[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[kirungi okwogera]

Wow, that's the worst idea I've heard in my life and betrays a very telling lack of understanding of what rally and indeed endurance motorsport is. People talk about the glory years of rally in the past - what was different, structurally, with the rallies then? Nothing (well, they were longer and even less accessible to a global audience).

Jan, I'm a media goon and I would never get behind such nonsense. These are advertising morons' fingerprints. People who look at everything as "markets" and "target audiences" and not people and events and passion. From a media perspective, when you have competition that is well presented in a clear, understandable way, in media that reaches as many people as possible, you have done your job. The appeal comes from seeing the amazing driving, landscapes, competition, endurance through adverse conditions, etc.

They don't do this to other motorsports with nearly century-long history. Tech regs and calendars are one thing. This ruins the nature of the competition. If you want a one day rally, or a one-stage rally, create your own competition. You could even run it alongside the "real" events... but then that's just a Power Stage though. If you must have "drama", the Power Stage concept is the best way to bring "drama" to the end of a multi-day rally if the result is otherwise pretty settled.

Just as an example of how incredibly stupid this system would be... Rally NZ 2010, one of the most dramatic rallies in recent years - you had 3+ guys fighting for the win on the last stage, 30km Whaanga Coast. If these idiots had their way back then, only 2 could fight for the win right? It would actually DECREASE the real drama and possibilities of the final stage in these kinds of situations, which are incidentally the moments everybody loves most about rally.

[Doon]

Death of the WRC.

Who actually thinks that a final day shoot out will attract more fans? That is mental talk.

We, the FIA, the teams and the promoter need to face facts. The WRC is not a popular sport and NEVER will be. Lets make do with what we have, excite the minority to the point of wetting their pants, occasionally impress the masses, and give the car makes a platform to sell some cars.

The main thing is, we, the WRC etc etc cannot sell out. If anything we need to go back to basics, where people can buy showroom cars and race them on roads they are never supposed to see. That is more romantic and enticing to a casual spectator than a sport that has adapted to modern society's needs.

Personally, I've never been to a final stage just because a driver is in a battle. I go to every stage thinking 'I can't wait to see these cars flat out'. This is what they need to sell

[Rallyper]

Or try to persuade Bernie to stop the Formula 1 race before the last lap and then do the last lap fastest and you win???!!!! How´s that?

Any thinking man worth the word would´nt for his life come up to a such stupid idea. WRC should start believe in themself. And not listen to stupid teambosses.

[ToughMac]

There was nothing wrong with rally back i the 80's and 90's, spectacular cars with spectacular drivers who even had personalities! Methinks a certain Frenchman followed by another is making the sport unpalatable to the media circus - hard to market so to speak. Also to note why are these problems only with the WRC? The ERC seems to be doing just fine and if you look at some domestic championships they are as popular now as they ever were. Somebody in the FIA needs a kick up the backside......

[Doon]

There was nothing wrong with rally back i the 80's and 90's, spectacular cars with spectacular drivers who even had personalities! Methinks a certain Frenchman followed by another is making the sport unpalatable to the media circus - hard to market so to speak. Also to note why are these problems only with the WRC? The ERC seems to be doing just fine and if you look at some domestic championships they are as popular now as they ever were. Somebody in the FIA needs a kick up the backside......

I wouldn't say the ERC is doing fine, the last event attracted 32 entries. The quality of drivers in that championship is poor and there are 2 manufacturers. However, unlike the WRC, the outcome of events is not that predictable.

[focus206]

Just ridicolous, it sounds like a joke the fact they're actually proposing that It would be just an enormous farce, absolutely pathetic

[Mirek]

Just ridicolous, it sounds like a joke the fact they're actually proposing that It would be just an enormous farce, absolutely pathetic

+1

[nafpaktos]

Eurosport will be benefited if this happen because it will keep the rallies as we all know.the problem will not be for rallies but for wrc,i really dont care.if they want to destroy wrc i will follow the erc on maybe a new global rally championsip,i will not stop love this sport because of some as&&&@&@&es.

[makinen_fan]

http://www.maxrally.com/2014/05/01/i...f-jordan-rally

[pantealex]

http://www.maxrally.com/2014/05/01/i...f-jordan-rally

probably non starter for Argentina also.