WRC calendar 2010 and beyond...

[MikeD]

I think it's important that the calendar is balanced between - on one side the sporting and historical interest - and on the other side the marketing value for the manufactures.

I personally don't think that the historic events should be kept in the calendar every year. This sport desperately needs to reach more countries, so I am all for 24 different events over 2 years. But if 4 permanent events should be considered (Tour de Corse, Monte, 1000 Lakes and Rally GB) then I think the calendar should be expanded to 14 rounds per year. 12 rounds are too few for my liking!

Regarding the marketing values, then I cannot understand why China isn't on the list, since all manufacturers are asking for it. While I think FIA clearly is on the right path with their new way of thinking, then they still need to have a little better understanding of the marketing values in this sport - otherwise new manufactueres won't enter WRC.

[DonJippo]

Regarding the marketing values, then I cannot understand why China isn't on the list, since all manufacturers are asking for it.

The list on the first post is what manufactures currently in WRC have asked, it's not something created solely by FIA.

[JAM]

Permanent events is not fair to the others. But if we have permanent events on the calendar, then i agree with Monte Carlo, GB and Finland. Why Spain? And Germany? And Japan with few WRC cars every years? And Italy? in Sardinia???

Monte Carlo, GB and Finland have something unic, the others don't.

Norway deserves a place on WRC, as Ireland with his unic roads.

[Tomi]

Permanent events is not fair to the others.

Why is that? And who others do you mean?

[cosmicpanda]

Why is that? And who others do you mean?

I believe he means the other rallies that are not permanently on the calendar.

And this would be, I think, because they don't get to run each year, which is disruptive to the entire event in general.

[Tomi]

I believe he means the other rallies that are not permanently on the calendar.

And this would be, I think, because they don't get to run each year, which is disruptive to the entire event in general.

all permanent calender would be offcourse better, but some countries dont want or dont have economical resourses to run the rally every year.
I would throw out all the events that dont attract spectators, japan, jordan would be the first to go on my list also corsica.

[Saabaru]

Monte Carlo, GB and Finland have something unic, the others don't.

Norway deserves a place on WRC, as Ireland with his unic roads.

The only thing unic about GB is that it's a mud bath and the amount of fans that show up every year. If I'm not mistaken mud is one of the reasons they used to stop running the rally of Portugal in 2003. GB shouled be a permanent event because of the fans but it should be held on tarmac.

Norway is to new to push aside older events, as is Ireland and it's to close to GB to have two permanent events. They need to spred the regular events around using traditional rally's.

[cosmicpanda]

The only thing unic about GB is that it's a mud bath and the amount of fans that show up every year. If I'm not mistaken mud is one of the reasons they used to stop running the rally of Portugal in 2003. GB shouled be a permanent event because of the fans but it should be held on tarmac.

You have an interesting point of view. Do you not think that the historical background to the event, classic stages and fog (in addition to rain) add to the uniqueness of Rally GB? Also they were only the second event last year to have proper night stages.

If it were run on tarmac it would lose its character and become rather similar to Ireland, I think. I like GB the way it is.

[AndyRAC]

Occasionally there used to be snow and ice on the old RAC Rally, since it moved to South Wales there hasn't been any. Plus the lack of 'Killer Kielder' - none of the current drivers will have driven there in the WRC. They don't know what they're missing.
I have a feeling that the Monte may well not come back to the WRC unless the restrictions are lifted. Next year they have an interesting route which isn't 'WRC - suitable'. What will happen next? A WRC without the Monte? NASCAR without Daytona, F1 without Monaco - just doesn't happen, but in Rallying it does.

[cosmicpanda]

I have a feeling that the Monte may well not come back to the WRC unless the restrictions are lifted. Next year they have an interesting route which isn't 'WRC - suitable'. What will happen next? A WRC without the Monte? NASCAR without Daytona, F1 without Monaco - just doesn't happen, but in Rallying it does.

I think that the FIA would allow the route in 2010, since by then they're supposed to have more flexible rules. They might ask the Monte organisers to make it a bit longer.

Martin Holmes in GPWEEK, incidentally, has an interesting editorial discussing the need for rallies like Safari and Monte.

I would throw out all the events that dont attract spectators, japan, jordan would be the first to go on my list also corsica.

But the TV audience is much bigger than the spectating audience, and the variety that these countries add is good on TV. Admittedly the TV coverage is often bad and doesn't always include the interesting aspects of the rally we hear about in the live coverage - for example in the 2006 Rally of Turkey there was a thick covering of hail on a stage that Atko said was incredible, but we didn't get to see it.