multi-million paid jobs, just because the regs aren't to their liking. They'll still be there.