The 2015 Rallying Thread

The 2015 Rallying Thread

Author
Discussion

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Saturday 14th March 2015
quotequote all
Oh dear, not good. And while it might be another country, you can't help feel its yet another black mark against the sport.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Tuesday 17th March 2015
quotequote all
It seems as if the MSA are tying themselves and their customers in knots trying to make spectators safe. Have they overreacted? Overall, rallying has a pretty good safety record, but 2 fatal accidents in the last 2 years have suddenly made it dangerous. Something doesn't add up. I still think there is something we're not being told.

I understand the thinking behind the new 'rule' but I'm not sure about it. I've been on plenty of events were I've chosen to move after either the 1400's or the Historics. 120-150 odd cars in one go is an awful lot. Have they really thought this through?
The 1400's, Rally 1st and Historics will be delighted to be running low down.......Not.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Wednesday 18th March 2015
quotequote all
If you want any entertainment on this subject, just go the the British Rally forum; there's about 50 pages of discussion of spectator safety/ new seeding rules........

It does seem as if the FC are driving this, and the MSA have to act... As I've already said, I think the FC are being unreasonable; one of the tragic accidents, on the Jim Clark, wasn't even FC land.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Thursday 26th March 2015
quotequote all
Nah, the current WRC is miles better than that era...........the cars, drivers, events......... Lol

You only have to look at this thread; up to page 14; now compare to the BTCC thread - over 33 pages and the season hasn't even started. The current WRC doesn't capture the interest of average motorsport fan. Harsh, but fair.....Seb 1 dominating followed by Seb 2 doesn't help either.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Friday 27th March 2015
quotequote all
Steve Perez is a proper enthusiatic supporter of UK rallying; wish there were more like him.

Anyway, tomorrow is the Rally of North Wales, should be a good event, and with typical Welsh weather.....

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Friday 3rd April 2015
quotequote all
http://www.circuitofireland.net

Motorsport at Easter means one thing. The Circuit of Ireland; okay so it's not the once mega event it was, but what rally is? A decent entry, even Idris Elba is entered, doing a documentry for Discovery channel.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
quotequote all

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Saturday 16th May 2015
quotequote all
Great roads, great stages! Drop Rally Australia and put NZ in. Just do it. NZ maybe a small car market, so what? So is Finland.... Stop the excuses and put the best event back in the WRC.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Sunday 7th June 2015
quotequote all
Portugal have good reason for strong spectator control - and as you say, it seems as if this will become the norm. If so, organisers have to provide good 'viewing areas' - otherwise, there's no point in going.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Sunday 21st June 2015
quotequote all
confucuis said:
http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc-2/news/2015/june/new-sub...
WRC 2 version of the WRX STI coming out! Privateer programme though much like the gt3 Porsche.
Will be a decent car for clubman in a national series, but taking on R5 cars in WRC2? Forget it. They're flogging a dead horse. The GpN cars are past it at WRC level. They'd be better trying to turn the Nissan 370Z into a R-GT car to take on the 911 R-GT.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
Ireland deserve a WRC round, but please hold it in a better part of the year. 2007 it was in November, and 2009 it was the season opener in January - and both times in cold, wet weather.

And yes we do need another Tarmac round in Europe; do we really need another dry, dusty gravel event? Not really.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Thry need to cut Meeke some slack; he's pushing a car that isn't up to it; and a team with their eye elsewere. Their testing programme isn't as thorough as it could be - missing a pre event test for Poland.
They also need to move on; Loeb is not the future. Either commit fully to the WRC, or walk away to the borefest that is the WTCC.

Yves Matton could do with having a word with Audi's Dr Wolfgang Ulrich on how to run a team, and man management; as he has a lot to learn.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Wednesday 15th July 2015
quotequote all
Allyc85 said:
VW on the other hand back their drivers, no matter how many crashes they have..

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119997
Remarkable, isn't it? JML has consistently crashed, yet manages to keep his drives; all with the possibility that he'll get it all together and consistently challenge Ogier. Ain't going to happen. If he wasn't managed by Joukhi, he'd be doing something else.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Tuesday 28th July 2015
quotequote all
I saw a comment about Tommi being an excellent tester, and had a wry laugh. As you say, it was Lasse Lampi who did all his work. I still think Toyota or, more likely Akio Toyoda have made a mistake giving it to Tommi’s team. TMG in Cologne are more than capable of running the programme. Don’t think we’ve been told why this decision has been made.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Tuesday 28th July 2015
quotequote all
You’ve raised a good point. Depending on the organisers you are free to roam, providing it’s sensibly. Problem, as some of the above posters have made; travelling from afar only to find out you’re stuck in the same place all day.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
quotequote all
Think the advice for spectators is to stand well back. There maybe a few cars flying off the road.....

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Friday 31st July 2015
quotequote all
Well, with no midday service, that's just decimated the field. I understand the Endurance aspect, but having no service means you can have a minor problem but have to carry on with it. Meeke has a driveshaft problem, meaning he's got 3WD for the rest of the day. Game over for a podium.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Wednesday 5th August 2015
quotequote all
Seems good news, I suppose. One question; are they actively seeking out a commercial sponsor? Or can't they attract one? Do they want to attract one? Have we seen the last of Kielder, Dalby, Scotland in the WRC?? I fear we have.

Putting my cycling hat on, the Tour of Britain knows it can't cover the whole of the country in a week, so makes sure it visits as much over 2-3-4 years; which gives everyone a chance to see the event. That is what RallyGB should be doing. I'm not sure there is the will.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Friday 7th August 2015
quotequote all
Hmm, I'm not impressed by Matton's man management. 3 events? What will that prove? Face it, the car isn't up to it, and as a result Kris pushes far too hard to remain 'best of the rest'. What good is staying on the road and finishing 5,6,7th place? It's all about wins & podiums.

Alex Langheck

Original Poster:

835 posts

130 months

Friday 7th August 2015
quotequote all
The Makinen story I find surreal. There is something we are not being told ( and WRC journalists aren't known for being hard hitting, so we won't find out the truth for a while).
What has changed from TMG in Cologne building and testing the Yaris for the past year - to Akio Toyoda deciding that TMR based in Finland will do a better job? A team, who have achieved very little at world level, and don't even have a WRC level base from were the cars will be built.

I did laugh at a comment in another forum were somebody reckoned Tommi persuaded Akio over a few vodkas & a sauna; it looks like a jolly for Tommi and his mates. Needless to say, the Finnish forum members were not impressed.

But, why would you spend money building a new base when you have the massive facility in Cologne?