[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[Doon]

Chuck me in the loony bin but 1 day of full competition, plus a powerstage, sounds rubbish. It would definately ruin the atmosphere at events, how many people would travel hundreds of miles, even thousands, and spend huge amounts of money to watch one full day of rallying? I'd stay at home and watch the day long local events.

[MJW]

Chuck me in the loony bin but 1 day of full competition, plus a powerstage, sounds rubbish. It would definately ruin the atmosphere at events, how many people would travel hundreds of miles, even thousands, and spend huge amounts of money to watch one full day of rallying? I'd stay at home and watch the day long local events.

How many came to Fafe? And I know for a fact that WRC promoter / Red Bull Media House or whaterver they are were blown away by the success of Fafe rallysprint.

[rallyfiend]

How many came to Fafe? And I know for a fact that WRC promoter / Red Bull Media House or whaterver they are were blown away by the success of Fafe rallysprint.

They attended Fafe last year with Todt, so it's been obviously bubbling away for a while...

[GigiGalliNo1]

But it's taking them forever to understand it!! As we see no positive change has occurred.

I began to follow the WRC in 1999..

Can someone bring back memories of what the difference in the WRC was in. 1999-to-2003 when it was in Better Years? To what people want it now?

[AndyRAC]

How far do you change a sport, just to appease Manufacturers? I'd say they've changed the sport far too much as it is. What they want is World Rally X 'Endurance'.

I now think enough is enough - it's time to tell the Manufacturers to go to RallyX. WRC is not for them.

Do you think if Manufacturers asked the ACO to reduce the hours of Sportscar racing they'd listen? No! They'd be told to go away.....

Rallying seems hell bent on changing for Manufacturers, TV, etc Eventually there'll be nothing left of it. Someone has to make a stand.

[MJW]

Can we keep this in perspective? What I was refering to was an article attributed to a senior empoyee in a manufacturer's competition department who said WRC is too expensive and does not offer the rate of return on investment that the car manufacturer he works for expects. Peugeot had a massive publicity success rate on Pikes Peak 2013, and then Bruno Famin said the whole project cost less than a privateer spends on a wrc programme. In this article on maxrally he also said that rallyx gave them what they wanted. Face it WRC is in a crisis, we are nearing half way through year 2 if VW's guaranteed commitment of a three year programme. What next?

[SubaruNorway]

How many countries broadcast live apart from the local channels and Bt Sport/ESPN UK?

Viasat Sport in Norway had ordered it for the whole season but was later told they couldn't have it, wonder what the reason for that could be...

[Jack4688`]

I don't know about everyone else but there are two big problems with the current WRC TV coverage. Well they're minor really but they reduce my enthusiasm for watching it so much.

1. In-car cameras used to be positioned behind the the driver/co-driver - not only could you see the scenery bearing down on the car but you could see the driver hard at work fighting the controls and the co-driver trying to keep cool whilst being thrown about. What was wrong with that and why do we now have to view through a tiny portion of the windscreen that often gets covered in muck, thereby reducing total visible action?

2. Helicopter shots, helicopter shots and more helicopter shots! Rally cars tearing through open moorland, over Alpine roads or between giant trees looks about 10 times less spectacular when viewed from above with these ruddy heli-cams. All you can really see is the car covering ground rather than the way it takes the crests and puts it's power down out of a hairpin bend. The few times we do see stage-side action - Argentina's power stage for example, due to fog rendering the heli-cam useless - it is so much more spectacular, mainly because you get a proper sense of the speed the cars travel at.

So when promotors/team bosses/FIA talk about getting fans interested in Rallying again and only talking b*ll*cks about 'new media', more live coverage etc I just shout at my computer screen because they're missing the point. The product isn't failing, it's the boring way most of it is broadcast. Just think how boring RX, F1, Moto GP etc would become if around 70% of the event was shown from a helicopter. Or depending on your opinion on those sports, how much more boring it would become

[Doon]

How many came to Fafe? And I know for a fact that WRC promoter / Red Bull Media House or whaterver they are were blown away by the success of Fafe rallysprint.

Fair point but that is one stage in one country, and its a kind of mass protest to take the rally back to the north.....where it was when WRC was popular. I think the idea of a powerstage day is good, using one stage, but there need to be at least 2 full days before, otherwise the sport is rallysprinting, not rallying.

[Doon]

But it's taking them forever to understand it!! As we see no positive change has occurred.

I began to follow the WRC in 1999..

Can someone bring back memories of what the difference in the WRC was in. 1999-to-2003 when it was in Better Years? To what people want it now?

There wasnt one guy totally dominating, that is the problem. Even when Makinen won 4 on the trot he didnt look invincible......Loeb was and now Ogier is, and he may win for the next 6 or 7 years.