[WRC] Rally Italia Sardegna 2021

**mknight** · 7th June 2021, 10:54

It's just as much about the money, as it is about the "looks".

Last year Østbergs WRC2 season was partly paid by Michelin.
When Pirelli became sole supplier of WRC2 this year he lost the funding and had issues financing the season (which is why he didn't start Monte and Arctic).

Also last year he had punctures on Michelin in Monte and in Estonia.
Monte SS3:
Østberg Mads - Eriksen Torstein
"I touched a rock with my rear - I don't really understand why it damaged the rim."
Estonia SS4:
Østberg Mads - Eriksen Torstein
"I was landing on a jump and straight away I had a puncture.. I don't know why it happened."

**AnttiL** · 7th June 2021, 12:32

Originally Posted by denkimi

If they can destroy your championship because of wat you say, it's safer to say nothing at all. After all, they don't even want to hear want you would like to say. They just want some lame bullshit that has no meaning, so they definately don't offend anyone.

You better just write a generic sentence, print it on a piece of paper and show it at every stop.

You know it won't become this, it's childish to exaggarate like this. I haven't seen any driver or even Mads himself comment how bad this penalty was.

**AnttiL** · 7th June 2021, 12:40

I think this whole issue shows how differently we perceive things. Some of us believe on complete individual freedom, some of us want regulations to be obeyed for the common benefit.

We can all ask ourselves:
1. Do I accept that kind of language?
2. Do I think that most people accept that kind of language?

And we can get four different combinations of the answers. We just need to agree to disagree.

BTW does anyone remember Latvala's reaction on a puncture in Catalunya 2019, at the end of Terra Alta? He also used the f-word at least once (likely more) on his stage end interview tantrum. But that wasn't a live TV broadcast, it was only direct on All Live. They were able to beep that on the TV review broadcasts.

**TypeR** · 7th June 2021, 13:38

I think it's not drivers business to follow if it's a TV stage or not.. it's on AllLive anyway. As wrc+ is having troubles quite a lot with the live, tehn adding 10-20s delay wouldn't really change anything as livemaps works..

if Mads' thing hadn't been brought up with the penalty, it would have been forgotten already.. but now it went worldwide and even people who don't follow rally, has seen it.

Meeke - https://youtu.be/Cko4smM0ekU?t=55
Latvala - https://youtu.be/2ewRN8wWrVs?t=24

**Fast Eddie WRC** · 7th June 2021, 13:40

I've seen it quite a few times where a driver shows a really bad reaction.

Last I remember was Lukyanuk in the ERC going berserk when his co-driver check-in error cost him the win.

The problem is we see everything now with in-car cameras and stage reporters. Why should the driver have to censor himself, I think that ahould be the responsibility of the TV broadcaster.

**denkimi** · 7th June 2021, 13:46

Originally Posted by AnttiL

We can all ask ourselves:
1. Do I accept that kind of language?
2. Do I think that most people accept that kind of language?

yes and yes.
if people want a safe space they can go play Pétanque with the other boring people.

rallying used to be an exciting sport for drivers with big balls. nowadays they can't even swear anymore. the pussyfication of society tries to destroy everything.

**dimviii** · 7th June 2021, 14:10

agree 100% with mknight at this subject,as also with seb sh.

i will use a post of ''mknight'' to see the big problem created from Pirelli tyres to Ostberg,which drove him to talk like a 16 year old football hooligan.

Originally Posted by mknight

Note that in Sardinia afaik the only one out of the top 4 WRC2 (Hutunnen, Østbeg, Bulacia, Fourmaux, and Gryazin + Mikkelsen but they drove only a few stage) with a puncture was Østberg on one stage. That's hardly any drama.
In Portugal afaik it was Østberg and Suninen with one each, Lappi, Solberg, Bulacia etc. didn't have any.

Historically R5s get a lot of punctures though, in Turkey it's usually at least one each..

i really cant understand some mates opinion that the fia was very hard to Ostberg.

So if Ogier loose the championship ,its ok for you to start talking live about the f@cking fia that with their rules he lost the championship.
Or Tanak start talking about the f@cking hyundai that another time something broke
Or whatever driver has a problem to start talking about f@ckings for whatever believes is a problem for him.
Just because he had some misfortunes at previous stage,and because he just had finished the stage,he was at steam so it is acceptable.

No it is not.
And its not because the tyres (a new one which created inside the covid problems at short time)did excellent for other wrc2 competitors.
Yes you cant blame a manufacture talking about f@cks because you had a puncture.
You cant make problem to a manufacurer that is wrc from 1970, with decades of championships ,because Ostberg had a puncture,probably because of his driving/fault.

Except that, the fia announced just a 1000 euro and 25 points if he would do the same at future.
So they did NOTHING to him, but just a warning.
And plenty of some mates here ,believe that they were very harsch to him.

**the sniper** · 7th June 2021, 15:08

Regarding the Mads issue, while I'm surprised the FIA got involved, particularly to the extent they have, it isn't necessarily an incident without consequence for the sport. Personally it doesn't bother me at all, but from a UK regulatory point of view (sorry NOT, if you're out there!), if OFCOM (UK TV regulator) were aware of this being broadcast and were aware how often spearing was being broadcast pre-watershed (9pm) during WRC, they'd be fining BT Sport (UK WRC broadcaster) for repeated violations. Isolated incidents are fine, but OFCOM have been/are particularly bothered by repeated breaches of regulations where nothing is seen to be done to prevent a reoccurrence. An odd 's***' or 'f***' they'll get away with, but for some reason 'f***ing' is considered worse, and repetition seen as worse and avoidable by the broadcast for failing to intervene or cut away. A large part of why F1 went to delayed radio playout is because of OFCOM influence. Some context can be seen here for a far more minor incident in F1: https://motorsportbroadcasting.com/2...ttel-swearing/

While I absolutely don't want the sport having to bow down to UK TV regs, I'd imagine BT Sport is one of the higher paying rights holders to WRC, so the Promoter may have been warned by BT that they're putting them at risk of trouble/fine. The FIA probably acted on the Promoters behalf as they don't have a mechanism to do it themselves. Plus BT, as a big organisation, wouldn't want to be broadcasting that kind of language at that time of the morning regardless. UK rally fans are obviously a sensible bunch, as seemingly no one has complained about any of the swearing broadcast so OFCOM haven't been made aware. But I have to say this, I've NEVER heard anywhere near as much swearing on British TV pre watershed (9pm) as I have during the last couple of years on WRC live. It's literally an exceptional case.

EDIT: I should add, this was broadcast on BT Sport 3 rather than behind the 'red button' interactive service as it was a TV stage. While it may be a coincidence, the feed cut out a couple of times (which also wouldn't have pleased BT). After the Mads incident, when the feed dropped out, BT Sport didn't wait long for it to return and went to alternative programming instead.