Wales Rally GB 2017

[Simmi]

https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...-2017-problems

Organisers will react to increased spectator numbers and full car parks next year. Will be interesting to see what they do.

[AndyRAC]

Have to agree; it's a good problem to have though. I think they need to rethink/ tweak the itinerary and encourage people to stay put at the same stage.

At Dyfnant, after the WRC, and Nationals had run, there were people leaving to go elsewhere; however there were also people arriving for the night stage from Dyfi/ Gartheiniog – and only 1 road in/ out. Not ideal.

I also think they need to have separate car parks for campervans; I’ve never seen so many on this event.

I’ve seen the comment from Tommi saying the event needs streamlining; I think the opposite. Having that may fans in such a small area is a recipe for gridlock, etc
It won’t happen, but it seems a shame to not use the massive facility that is the Epynt ranges.....but they're too far away. (Supposedly, by WRC standards)

[AnttiL]

Looking at the maps of the Wales stages, it seems they often are maximizing the stage length by doing "loops" around the roads leaving out possible access roads (for example on Dyfnant between 3.6 km and 13.7 km or the small bit between 4.7km and 12.5 km https://www.rally-maps.com/Wales-Rally-GB-2017/Dyfnant ). Maybe the stages need to be more straightforward for more options for the spectators to go instead of everyone packing the same few access roads.

[Simmi]

I think also a lot of the stages felt really rushed between runs. On Dyfi and Alwen no sooner had the sweeper gone through then safety vehicles were immediately on stage telling fans to get off the road. And you end up with people just putting themselves in less than ideal positions.

I'm sure organisers would just argue you need to stay in one place for both runs - but if they think most spectators are prepared to do that they are dreaming.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

There was a 25 min delay at the Cholmondeley stage due to the problems at the previous ones.

This meant people were later leaving than planned. It had gone dark and was chaotic exiting the car parks. There were no stewards and it was just a free-for-all.

[AL14]

I was wondering... Do you know why Ostberg didn't use DMACK? (Because he didn't right?)
I was thinking that maybe DMACK themself didn't allow that because they knew they had an advantage and did want their official car to win the rally, not a private one.

[MrJan]

I think also a lot of the stages felt really rushed between runs. On Dyfi and Alwen no sooner had the sweeper gone through then safety vehicles were immediately on stage telling fans to get off the road. And you end up with people just putting themselves in less than ideal positions.

We kept being told by the marshals on Alwen that there was a risk of losing the 2nd running of the stage, not sure how much truth there was in that. I did overhear on the radio that Junction 8 was overcrowded and they had more spectators than the pens had space for. But if you try to cram two stages close together and get 2 runs of each in a few hours then you're always going to have trouble. They definitely need to rethink what they do on the Sunday, people were parking miles back on the road in to Brenig/Alwen but also the space within the car park didn't seem to be used well. There was one marshal that parked his van across one of the forks in the road to shut off part of the car park, but when we walked up it there was space for easily another 20-30 more cars. It wasn't even like the spaces were well out of sight, you could see half of them from where he'd parked the van

Can't really comment on the other stages as we walked in, other than to say that I'd have been pretty ticked off if I'd paid £30 and had to walk as far as some people were.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I was wondering... Do you know why Ostberg didn't use DMACK? (Because he didn't right?)
I was thinking that maybe DMACK themself didn't allow that because they knew they had an advantage and did want their official car to win the rally, not a private one.

That must've been the case, or else it was a big mistake by Mads not to take DMACK's.

(Although he wouldnt have beaten Evans anyway... )

[Simmi]

That must've been the case, or else it was a big mistake by Mads not to take DMACK's.

(Although he wouldnt have beaten Evans anyway... )

I was surprised he didn't take the tyres - but Adapta can't get that car running worth a cr*p anyway. Next year they need to admit defeat and make sure the Fiesta is run out of an M-Sport awning.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I was surprised he didn't take the tyres - but Adapta can't get that car running worth a cr*p anyway. Next year they need to admit defeat and make sure the Fiesta is run out of an M-Sport awning.

It's a finance-issue though. Adapta and Prokop have a team of mechanics there and Mads needs a car running, hence they got together. Paying M-Sport is not really an option.

Adapta will hope to iron-out the car issues ready for 2018.