[WRC] News & Rumours 2018

[Eli]

That Ciesla... He don't need another tarmac rally.. What he think he is god or what. 13 events. 2 tarmac events 2 mixed events and rest gravel and snow. Well I would rather see that there is another tarmac wherever in the world. This is just stupid... Teams will probably send only two cars or not showing at all there of the costs...

He isn't going home any time soon is he? Anyhow, a good mix would be imho, 4 proper tarmac events (maybe 5 seeing Monte isn't what you call a normal tarmac rally), another snow maybe 2 if possible & the rest on gravel.

[pantealex]

Many seems to forgot that many countries and continents have no tarmac events, like Finland or Africa. (even less with snow of course but that´s another story...)
Tarmac is mostly middle-south europeans thing and yes some of those are great and suitable for WRC

If we add more tarmac events, those will be in europe, so then we must drop some european gravel events...
Portugal? Never!
Sardinia? Maybe
Finland? Never ever!
Wales? Never!
Turkey? Poland? Acropolis?

Planned China was on tarmac.
New Zealand, Middle-Eeast and Africa will be gravel.

How to make space for those tarmac events?

I´m ready to drop Mexico/Argentina for Chile because those have bad entry, 60 FIA-cars should be minimum (Chile will be under, I know)

[Eli]

Many seems to forgot that many countries and continents have no tarmac events, like Finland or Africa. (even less with snow of course but that´s another story...)
Tarmac is mostly middle-south europeans thing and yes some of those are great and suitable for WRC

If we add more tarmac events, those will be in europe, so then we must drop some european gravel events...
Portugal? Never!
Sardinia? Maybe
Finland? Never ever!
Wales? Never!
Turkey? Poland? Acropolis?

Planned China was on tarmac.
New Zealand, Middle-Eeast and Africa will be gravel.

How to make space for those tarmac events?

I´m ready to drop Mexico/Argentina for Chile because those have bad entry, 60 FIA-cars should be minimum (Chile will be under, I know)

Ireland could be a tarmac event, Spain can go back to being a full tarmac event, you know what? you can go to Japan to have tarmac. It's as you said, all about preferences. I agree, I wouldn't remove Portugal, Finland or Wales, but I would remove Turkey & bring in a tarmac event instead & make Spain a full tarmac event once again and vwolla you have 5 events on the black stuff.

[AnttiL]

San Remo has also been a full tarmac rally, Portugal has had tarmac stages.

[Watson]

Bring back San Remo for Rally Italy, make Spain a full tarmac event again and locate Rally Japan in those glorious fast flowing mountain passes (meaning tarmac). Job done.

The calender has become awfully samey. The only gravel events that are special are Mexico because of the height, Finland because of the speed and Wales because of the weather.

Then you can argue for at least one event (gravel or asphalt) in South America, one in either NZ or Australia, one in Asia and if it was up to me, one in Africa.

[AnttiL]

http://www.rallit.fi/ogierilta-muuto...maan-perunaan/ (in Finnish)

Ogier wants to bring back qualifications. He also thinks that things have been taken out of context concerning the short stage issue. He says the long waits in the countryside could be spent at service marketing the sport and he doesn't think the multi-hour breaks within a day are good for the fans.

[mArvAlcao17]

Bring back San Remo for Rally Italy, make Spain a full tarmac event again and locate Rally Japan in those glorious fast flowing mountain passes (meaning tarmac). Job done.

The calender has become awfully samey. The only gravel events that are special are Mexico because of the height, Finland because of the speed and Wales because of the weather.

Then you can argue for at least one event (gravel or asphalt) in South America, one in either NZ or Australia, one in Asia and if it was up to me, one in Africa.

As i remember, there are previous thread which talking about San Remo. I forget what they said, but it doesn't sounds good (about financial maybe?)

[AndyRAC]

http://www.rallit.fi/ogierilta-muuto...maan-perunaan/ (in Finnish)

Ogier wants to bring back qualifications. He also thinks that things have been taken out of context concerning the short stage issue. He says the long waits in the countryside could be spent at service marketing the sport and he doesn't think the multi-hour breaks within a day are good for the fans.

He's not completely wrong. My issue with the current format and central service park is the gap in the middle of the day when nothing happens. 3/4 stages then a huge gap for liaison/ regroup/ tyre service, etc then the same 3/4 stages and a return to service/ parc ferme.

However, I'm not sure about the marketing the sport at the service park is what is needed. I'd prefer to see the cars in the stages more often.

[Watson]

I hear you Andy but I understant that they want to offer a lot of service park time to the public because that is one of the few things in the nature of the WRC that is more convenient to bring to people close to. In circuit racing the pits are reserved for the rich and famous.

[Rally Hokkaido]

The Autosport article mentioned about Japan, as well as Chile applying for a 2019 WRC Round. Here is a link to an article on Japan's Yomiuri Newspaper website.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/...rom=ytop_main9

I'll let someone try a computer translation of it, however the main points I can decipher are:
1/ There will be a Media Conference this month to announce the detailed plan
2/ Official application will be made this year to host a WRC round in September 2019.
3/ Location may be; in Aichi Prefecture (Toyota City!), in neighbouring Shizuoka Prefecture or even in Fukushima Prefecture