[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[Jack4688`]

You do live in hope - as there's no way that will ever happen.

The purist in me would like to see it - as that was when the WRC was at its best; but time has moved on, sadly and those events are unlikely to happen.

I don't even think a halfway house will even happen; the fewer, better, individualistic events type of WRC with a mix of sprint 2 day events & endurance full 4 day events plus the current generic WRC event. Monte-Carlo would have to be an Endurance event, as would RallyGB - then that event might actually gain some mainstream coverage.

As it is, I think we're stuck with what we've got, which doesn't really inspire me - and neither do the efforts of RedBull, who I think have been lazy with their coverage.

Unfortunately there are many things in life these day where we have to accept that times have changed. However the WRC is an example of over-homogenising to the point where there is little to get excited about or interested in. What point is there in the rule makers trying to control every minutiae to end up with something that they think is what the multi million $/£/€ motor manufacturers want when really all sports thrive on the interest of the fans - be it Joe Public or the hardcore?

The powers that be don't really understand that what they have is something pretty uninspiring right now. A lot of that can be down to the Ogier dominance effect (not much anyone can do about that, unless you relent and introduce gimmick rule changes in a desperate attempt to chop someone's legs off an the knee) but I think the key factor is the homogenised rallies and cars.

Up until last year or possibly the year before Rallye Monte Carlo refused to allow Rally2 to be part of their event, as was their right, and were the only ones that did so. Now it's dangerously close to being just another WRC event. Someone needs to wake up and realise that just one (preferably more) event doing something fundamentally different can create a lot of interest.

Similarity breeds boredom

[Rally Power]

Similarity breeds boredom

True, WRC can get a better compromise.

Maybe we’re all a bit too much attached to the “golden eras” impressions (it seems all past times were golden until Loeb and Ogier appeared…) and tend to forget there’s a glorious future just around the corner.

Having four of the top 5 auto industry giants (and another one from the top 10) involved in 2017 WRC it’s a clear sign that things aren’t that bad, but there’s certainly room to do more and better as fans expectations aren't entirely fulfilled.

It’s vital to preserve WRC identity and heritage (something that RB/MH seems to be steadily learning), but reasonable innovations bringing new fans to the sport must also be welcomed.

China join up it’s probably the most important one (if FIA manage to help organizers making it a success) and it should be an opportunity to improve WRC layout, in order to get a set of principles and rules easily understood by all.

Hoping for the best!

[itix]

Plenty of people (myself included) have been calling for more endurance in WRC events. But I think we'd all say we'd prefer longer events rather than a gimmick stage within an existing event.


That said - it's not like Mexico (or any other event organiser apart from maybe the Monte) can go and add in significant extra mileage because the inflexible FIA rules don't allow it. They'd simply get thrown out of the championship. The teams (and drivers) would also throw a strop. Increased costs would be cited.

Secondly we constantly criticize events for being too similar and lacking any character or identity. So while you could say it's ill-advised, at least Mexico are trying to do something different within the restrictive framework they've been given.

Until the FIA and the teams open their minds to adopt a proper double points endurance event in the season then we're going to be stuck with stuff like this.

^this makes so much sense

I'd love to see the safari back with double points...

Would be so awesome.

[Mirek]

I don't know what to think about this "all rallies are same" stuff. OK, they are similar but they are still different to each other. Look at other motorsports. F1, Moto GP, Nascar or even Rallycross, they are on a completely different level of similarity than WRC can ever be and the people somehow don't find it boring too much. Even if majority of F1 tracks is designed by the same man and it's totally irrelevant if the circuit stands physically here or ten thousand kilometers away.

Not trying to say that more diversity isn't welcome. For sure I support such idea (but reasonable diversity). What I wanted to say is that diversity is probably not the biggest problem our sport has. Rallying from it's nature is one of the most diverse motorsports ever and the cloverleaf format doesn't change that much on it.

[Arnold Triyudho Wardono]

What a bunch of pansies commenting it'll be a tough stage, or its too long... it's RALLY!!!

I miss Safari..

[MrJan]

I miss Safari..

So do I.

[itix]

Ola Fløene is codriving mads according to FB page!

Is Mikkola going back to Mikkelsen then?
Weird stuff.

Also I miss safari

Edit: My bad, already posted in silly season... note to self, do your reading next time!

[Mintexmemory]

No Mikkola is enjoying the occasional Audi demo run, Markkula is a possibility though ;-)

[itix]

Ah yes, right

[giu canbera]

Does anybody here thinks Raikkonen will be back to WRC in 2017? Or... would u guys like to see him back to WRC?