[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[the sniper]

Btw, let’s not take the eco-political correctness too seriously; Nascar is probably one of the most pollutant motorsport series in the world, yet it’s by far the most popular one and an amazing sponsor’s magnet.

NASCAR has actually been suffering in many respects in recent years, its decline has been widely publicised. Here's one article: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sp...221945860.html Admittedly its problems aren't 'eco-political correctness' because many Americans don't seem to worry themselves about or believe in such issues, but it's incorrect to suggest that it's doing overly well.

there's no fame about the sport. they should let r5 to be top class (with the same price as now) and let the entry list be more then 100 cars on every rally. let the national crews compete. what to say when the top car can drive about 10 crews. who want to look that?! anyone can play football/soccer and that's why it is so popular. look at tour de france/giro/ etc, we have more then 100 riders with the same equipment but they don't have the abilities for winning. there's no way the sport will be big in medias and attractive for huge crowds and manufacturers again with four drivers that can win and every season the same champ. and this four guys are likable in medias like grandma's a$$. we are all here hard core fans. and manufacturers wnat medias around the sport.

I imagine most of the current WRC crews would still make up the regular top ten finishers on any given WRC rally anyway. We'd probably have the same top three to five drivers as we have now in contention for wins, but just driving slower, less spectacular R5 cars... Great. And they'd only show the top 15 cars anyway, so the 80+ also-rans would get no more interest/coverage than now for their €/$/£250K+ budgets. WRC2, where all R5 comers are already welcome, has been largely dominated by a small number of works crews with Drivers that I doubt many would describe as the best of the best in rallying. Why would the current WRC guys not dominate that class too?

I'm not discounting the idea that the R5s or a development thereof becomes the main class at some point, it might become a necessity in time, like Group B to Group A in 1986/1987. I just don't think it's desirable in the short term in comparison to what we have now, which could possibly be the last golden age of rallying. It's spectacular, enjoy it before it's gone rather than wishing it away prematurely...