2012 World Rally Championship calendar - going endurance?

[AndyRAC]

It is incredible to think that we should look back on those 'Mickey Mouse' stages so fondly, given that they used to be derided, but it's true — they were excellent. Very amusing on occasion, too — remember the troubles of Pond in '80 and '84, and Bell and Alen in '87?

Amusing..??? Ha ha, not for the drivers...Pondy in the tank of a Rover sliding into a tree, Derek Bell not listening to Mike Nicholson's notes ('oh, Derek...Derek') and Alen rolling slowly in Chatsworth....not forgetting the works Opel Kadetts all 'drowning' in a watersplash......In fact there are so many 'incidents' and lots on LiveTV....or for the highlights shows...

[BDunnell]

Derek Bell not listening to Mike Nicholson's notes ('oh, Derek...Derek')

That was in the forests in '88, wasn't it, when they made it to the finish?

[AndyRAC]

That was in the forests in '88, wasn't it, when they made it to the finish?

You could be right - I just seem to remember him having problems listening to Mike's notes.....(which most Racing drivers do, i;e Kimi)

[Doon]

I remember Chatsworth 1990! Tatton Park is close to me, so i'd love that to come back! It wasn't so long ago that they used them, in 1999 they used Blenheim Place.

[Mintexmemory]

In fact, I don't believe Sutton Park was ever televised live. If my memory serves me correctly, the BBC did not broadcast a Sunday stage live until 1985 at Wollaton Park; in successive years thereafter, they then did so at Cirencester, Weston Park (with the infamously deep ford), Rudding Park and Chatsworth before the live and nightly coverage took a break in 1990. My memory fails me for subsequent RACs, except for Clumber in '93 and '94, the ridiculous Donington rallysprint stage in '95 and Chatsworth in '96 with the tree stump claiming Evans and Head.

You're correct, I shouldn't have connected those two statements in the way I did. Just imagine Weston Park as a Power Stage. I was just getting nostalgic about Sutton, the film and photos from the 80s show crowds 7 or 8 people deep.

[Mintexmemory]

Was the Alton Towers stage there before the theme park?

Well the estate was there before the theme park but I think they only laid on a stage there after the theme park opened.

[J4MIE]

Three weeks from now the East African Safari Classic Rally will be starting in Mombasa.... and goes on for ten days with a rest day halfway through! They do 290km in three stages on the first day (the third stage being 115km) SS7 is 154km

The whole route is about 4,100km of which about 2,000km is competitive I can't quite picture what these distances are as I'm used to the modern WRC events. It will be staggering to see

Route - http://www.eastafricansafarirally.com/2011/EASR-Map.pdf

Of course, it will probably never be a WRC event again but it's slightly starting to go back to tradition.... Jean Todt seems to think a safari type rally would be good to have in the championship.

[MJW]

Three weeks from now the East African Safari Classic Rally will be starting in Mombasa.... and goes on for ten days with a rest day halfway through! They do 290km in three stages on the first day (the third stage being 115km) SS7 is 154km

The whole route is about 4,100km of which about 2,000km is competitive I can't quite picture what these distances are as I'm used to the modern WRC events. It will be staggering to see

Route - http://www.eastafricansafarirally.com/2011/EASR-Map.pdf

Of course, it will probably never be a WRC event again but it's slightly starting to go back to tradition.... Jean Todt seems to think a safari type rally would be good to have in the championship.

Yes, Phil Mills' company Viking Motorsport - Welcome is running two cars on the rally, one for Stig and one for John Lloyd. Heared that a historic wrc is coming next year, run in tandem with the modern events, 3 gravel Portugal, Acropolis and GB plus 3 tarmac, Germany, France and Spain, with two additional rallies (possibly Monte and Finland joining in 2013)

[Rallyper]

Also Björn Waldegård will participate.

[wildboar]

Are there any news about the 2012 Rally Argentina? Are they going to make an "endurance events" as they proposed last year?