Martin Holmes in GPWeek

[cosmicpanda]

GP Week

Check it out on pg. 54.

Holmes has been consistently critical of the current promoters, and now he's come out opposed to the FIA as well, criticising the recent moves to night stages (at least on dry gravel), long distances (Rally GB this year) and mixed stages (Argentina this year).

I don't mind long distances. I think we got to the stage where the cloverleaf format was seriously constraining organisers - eg. RallyNZ, who in 2006 - 2008 moved to stages south of Hamilton and used what I consider to be a less-than-idea route, certainly for spectators. However, I think we've reached a decent compromise by allowing remote services again, and the last running of Rally NZ ticked nearly all the boxes for me.

I think Holmes has a point with night stages on dry gravel. Shouldn't happen.

Does he have a point with mixed stages? In Argentina, El Condor was clearly an unsafe stage and should not be run again in that format, though Latvala's time through the first running of the stage deserves to be remembered. Does that mean that mixed stages are bad, however? Would the stage have been any less safe had the road been exactly the same except for being made of gravel? I don't think so. However, I don't enjoy seeing ungainly cars struggle over a section of road that they haven't been set up for (unless it's at Monte Carlo, which is a bit different since it's due to the weather and an integral part of the event), so perhaps Holmes' point is valid.

[MJW]

Did you also read that GPWeek has now been bought out by the Russian guy who owns North One Sport, CSI or something. Independance gone in GPWeek in favour of the wrc/ north one sport cororate line. I hope not.

[bluuford]

Usually I like his articles but this time he has taken a lot of things out from the context and reached to very wrong conclusions in many cases (just my view). In Argentina it was just the fact that there was no better tarmac road available to join 2 gravel stages. 3 minutes caps in night stages in gravel rally, I do not see much problem, even if they are going to reverse top 15 drivers.
I can understand that he does not like that his workday is not from 8-17 anymore :-P

[N.O.T]

who is martin holmes ?? does he have any connection with the FIA ??

[bluuford]

Journalist, usually with quite good ideas and critical thinking/writing.

[AndyRAC]

Did you also read that GPWeek has now been bought out by the Russian guy who owns North One Sport, CSI or something. Independance gone in GPWeek in favour of the wrc/ north one sport cororate line. I hope not.

I hope not either. It would seem strange to buy a magazine that is mainly dominated by F1/ MotoGP - the WRC is very much the 3rd place in importance. Saying that, it has been done before - remember Rallycourse?? A great annual - taken over by NorthOne, edited by David Evans for one edition, before being discontinued.

As for Martin Holmes - a fine journalist - though actually I don't completely agree with his article this week. The cloverleaf format is stale, and has taken Rallying too far from the 'Endurance' element.

[Sulland]

who is martin holmes ?? does he have any connection with the FIA ??

Guess you know, but if not; he has been writing this one for the past 33 years: juwra.com**|**Literature - Martin Holmes - Pirelli World Rallying 33

[N.O.T]

the question remains ...

Who is Martin holmes ???

[Mirek]

Journalist, usually with quite good ideas and critical thinking/writing.

Also co-driver of Timo Mäkinen, Ove Andersson, Jean Ragnotti, Shekhar Mehta, John Haugland, Chris Sclater, Billy Coleman and many others.

[sollitt]

He's on the money I think. We older folk might remember the rallying of the 70's with some fondness but that doesn't necessarily make it a good fit today.
The major point that Holmes is making is not specifically about any one issue but rather he's using the issues to emphasise how change for it's own sake is not always good.
When Todt came into power we all thought he was the Messiah with talk of rejuvinating a dying WRC. The truth is he's just as dangerous and dictatorial as those who went before him.