2016 BRC (British Rally Championship)

[MrJan]

Well I'm traveling up with Chris Chapman and we are staying at a bunkhouse which is £19 for the night. You can come up with us if you like?

Holy crap that's cheap, what time you planning on leaving?

[Allyc85]

I haven't seen a timetable yet, but I'm guessing it will be late lunch time, I cant imagine the 2 night stages being run that late at night.

[the sniper]

The itinerary is here: http://www.ewrc-results.com/harmonog...es-Stages-2016

I'll be there, though I'm not sure which stages I'll do yet. I'll also hope to do the Scottish again this year. I last did it in 2014. The stages were very nice, but the BRC really was dead on its arse then. The Scottish Championship was the main attraction!

[MrJan]

Entry list going from strength to strength...still a bit Ford biased but that's to be expected I think.

Not sure if I fancy the night stage or not, will have to think about it.

[AndyRAC]

70 miles for an International event? Is that enough?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to it - but I'm wondering about the speccy info. The 2 stages on the Saturday night are repeated on Sunday - are they going to let people stay overnight? One hopes they will. Otherwise it's a lay-by on the A44 for the night.

[EightGear]

So that iternary is real? I honestly thought 1 day was missing.
6 stages and just over 100 km of stages..

[the sniper]

So that iternary is real? I honestly thought 1 day was missing.
6 stages and just over 100 km of stages..

Well I did wonder as I haven't seen it anywhere else, but it seems a bit of a weirdly realistic/unimaginative itinerary to make up if it isn't genuine. It's certainly not just a copy of last year's, as by comparison this is a 40km longer endurance event...

Sadly by modern UK gravel rally standards 110km isn't that short... All the BTRDA rallies last year were around 70km. Towards the end of the old BRC the Scottish Rally was 94km in 2014. Rally Yorkshire was 96km in 2013, with the other two gravel rounds being around 120km. Ewrc have also got distances, but not itineraries, for the rest of the BRC season: http://www.ewrc-results.com/season.php?s=2016&nat=2 No idea how or if they're real, but according to them the Pirelli will be 120km, Scottish 104km and Nicky Grist 160km including Epynt... The tarmac rallies are all over 200km though.

Hopefully we'll see longer rallies in future. For a start I'd merge the two Welsh rallies. Joined by 200km (Perth based) Scottish, Pirelli and Yorkshire Rallies and you've got yourself a proper Championship!

[MrJan]

70 miles for an International event? Is that enough?

It's short, but WRC events aren't exactly an endurance. It all comes down to what forests are available and how much it costs these days...and that's without taking into account the increasing safety. From next season I've heard that rally marshals in the UK need to have done a training course, which will massively reduce the number of people that volunteer IMO. I'm bracing myself to get used to seeing not just short rallies but also cancelled rallies.

[Sulland]

Two-car team for Spencer Sport in the Mirages at round one - although as predicted they will have to run in the national series as they still chase that (futile?) global homologation.

Osian Pryce and Jamie Jukes will drive. Not sure if they will do a full season programme. They can't reccy the stages and make their own notes in the national section which makes it more of a challenge.

I think it is strange that M Sport are putting up a fight against a small team like Spencer. According to the rules there is quite a difference in preparation possibilities btw the national series and championship series.

I like Mr Wilson, but I think he got a better deal when he started his team, and should give Spencer a possibility to run among the big boys. They are miles ahead anyway, but they need to start somewhere, and this only makes it harder for the drivers, and a more boring series for us.

Many loves an underdog, and you were there once Mr Wilson....

[TWRC]

I think it is strange that M Sport are putting up a fight against a small team like Spencer. According to the rules there is quite a difference in preparation possibilities btw the national series and championship series.

I like Mr Wilson, but I think he got a better deal when he started his team, and should give Spencer a possibility to run among the big boys. They are miles ahead anyway, but they need to start somewhere, and this only makes it harder for the drivers, and a more boring series for us.

Many loves an underdog, and you were there once Mr Wilson....

I guess he wants every penny he can get out of every deal. The car is a perfect rival to the Fiesta in two segments: the young guys who just stepped up from 2WD and/or less wealthy teams. They might have opted for a Mirage, it's R5, cheaper than every other car in the category, it might have some potential on certain rounds, and it's great for getting 4WD experience or to just drive around.