WRC future

[AnttiL]

The problem isn't on the 2022 Rally1 Hybrids anymore, but on the possibility of having only two manus committed to them, which would be terrible for the WRC credibility.

We can still hope that Hyundai will sign in, but seeing the FIA endlessly waiting for their answer, while avoiding to study alternative solutions to WRC top class (like using the Rally2 48v Hybrids), seems a recipe to disaster.

Like I've said, it's just an assumption that Rally1 rules are the reason for Hyundai possibly switching to circuit racing. They could still leave if WRC continued on Rally2 cars (remember how Citroen said they will quit if hybrids don't come by 2022...and they still quit).

If we went now to Rally2 cars, we would have only Hyundai and M-Sport as manufacturer teams who have a Rally2 car ready...and Hyundai could still quit....

Whether we want to go to Rally2 or Rally1 cars, we need to have the assumption that new teams join in, whether they are new brands or returns of old ones (Skoda, Citroen etc). And/or hope that Hyundai doesn't quit.

[djip]

If we went now to Rally2 cars, we would have only Hyundai and M-Sport as manufacturer teams who have a Rally2 car ready...and Hyundai could still quit... .

Maybe ... but better 2 manufacturers + a large number of privateers, semi-privateers, one-offs etc ... that can compete on equal footing. It is already a little dull to have only 9 cars fighting for the top spot, it would be horrendous with opnly 6 (if you consider that MSport could be competitive enough given their dire financial situation). Have you enjoyed WEC lately ? Not me ...

Regarding new entries, i am sure Toyota would develop an R5 car - cash is not an issue for them. And for others, the business model is then. becoming markedly different as a large chunk of the development costs can be offset by the sale of cars to privateers (M-Sport model, which Huyndai and Citroen have followed lately).

[djip]

On another topic : Did anyone ever thought if significant cost cuts could not be made by proper adjustments to the calendar ? For once i never understood why no one has ever considered / thought about "double headers" (2 events close enough, one week apart to save travel costs). Corsica and Sardigna would be the closest, but of course one. is gravel and the other tarmac... One could consider finland-Estonia, Deutschland-Croatia-Belgium even Catalunya, NZ-Australia, Chile-Agentina, etc ...

I am wondering also as well is the FIA could not break this stupid 3 days - sunday noon ending rule which I don't think has ever reached its goal (sunday noon air TV coverage ...) and his killing the spirit and the "rythm" of events. Now that they all look the same, it is less appelaing to fans with pretty empty 9-to-12 and 2-to5 days, to the average joeand probably to manufacturers PR guys (to make up a nice and unique story).

Why would'nt events be somehow different : some short, 2 days or 1.5 days "sprint" events (basically craming today's SS mileage in 2 days) a few "endurance events (aka Turkey) and a few longer (3,4 full days ?) "major" events that would be the jewels of the crown and could be sold as such to casual fans ? Would'nt that save costs as well and increase the PR value of the sport ? Ideas ?

[AnttiL]

Maybe ... but better 2 manufacturers + a large number of privateers, semi-privateers, one-offs etc ... that can compete on equal footing. It is already a little dull to have only 9 cars fighting for the top spot, it would be horrendous with opnly 6 (if you consider that MSport could be competitive enough given their dire financial situation).

Yes, we could have this happening on single rallies, but the championship title would still be decided between the factory guys. It's also possible FIA would put a similar points divide as WRC2/WRC3 now where you need to enter and commit for the whole series in order to score WRC points, otherwise your points just go to WRC2...

Have you enjoyed WEC lately ? Not me ...

I don't watch other motorsports than rallying.

Regarding new entries, i am sure Toyota would develop an R5 car - cash is not an issue for them. And for others, the business model is then. becoming markedly different as a large chunk of the development costs can be offset by the sale of cars to privateers (M-Sport model, which Huyndai and Citroen have followed lately).

This is the part that many of you just don't understand. M-Sport is a separate company who builds and sells/rents rally cars. Skoda, Citroen and Hyundai are doing the same with their customer programs, but this business model doesn't pay the salaries of the drivers nor the participation of a 14 round WRC season. The budget for this must come either from the car manufacturer or a big sponsor.

[AnttiL]

On another topic : Did anyone ever thought if significant cost cuts could not be made by proper adjustments to the calendar ? For once i never understood why no one has ever considered / thought about "double headers" (2 events close enough, one week apart to save travel costs). Corsica and Sardigna would be the closest, but of course one. is gravel and the other tarmac... One could consider finland-Estonia, Deutschland-Croatia-Belgium even Catalunya, NZ-Australia, Chile-Agentina, etc ...

Chile-Argentina and Portugal-Sardegna were done like this in 2019. And would have been done this year as well, had it not been for COVID-19. In 2021 Portugal-Sardegna and Estonia-Finland are planned like this.

I am wondering also as well is the FIA could not break this stupid 3 days - sunday noon ending rule which I don't think has ever reached its goal (sunday noon air TV coverage ...) and his killing the spirit and the "rythm" of events. Now that they all look the same, it is less appelaing to fans with pretty empty 9-to-12 and 2-to5 days, to the average joeand probably to manufacturers PR guys (to make up a nice and unique story).

Why would'nt events be somehow different : some short, 2 days or 1.5 days "sprint" events (basically craming today's SS mileage in 2 days) a few "endurance events (aka Turkey) and a few longer (3,4 full days ?) "major" events that would be the jewels of the crown and could be sold as such to casual fans ? Would'nt that save costs as well and increase the PR value of the sport ? Ideas ?

There's a whole lot of things which affect the itineraries. You mentioned the "empty 9-to-12 and 2-to5 days". In some countries (Wales, Sardegna) there's a long distance from a reasonable service park location to reasonable stages, and the liaisons just need to be tackled at a certain maximum average speed which is determined by each country. This just results in long breaks between the service and the stages, and it cannot be avoided. There's also other things like remote refuels and recce schedules which are limiting the itinerary design.

If you're interested in this topic, take look at this post https://itgetsfasternow.com/2019/02/...the-rule-book/

As for killing the rhythm and spirit, I think this is highly subjective and I don't think most fans care about the events being always the same.

As for having events that could have different lengths, I've written about this a few years ago on my blog

https://itgetsfasternow.com/2018/01/...not-have-both/

Obviously there's a lot of questions to answer there. Should a long rally award the same amount of points than short? How would we choose who gets to do a short and who a long one? Would privateers avoid the long events because of higher costs?

Also worth reading if you're interested is my article where I interviewed the clerks of the courses of Wales Rally GB and Rally Finland, on what it would mean to shorten or lengthen the rallies by one day. Not as simple as it sounds like.

https://itgetsfasternow.com/2020/06/...in-three-days/

I like Tarkiainen's idea of ending the rally at Saturday evening, but I have no idea about how that would change TV ratings or would any channels broadcast rallying on Saturday evening when there's lots of competition for air time?

[AndyRAC]

Have you enjoyed WEC lately ? Not me ...

Ah, the top class has been pretty poor. However, the WEC (and most GT/Sportscar series) is about the classes; the various GTE-Pro/Am are normally good battles, which are shown on the TV as much as the headline LMP1 class. The 'lesser' classes in Sportscars are more important than the lesser classes in WRC.

[Sulland]

Why is he a WRC3 and not WRC2 driver then?

I belive Skoda changed plans due to Corona. He therefor used his Polo more than planned.

[AnttiL]

https://www.skoda-motorsport.com/en/...liver-solberg/

To me this sounds like they're giving some discount to Oliver because he's a young talent, like in a sponsorship, but they are not paying salary to him.

Maybe someone knows better than our guesses?

[TypeR]

Skoda simply wasn't able to bring the car to certain rallies due to the virus and strict rules..

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/olive...r-rally-italy/

[AnttiL]

https://www.skoda-motorsport.com/en/...an-kopecky-en/

If you look at Skoda Motorsport's website, they have 2020-updated profiles for Jan Kopecky and his co-driver Jan Hlousek, but not for Oliver Solberg or anyone else.