[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[Arnold Triyudho Wardono]

Maybe some day will be there a Peugeot 208 WRC

That could be a win-win solution for PSA (Citroen can focuses at FE & WTCC while Pug returns to RC1 class)

[Eli]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120145 wales rally gb on the line...

[AL14]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/120145 wales rally gb on the line...

I think China must host an event for many reasons next year but Wales would be a very big loss.
Wales, Finland and Monte should be the safest rounds in WRC.

[Nornbugger]

Wales, Finland and Monte should be the safest rounds in WRC.

True, them and the Safari..... :-(

[Grundo Farb]

True, them and the Safari..... :-(

And New Zealand... Nothing stays the same, the only constant is change.

The Rally in wales doesn't really have much that is special - other than mud I guess. Another location in GB perhaps? Scotland?

At the very least it will make the organisers at these rallies try harder.

[sollitt]

I think China must host an event for many reasons next year ...

Reasons? This should be good.

... but Wales would be a very big loss. Wales, Finland and Monte should be the safest rounds in WRC.

Again ?

[Grundo Farb]

Look at this map:

WRC Map.jpg

That is a sad looking "World Rally Championship".

Look back to what it was in 2008:

Round Dates Race
1 24–27 January / Monte Carlo Rally

2 8–10 February Swedish Rally

3 28 February-2 March Rally Mexico

4 27–30 March Rally Argentina

5 24–27 April Jordan Rally

6 16–18 May Rally d'Italia Sardegna

7 29 May-1 June Acropolis Rally

8 13–15 June Rally of Turkey

9 31 July-3 August Rally Finland

10 15–17 August Rallye Deutschland

11 28–31 August Rally New Zealand

12 2–5 October Rally Catalunya

13 10–12 October Tour de Corse

14 31 October-2 November Rally Japan

15 5–7 December Wales Rally GB

Jordan, Japan, New Zealand, Acropolis, Turkey. It seemed to be a bit more rounded than it is now. They also managed 15 rounds back then.

Also, take a look back in time to the thread that was started on "which rally would you like to see in the WRC?" Many people were then saying Rally GB is boring, lets go to the US or back to Asia...

[N.O.T]

yes i am sad as well... but i have an idea.

Bring the financial situation of the world back in 2008 and i will give you back your 15 rounds... deal ?

[Grundo Farb]

yes i am sad as well... but i have an idea.

Bring the financial situation of the world back in 2008 and i will give you back your 15 rounds... deal ?

Yes you are right, using your logic it really does makes sense to now have almost all of the rallies in one of the most sluggish economic regions of the world - Europe. If global economic stability and growth were a factor then most rallies of recent years should have been based in Asia/Pacific - including the US.

Last I read there were still more countries wanting to host an event than available slots - which again doesn't make sense, whose budget is it that dictates there are only 13 rounds?

The 2009 season included twelve rallies, which was three fewer than the 2008 season, because the FIA imposed a "Round Rotation" System in order to attract candidate rallies to have a chance to be a WRC event. Monte Carlo, Sweden, Mexico, Jordan, Turkey, Germany, New Zealand, France and Japan were dropped from the calendar for 2009, but returned at the 2010 WRC Season. Ireland, Norway, Cyprus, Portugal, Poland and Australia returned to the 2009 season.

But then that didn't work as Rallies couldn't build infrastructure and a business model around a one off event with no guarantee of returning, so they then introduced in some cases a longer term rotation - NZ and Australia being examples where they would host it in turn 3 years repeating. But now that seems to have gone out of the door.

And all the while Rally GB has been there - stuck in the mud.

No rally should be safe from a review and if it doesn't deliver any value to the sport it should be evaluated.

Don't forget, Australia have also been lobbying hard to be the end rally for the season positioning it as a summer event rather than the slush-fest of rally GB. Don't underestimate the lobbying powers of the Australians...

[DonJippo]

Last I read there were still more countries wanting to host an event than available slots - which again doesn't make sense, whose budget is it that dictates there are only 13 rounds?

Manufactures.