2024, BRC, National and Historic discussion

Seeing as the BRC is a series of 'national' events, rather than internationals, then it probably is the right place. Historics, and National events are in decent health, with entries, and interest.
The BRC just can't attract enough competitors.....it seems longer events aren't what many want to do; whereas one day BTRDA events are.

I quite agree - and in a part of the country that isn't overflowing with top level rallying. Weren't they struggling to get mileage when it ran the other year?

In fact, there aren't many events left in the south of England; Rally of Kent, Rallye Sunseeker, Tempest South of England Stages & Somerset Stages either all gone or watered down.

On the NZ front, the 2024 season will kick off with Otago as usual in April, they've locked in the route and released an initial spectator map already: https://otagorally.com/2023/08/29/route-released-f...

Always a fantastic rally.

They a e scared witless and have been since Scotland, I think that is basically the nub of it. Rallying is being allowed to exist without any push as the MSUK are utterly scared of more incident Watch footage or Rallye Legend from this weekend, cars on roads swamped with people, cars drifting onto the edge of stages.

No police, no marshals stopping you breath, just a lots of fans having an immense amount of fun on an event that promotes the best of rallying, access, entertainment and fun, and the thrill of being a few inches away from a car being driven to its limit. Yes it is dangerous, but for some reason events like this can exist in most places in the world, watch the Baja for goodness sake, it makes Portugal 86 look like a pensioners cruise!

I understand the issue, but there is a huge undercurrent of passion for rallying in the UK. And sadly events have led to it becoming very much a sort existing largely away from people.

they dont want to stand in pens, sorry they just dont.

You cannot argue that as a spectator sport rallying has changed immensely in the last 15 years. For me now a sport I rarely watch as a speccy when it was one i watched more. That is the result. Part of that is territory loss, part of it is the sport just dying in most places other than Wales.

For some it is still great and I applaud that, but it has changed immeasurably in recent years, especially in the UK.

Nothing will change going forward, I thought closed roads would bring a huge change but it seems that has stalled a little, it has worked and the rallies doing it seem popular, and well received, but have scores of them surged into the calendar? No, I think Covid did not help, but maybe in 6 years there might be 10 or 15 a year instead of just 4 or 5.

But at the very lowest level it is tough to watch and it never was.

Very disappointing - you have to feel for these organisers. I really don't know what the answer is....

I *think* where one-make series exist in Europe, there is some level of manufacturer/importer interest:

France - Clio Trophy (Rally5) and Stellantis Cup (208Rally4 or Corsa Rally4)
Spain - Clio Trophy (Rally5) and Dacia Sandero Cup (National Homologation)
Belgium- Clio Trophy (Rally5) and Stellantis Cup (208Rally4 or Corsa Rally4)
Italy - Clio Trophy (Rally5), GR Yaris Cup (Nat), Suzuki Cup (Nat equivalent to Rally4) plus series for older cars (Fiat 127, Autobianchi etc)

Whatever the manufacturer support, those cars are current model and all in the lower classes.

If I take a snapshot of a popular GB rally (let's say Jim Clark as it's BRC and Protyre) out of 118 starters there are barely any current-model cars. There are many, many Fiestas (no longer in production), some Polos and Fabias (probably ending production soon), a couple of 208Rally4s and C3 Rally2s.

The equivalent rally in France, Rallye d'Antibes, the vast majority of cars were homologated, and there were 46 current model Clios. The Clio Trophy start-of-year press release is interesting:

https://media.renault.com/clio-trophy-france-aspha...

Fundamentally, rallying in GB is no longer in the public eye, so no big businesses are interested in supporting it.

To be in the public eye, it probably needs to be closer to the public (Snowman and Speyside do this well, as do most closed road rallies) and use more current model cars - which is a challenge because they will not be competitive against lighter, better developed, older models.

In France, Spain, Belgium and Italy, they have been using closed roads for decades. Is it the big difference? Correlation does not mean causation, but I think there's a strong link. Yes, new closed roads rallies are very difficult to start up, but not impossible. The two in Scotland that failed to launch probably could have done a lot better at the early engagement stage, if what I have heard is correct, perhaps the same in Hertfordshire.

But, there is no solution - perhaps MSUK could help by prioritising closed roads and current models, but that would alienate their current customer base.

So, in conclusion, the sport is withering away to ultimately be a niche pastime.

st.

Doesn't apply to 24 but as it's mentioned above, the entry is looking quite healthy. https://www.rallies.info/webentry/2023/southyorksh...

There are a lot of reasons for this as explained above.

Spectators have always been a part of rallying but are now often seen as a hindrance for obvious reasons, but without them, you cannot spread the word. or in some case have extra eyes/help who do not want to wear an orange bib.

The green machine has consigned rallying in some areas to the history books, that is sad, but entirely predictable with councils and local government looking to do yachting to win votes and curry favour with groups and green leaning people. But usually it is costs that prevent events from taking part in traditionally popular areas.

It is already niche in my opinion, there are a few events that remain popular. And certain areas will always remain in the sport I hope. The fatal events in Scotland have a part to play, as does the MSUK dithering reaction post this, again for good reasons regarding insurances and liability etc.

But my points always go to other parts of Europe, where rallying remains relatively popular, usually on closed roads, but not always, there seem to be quite a few rallies even in countries relatively heavily governed like Germany.

I do nto know the answer, all it means is simply that I watch far more rallying of a decent quality from Europe than I do in the UK.

That sounds remarkably low , depending how they define running and prep ? Obviously no entry fee , but service barge(s) , hotels for all , tyres fuel plus all the other spares , and that’s without prep which more like than not near enough a rebuild.