2024 WRC News & Rumours

[CeskyOndra]

I definitelly don't agree with qualifying stage. Young guys would clean the road on the first day and struggle, bad idea for me.

[bearclaw]

I must say I'm really an old school guy - I love the rallies and formats from the past and how longer a rally was I love it the most. Like in the 70ies and 80ies. But socialized with Mc Rae, Burns, Grönholm, Sainz etc. in the late 90ies. So I'm not that old.

If a format change attracts more manufacturers and brings up some new interest to the WRC I can live with that.
But the itinerary should people allow to watch a good amount of stages live. Like it was 2011 or 2013 in Finland. The format was a bit different but we watched a good amount of stages. Because I'm not traveling for four or five stages across Europe.

I really don't get it why they canceled the remote service a few years ago as well. It was a good idea to reduce the liaison distance and keep the cars quite good serviced in the rally area.

It's funny because last week I was playing around with some WRC format changes a little bit different than Halttunen ideas but at least I had shorten the days. But I had randomly the same idea with different formats for different rallies. The fast events like Finland, Sweden, Poland, Latvia or also CER, Croatia or Sardinia could be a short format version. Monte, Acropolis and Portugal used to be marathons in the past as well, so they can use a normal or longer format. The oversee rallys should do also a longer format, because oversee traveling for 2 full days of rallying makes really no sense.

Halttunen ideas are really good. I never thought that I would appreciate a format change but it seems something has to be done in WRC.

[Mirek]

I must say I'm really an old school guy - I love the rallies and formats from the past and how longer a rally was I love it the most. Like in the 70ies and 80ies. But socialized with Mc Rae, Burns, Grönholm, Sainz etc. in the late 90ies. So I'm not that old.

If a format change attracts more manufacturers and brings up some new interest to the WRC I can live with that.
But the itinerary should people allow to watch a good amount of stages live. Like it was 2011 or 2013 in Finland. The format was a bit different but we watched a good amount of stages. Because I'm not traveling for four or five stages across Europe.

I really don't get it why they canceled the remote service a few years ago as well. It was a good idea to reduce the liaison distance and keep the cars quite good serviced in the rally area.

It's funny because last week I was playing around with some WRC format changes a little bit different than Halttunen ideas but at least I had shorten the days. But I had randomly the same idea with different formats for different rallies. The fast events like Finland, Sweden, Poland, Latvia or also CER, Croatia or Sardinia could be a short format version. Monte, Acropolis and Portugal used to be marathons in the past as well, so they can use a normal or longer format. The oversee rallys should do also a longer format, because oversee traveling for 2 full days of rallying makes really no sense.

Halttunen ideas are really good. I never thought that I would appreciate a format change but it seems something has to be done in WRC.

One of the the things about rallying, which are hostile to the general public, is the complicated rules, classes etc. Having two different formats of rallies again only complicates already a complicated thing.

[seb_sh]

One of the the things about rallying, which are hostile to the general public, is the complicated rules, classes etc. Having two different formats of rallies again only complicates already a complicated thing.

If the "long" format just starts a day earlier I don't think it would be that bad. F1 has both regular and sprint weekends. If you start to make it more complicated then it can get weird. Another thing that rally lacks that is more important in my opinion is habit formation. Most F1 races are Sunday at a certain time, qualifying is Saturday at a certain time, etc. If rally could do that with at least the Qualifying and the Sunday PS it would be a big win in my opinion. Add a well broadcast live Saturday stage at a fixed time (almost) every rally and you have one of the building blocks of a viewable product.

[WRCStan]

I don't know guys this sounds like clutching at straws. Tweaking the itinerary, adding remote services or a qualifying stage isn't changing the format, nor is it going to revolutionise anything.

[PLuto]

I think it is not that easy...

Primary, we (or they) should put on table main question - what we really want? More manufacturers? More competitors fighting for title? More cars no matter if connected to manufacturer? More TV audience? And it is important they are watching all stages or should be better to show only few important stages, but in a proper way? More spectators on the events? More races over the world? Lot of questions... ...and are you sure that change of format is the most important thing which will help to manage it?

One of the proposed things are remote services. Do you know why it was cancelled and everything moved to the main services? Because teams wanted to build their castles there, where they can invite their partners and journalists and show how cool they are. If there will be remote services and not so much action in main service, even less people will come there. For the easier format, they have introduced tyre fitting zone. For a long time, it is not tyre fitting zone, but also "light remote service", where also mechanics can work on the cars, only with tools inside the car. What will happen if we will change it to regular service? From organisers point of view, you will need really big place for service area, because everybody will need to have service car next to the bay. Also now it is problem to find proper place for TFZ, for remote service it can be even more difficult. And for the teams? Lot of teams is going to the races with big trucks now, they park them in the service and car stays there for the whole rally. And for transport to TFZ, they are renting some combi car or small van (usually you are taking there only lift, holders and sometimes tyres, when you dont believe Pirelli will bring your tyres). But if there will be normal service, you will need regular small truck to bring there all necessary spare parts. And can you imagine transportation of these small trucks between regular service and remote service?

Qualifying stage - competitors wants to have it as it is more fair for fastest drivers. But current format with first cars on the road was helping to make the championship easier for rivals of Loeb, Ogier or now Rovanperä, because without this "help" lot of other drivers should be more far behind. When this promoter came to ERC, they absolutely dont understand importance and sense of Qualifying stage. Almost whole first year they were ignoring it and only step by step they have found how important it is there (ERC is little bit different story that WRC as there are not only championship regulars, but also fast local heroes or guests). But they never understand importance of choosing starting position, how good thing it can be for promotion and for making the story. And FIA is on same now, so start order selection is cancelled...

I am not sure if changing the format can help. You can see examples like Dakar, Le Mans, Tour de France. I think it can work also with current format. On the other hand, there are series (for example rallycross), where they are always trying to change format, but it is not helping, despite how "cool" it is. Before I was watching cross country skiing a lot, but when they have changed format from interval to mass starts, most of the races started to be boring as almost everything has happened only in last few hundred metres.

And we can continue with another topics. But like I wrote on the beginning of my message, important is to answer the question - what we really want?

[Tauri_J]

https://itgetsfasternow.com/2023/11/...for-wrc-event/

Almost agree whit everything he says!

Qualifying stage is bad idea and I think Saturdays itineary will not be doable in todays safety standards.

Otherwise I like his ideas, especially "sprints"

[Tauri_J]

Possible stop sunday cruising is random selection one of the sunday stages to power stage points!

this idea has come up before, makes absolutely zero sense

[bomber21]

We want the sport to become more interesting in order to attract more manufactures.

[bluuford]

In Kenya, after sitting around the bonfire with some beers I had an idea for gravel rallies. Sunday should have at least 3 stages. We continue with normal starting order until the powerstage regroup... Then your position on powerstage can be decided on 1.otion: Reverse order of Sunday results (the fastest during Sunday gets the best positions); 2. Option: As all the drivers are in regroup anyway, they can create a show event where they choose start positions like in ERC. Then it adds a lot of tactic.. if there is no service, you have to make sure you still have good enough tires for Sunday. You have to be sure that when you start later there is no rain expected etc. That should pretty much end Sunday cruising and make a lot of fun just before powerstage and during powerstage as well.