What would YOU do to change rallying?
Discussion
A good question, and one with no easy answer.
I would say firstly, sort out the TV coverage. Get the rally programmes on mainstream channels, get presenters with a bit of charisma (like STeve Rider used when he commentated back in the 80's and 90's), stop relying on incar footage so much. The fondest memories of rallying are always of cars going round corners (and down straights) at impossible angles. You dont get that with in car footage, in car footage is just cheap and lazy.
Next, make the events a challenge again. 16 stages spread over 3 days and using only 4 different forest tracks is not a challenge. Make events 30 stages long, and spread them further afield to give more spectators a chance to see the action.
Dont change the drivers. Sure, Loeb has dominated the sport for the last 10 years but you cant blame HIM for that. Its up to the others to up their games and start to challenge the guy.
The cars, this for me is the crux of the whole problem.
They need to be something that the fans can identify with, but with todays economic climate and the cost of fuel we cannot go back to the homologation specials like the Escort Cosworth etc. The rally cars need to do away with the spoilers, the arches and front air dams, that way they will look more like the car in the showrooms and maybe just maybe convince fans to buy them again.
Technology wise, i have already said do away with the spoilers and the mad wheel arches.
Get rid of the electronic aids and the bolt-in 4WD running gear. 2WD only either front or rear.
Mechanical diffs and gearboxes only.
Control suspension and tyres, leading to less grip (encourage sliding)
Encourage different engine choices with similar power levels i.e 1.6L turbo petrol, or 2.5L TDi, or Hybrid
Its not a definitive list of alterations, but for me it seems like a start
I would say firstly, sort out the TV coverage. Get the rally programmes on mainstream channels, get presenters with a bit of charisma (like STeve Rider used when he commentated back in the 80's and 90's), stop relying on incar footage so much. The fondest memories of rallying are always of cars going round corners (and down straights) at impossible angles. You dont get that with in car footage, in car footage is just cheap and lazy.
Next, make the events a challenge again. 16 stages spread over 3 days and using only 4 different forest tracks is not a challenge. Make events 30 stages long, and spread them further afield to give more spectators a chance to see the action.
Dont change the drivers. Sure, Loeb has dominated the sport for the last 10 years but you cant blame HIM for that. Its up to the others to up their games and start to challenge the guy.
The cars, this for me is the crux of the whole problem.
They need to be something that the fans can identify with, but with todays economic climate and the cost of fuel we cannot go back to the homologation specials like the Escort Cosworth etc. The rally cars need to do away with the spoilers, the arches and front air dams, that way they will look more like the car in the showrooms and maybe just maybe convince fans to buy them again.
Technology wise, i have already said do away with the spoilers and the mad wheel arches.
Get rid of the electronic aids and the bolt-in 4WD running gear. 2WD only either front or rear.
Mechanical diffs and gearboxes only.
Control suspension and tyres, leading to less grip (encourage sliding)
Encourage different engine choices with similar power levels i.e 1.6L turbo petrol, or 2.5L TDi, or Hybrid
Its not a definitive list of alterations, but for me it seems like a start
ArnageWRC said:
Add in the Hyundai news, plus on Friday should see RedBull announced as the WRC Promoter. Things are looking up......
...at long last!!
Hyundai WRC Car...at long last!!
T'is very tasy...
The article in MN is interesting through, as it indicates how close things are to falling apart, and if the Red Bull deal isn't annouced on Friday, there will be big problems. Have to assume it's true and not over dramatic.
sanf said:
Hyundai WRC Car
T'is very tasy...
The article in MN is interesting through, as it indicates how close things are to falling apart, and if the Red Bull deal isn't annouced on Friday, there will be big problems. Have to assume it's true and not over dramatic.
I hate to imagine what might happen if it all falls through. Especially, after reading MNews, and a senior member of a team saying they could walk away. Surely the FiA aren't going to 'balls it up'?T'is very tasy...
The article in MN is interesting through, as it indicates how close things are to falling apart, and if the Red Bull deal isn't annouced on Friday, there will be big problems. Have to assume it's true and not over dramatic.
Make each rally "The Tour of <insert country>". So say 3 - 5 days long, and taking in as many of the major population centres as possible. Add in proper TV stages that take at least 1/2 an hour to drive. And in the country it's in there should be a 1/2 hour program each night detailing the rally news of the day.
Don't normaly get invloved with these sorts of thread but people calling for 4wd to be banned what planet are you own sure they may be more exciting to watch but to ban 4wd in the top class wrc would mean s2000 cars, ex wrc even group n cars would be quicker than the wrc car. So your new 2wd wrc cars would be slower than the the old 4wd cars yea that would really work.
Main thing for me is not the cars a bit more power yes around 400-450 bhp would be better not the drivers but the lack of manafctures/ teams no variation in car just ford and citroen with mini racing occasionaly if there were different makes of car but not manafacture teams i wouldn't mind but just seeing ford and citroen is dull.
2nd is the events no variaty all basicly the same distance over 3 days and repeat stages so bring back the likes of the safari rally, rally gb not rally wales etc.
3rd point and the main point is coverage motors tv is ok but just concentrates on the top 5 cars there is 50+ other car on most occasions to show so why not show them.
The cars are not the problem just the people running it hopefully with red bull to become the main sponser and new manafactures looking likly it could become good again but if it fails to happen then can't see it lasting to long.
Don't forget it's not just rallying in problems touring cars, club racing and rallycross to name a few are struggling and with higher entry fees increased fuel cost, it's going to go one way and it's not going to become cheaper the sector that looks good is gt racing.
Main thing for me is not the cars a bit more power yes around 400-450 bhp would be better not the drivers but the lack of manafctures/ teams no variation in car just ford and citroen with mini racing occasionaly if there were different makes of car but not manafacture teams i wouldn't mind but just seeing ford and citroen is dull.
2nd is the events no variaty all basicly the same distance over 3 days and repeat stages so bring back the likes of the safari rally, rally gb not rally wales etc.
3rd point and the main point is coverage motors tv is ok but just concentrates on the top 5 cars there is 50+ other car on most occasions to show so why not show them.
The cars are not the problem just the people running it hopefully with red bull to become the main sponser and new manafactures looking likly it could become good again but if it fails to happen then can't see it lasting to long.
Don't forget it's not just rallying in problems touring cars, club racing and rallycross to name a few are struggling and with higher entry fees increased fuel cost, it's going to go one way and it's not going to become cheaper the sector that looks good is gt racing.
Much as I love Rallying I really am stuck for ideas on how to change it given it's current unpopularity.I think possibly more people may be interested if cars such as the 911 and Evora that compete in the French championship were allowed in the WRC in a sports/supercar class.
Does any one remember that Aston that was rallied a few years ago,stuff that sounds great and looks good.
Having said that given the amount of spectators and competitors killed in Europe this year I believe the future may be bleak.
Does any one remember that Aston that was rallied a few years ago,stuff that sounds great and looks good.
Having said that given the amount of spectators and competitors killed in Europe this year I believe the future may be bleak.
E-B said:
Reardy Mister said:
Is that like Britcar, for Rallying?
Sorry Reardy, not quite following you there. Is there something unsusual about Britcar?Which means a cobbled together Panoz can mix it with a spanking Mosler, theoretically.
Edited by Reardy Mister on Wednesday 26th September 22:22
I'd cut it down to a 8 rally season and extend the rally to, at least, 4 days. Maybe 10 rallies, but no more. Or 10, but only the best 8 results count towards the title. I just think it'd be less expensive for factory and private entrants. I'd like to think it would encourage more competitors to join. 13 is way too much for a series that is going through a trough in popularity, 13 is a lot for when it's popular. I've had the impression it's been a wannabe F1 series for a decade or so. As a series, being a wannabe F1 is too much to ask from itself. It would still be a meaningful series.
There are a number of posts calling for more or longer stages to improve the sport. Unfortunately I feel that rallying will never return to heights of the 80s (I used to rush home from school to see BBC coverage during the Lombard RAC Rally 
) The main reason for this is increasing pressure on avaliable land and decreasing 'acreage' avaliable to use. I am feeling and seeing the same pressure at a grass roots level just organising local off road club competitions. This year alone I have seen about a 40% increase in land costs. A 'proper' sponsor for WRC, like Red Bull, could help in that regard, we still cannot escape the fact that this cost increase is a 'market force' being driven by the reduction in avaliable land/sites/venues to use.
Just my 4x4 clubman perspective.
) The main reason for this is increasing pressure on avaliable land and decreasing 'acreage' avaliable to use. I am feeling and seeing the same pressure at a grass roots level just organising local off road club competitions. This year alone I have seen about a 40% increase in land costs. A 'proper' sponsor for WRC, like Red Bull, could help in that regard, we still cannot escape the fact that this cost increase is a 'market force' being driven by the reduction in avaliable land/sites/venues to use. Just my 4x4 clubman perspective.
FiF said:
Pwig said:
FiF Pre-plot events are very big in Wales still.
Derbyshire have a few too, infact usually where's there pre-plot rather than plot and bash there is a rather large following for Road Rallying ..
Yeah but pre-plot Targa timing Muttering Nudes style road races?Derbyshire have a few too, infact usually where's there pre-plot rather than plot and bash there is a rather large following for Road Rallying ..
-not far off if you find the right events, it's all in the timing 
Reardy Mister said:
Well I was under the impression that Britcar was essentially open season, as long as the power:weight ratio fits a certain formula(?)
Which means a cobbled together Panoz can mix it with a spanking Mosler, theoretically.
Sounds feasable. cheers for clearing that up for me.Which means a cobbled together Panoz can mix it with a spanking Mosler, theoretically.
Edited by Reardy Mister on Wednesday 26th September 22:22
andyb66 said:
There are a number of posts calling for more or longer stages to improve the sport. Unfortunately I feel that rallying will never return to heights of the 80s (I used to rush home from school to see BBC coverage during the Lombard RAC Rally ) The main reason for this is increasing pressure on avaliable land and decreasing 'acreage' avaliable to use.
I get your point but if Rally GB went back to something like the RAC, it could still include lots of stages across Britian, rather than simply stay in Wales. They dont need to be the long (and sadly missing ) stages of yore. Personally I miss the short spectator stages, I spectated at Silverstone one year and Blenheim Palace another. ) The main reason for this is increasing pressure on avaliable land and decreasing 'acreage' avaliable to use.Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff