TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT

[Sulland]

While MotoGP/ F1 can get away with having 20 plus rounds; at the moment, the WRC isn't big enough to have more than 10 in my opinion. WEC only has about 8-9......that's called being sensible.

If you ask them, they also feel that it is way to many rounds.
There has to be room to live an ok personal or family life as well.

[PLuto]

I would not say too many. F1 has twice as much rounds but obviously right now rally takes a whole week to complete. Recce starts already monday/tuesday.

Why not Wednesday and Thursday for recce? Then Shakedown at friday morning, rally itself starts friday afternoon. Could easily run 300km. Friday 75 km, Saturday 150 and Sunday 75.
Throw in nightstages where possible and points for stages/legs and more tyre changes.

I will prefer to make less races than making them shorter...

[Tauri_J]

They are already 300-320km

[denkimi]

It also tells me there are too many rounds, too much travel and too much hassle being a factory driver!

13 rounds, 13 weeks. that leaves 39 weeks without rally. even with the testing and everything else that needs to be done as a factory driver, that still is way less days of work than every normal working person.

[rp]

13 rounds, 13 weeks. that leaves 39 weeks without rally. even with the testing and everything else that needs to be done as a factory driver, that still is way less days of work than every normal working person.

Before the events they are watching onboards all the time many weeks. Have to remember also that current generation of the young people are not keen to work like previous ones. They have limits.

[macebig]

It's kinda far fetched to say WRC is more taxing nowadays. Teams used to test for months for the Safari till the 90s. Events were 5+ days and spawned thousands of competitive miles. And most drivers were also doing ERC or BRC rounds and the odd local rally, (plus Asia-Pacific for Japanese teams). Now, it's just some days of testing, a week in each rally location and maybe 1-2 local events more as a show/promotional event. Yeah, events have become more of a sprint, where you need to be 100% at most of times than endurance and management, but cars are definitely much easier to handle.

[ictus]

13 rounds, 13 weeks. that leaves 39 weeks without rally. even with the testing and everything else that needs to be done as a factory driver, that still is way less days of work than every normal working person.

It's not the 70's...
the drivers have tons of marketing/media work, not to mention testing, development, training both phisical and mental. So i'd say an avarage 9 to 5 worker has a way easier life work wise

[1988senna]

I guess Sweden, Poland, Latvia and Finland for sure for Kalle.

At least I can’t see Ogier at those rallies.

And Japan for all the drivers I guess

Kalle won't be back before June. military service need at least half year

[Danny0405]

Kalle won't be back before June. military service need at least half year

A lot of people are talking about this but as far as I know, Latvala began very young in WRC and never had this issue… and apparently, this military service in Finland exists for 100 years from what I’ve read. Never heard about that for other Finnish guys too. But I may miss something.
And even if… I’m pretty sure he could obtain an exemption for one Rally.

[TypeR]

If it was military, I'm quite sure he would have said that, it's nothing to be ashamed of.
And if really needed, I believe there are ways to find something why one cannot go there..
I have heard that in Finland there is possible to serve it half and half time(for sportsmen)..