Rally Discussion and Bar Talk Thread

[wyler]

With Rally Finland now behind us, time to discuss an issue that is irredeemably changing our sport.

Ouninpohja, the only stage on the final day, accounted for 10 of 35 available points - 23km of road accounted for 28.5% of Kalle Rovanpera's total haul of points!!!

Changes to our sport are inevitable. But are we going too far?? Jonne Haltunen praised this move, but I felt a bit sad that we are losing some of rallying's enduring charm. As a fan with rally memory from the late 70s, I try not to let nostalgia cloud modern-day realities. The increasing drive towards narrower and narrower formats, though, feels wrong. Subjective word there, but there must be many who feel the same.

still, 2 runs there were nearly more km than an average sunday...

[trykmann]

still, 2 runs there were nearly more km than an average sunday...

The drivers were mostly happy with the stage and format, but the TV coverage was quite boring. We mostly saw only one junction and all the hype went around that. This stage had the legendary yellow house jump, but this wasn't shown at all.

[EstWRC]

It was showed but in the replay

Watching the YouTube professional videos I always wonder how come official broadcast guys don’t go to amazing places like them

[PLuto]

For a long time I dont like Sundays as it is very short for me. Of course it is mainly because they want to end the rally in midday...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The SS & PS points to prevent cruising make sense, but they should make the mileage longer.

And all the hype over the Ouninpohja stage being run twice on the Sunday.... and the only changes of place in the Overall standings were due to punctures, not time gains through driving.

[denkimi]

Sunday gives way too many points. Supersunday should give 7 points, and the powerstage 3.

[WRCStan]

The SS & PS points to prevent cruising make sense, but they should make the mileage longer.

And all the hype over the Ouninpohja stage being run twice on the Sunday.... and the only changes of place in the Overall standings were due to punctures, not time gains through driving.

That you generally can't gain places on Sunday, only lose them, is precisely why they don't need more mileage on Sunday. Drivers have found their speed and classification by then. If some rallies were twice the distance you'd be waiting for fails, not anybody finding speed.

I get the nostalgia, it suits the times but I'm not sure what endurance is necessary for these days. It served a purpose in the 70s because manufacts were using what they sold, and driving was an art not a chore.

[KiwiWRCfan]

Interested in others thoughts.
How tactical will final day of Rally Paraguay be ? Will one of the top 4 drivers in championship contention be willing to sacrifice a few points in Paraguay to gain better road position at Rally Chile ?
Chile will be an every point matters round as after the gravel of Chile comes 2 asphalt rounds.

[saco0o]

'hot wheels' R5s?
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNdeN8QuDF5/

[Jarek Z]

Mathieu Baumel, former co-driver of Nasser Al Attiyah and Bryan Bouffier, is planning his comeback in an offroad rally seven months after leg amputation:
https://dirtfish.com/off-road/dakar/...lEzhgidhs0kJoQ