Discussion
Face it, rallying is great but absolutely rubbish as a spectator sport or for TV coverage.
F1 is actual racing (please don't give me the tired cliches about no overtaking etc as anyone who bothered to watch last year will know that's not true).
If there was potentially more viewers for rallying, then networks would push it more and it would have a higher profile, but there's no potential, except for a limited number of extreme petrolheads like ourselves because it just isn't racing and so doesn't suit TV.
F1 is actual racing (please don't give me the tired cliches about no overtaking etc as anyone who bothered to watch last year will know that's not true).
If there was potentially more viewers for rallying, then networks would push it more and it would have a higher profile, but there's no potential, except for a limited number of extreme petrolheads like ourselves because it just isn't racing and so doesn't suit TV.
BT52 said:
Face it, rallying is great but absolutely rubbish as a spectator sport or for TV coverage.
F1 is actual racing (please don't give me the tired cliches about no overtaking etc as anyone who bothered to watch last year will know that's not true).
If there was potentially more viewers for rallying, then networks would push it more and it would have a higher profile, but there's no potential, except for a limited number of extreme petrolheads like ourselves because it just isn't racing and so doesn't suit TV.
My solution - convert F1 tracks to gravel/snow etc., add some jumps, water hazards and the odd wild animal and then let the drivers from each race head to head in the car of their choice
BT52 said:
Face it, rallying is great but absolutely rubbish as a spectator sport or for TV coverage.
F1 is actual racing (please don't give me the tired cliches about no overtaking etc as anyone who bothered to watch last year will know that's not true).
If there was potentially more viewers for rallying, then networks would push it more and it would have a higher profile, but there's no potential, except for a limited number of extreme petrolheads like ourselves because it just isn't racing and so doesn't suit TV.
Hmm, Rally GB (though I still call it the RAC...) is the biggest annual sporting event in Britain in terms of spectators - bigger than Wimbledon. In the days when you could actually get to the stages, crowd figures regularly pushed 2 million for the three days - no, I'm not kidding. Granted, the FIA is doing its best to ruin things, but it's still a great spectacle.
Rubbish as a spectator sport? I'd much rather see the world's best drivers jumping just past my nose on the 1000 Lakes than a GP at, er, anywhere apart from Monaco, Spa or Suzuka.
I'm a circuit racer, so I fully appreciate the machinations of F1, but nothing could ever compete with the old Group B rally cars for the pure buzz of watching the best drivers in the world (no egos, either) fighting to control their cars between the trees on gravel or snow. It's more sanitised now, of course, but I'd still rather go to a rally than a GP.
ITV's coverage doesn't do rallying any favours, though. Eurosport is far, far superior.
To echo what someone said earlier - motogp is the finest circuit racing you'll see. They get sideways, too...
....but I like all forms of motorsport I'd choose Rallying over roundy roundy racing any day.
That said I wouldn't choose WRC as an example of rallying at its best, Dave Richards in his wisdom has created a series that appeal to the few not the masses and the coverage makes it look like only about 10 cars compete.
Clubman level is where all the fun is, watching the less experinced drivers getting their cars completely out of shape (in both senses of the word).
Ta.
That said I wouldn't choose WRC as an example of rallying at its best, Dave Richards in his wisdom has created a series that appeal to the few not the masses and the coverage makes it look like only about 10 cars compete.
Clubman level is where all the fun is, watching the less experinced drivers getting their cars completely out of shape (in both senses of the word).
Ta.
The DJ 27 said:
Sportscar racing whips them all. If I had to choose between F1 and WRC then F1 would get the nod, purely for the noise
intersting comment, at silverstone f1 testig lasst year, the cars sounded great but the traction control spoilt the effect. they sounded like nails in a cement mixer as the ecu tried to cope with the power and the grip. only when the cars are flat out, somewhere like hangar straight do f1 cars sound good.there is nothing like hearing a rally car pop and bang its way through a forest from a mile away then as it gets a longside you, hearing the diff whine and the ground underneath the tyes moving around.
Yup. F1 cars all sound the same, too. I love the high-pitched sound of such as the old Matra sports cars, but F1 cars sound rather like electric motors these days. The beauty of sports car racing is that the cars all sound different, as used to be the case in rallying - you know what's coming because of its sound alone.
Standing in a forest, hearing a Quattro popping and banging for a mile before it reached you, accompanied by that extraordinary 5-cylinder growl, is one of the finest things in my memory. Oh, and the supercharged Lancias. Even these days, the anti-lag systems on rally cars make them sound great.
Standing in a forest, hearing a Quattro popping and banging for a mile before it reached you, accompanied by that extraordinary 5-cylinder growl, is one of the finest things in my memory. Oh, and the supercharged Lancias. Even these days, the anti-lag systems on rally cars make them sound great.
Ahonen said:
The beauty of sports car racing is that the cars all sound different, as used to be the case in rallying - you know what's coming because of its sound alone.
Standing in a forest, hearing a Quattro popping and banging for a mile before it reached you, accompanied by that extraordinary 5-cylinder growl, is one of the finest things in my memory. Oh, and the supercharged Lancias. Even these days, the anti-lag systems on rally cars make them sound great.
Very good point, apart from the F1 cars sounding like electric motors bit. There are only two sounds that make my hair stand on end. A modern F1 car flat out (without traction control because, as Pablo said, it sounds awful) and a McLaren F1 GTR at full chat. I love sportscar racing, becuase of its mix of different shapes, speeds and sounds. Theres just something about F1 though. Don't get me wrong, sportscar racing will always be my favourite. Just a lot of people give F1 a bad wrap, which I feel is undeserved.
they do all sound the same though. The last one to sound different was the McLaren about 3 years ago. What a noise
Rallying is easily the best. You know why...because the top rally boys have to be good at what they do no argument, regardless of car although it is a big part of course. In car footage on a rally alone proves this if you know what your looking at.
F1 all you need is a very, very rich dad or benefactor and hey presto your one of the best racing drivers in the world! Result some highly thought of F1 drivers are actually only very average in the grand scheme of things (quick compared to most racers but not as quick as many others). You buy into rallying as well the difference is you can't buy technique, mental focus or natural talent. The same applies throughout car racing, but not in rallying because the peramiters of skill to technical knowledge are much wider. Thats why I don't fall asleep watching a rally but I do to every F1 event.
Moto GP now thats another true skill at the front sport and why its so good to watch.
F1 all you need is a very, very rich dad or benefactor and hey presto your one of the best racing drivers in the world! Result some highly thought of F1 drivers are actually only very average in the grand scheme of things (quick compared to most racers but not as quick as many others). You buy into rallying as well the difference is you can't buy technique, mental focus or natural talent. The same applies throughout car racing, but not in rallying because the peramiters of skill to technical knowledge are much wider. Thats why I don't fall asleep watching a rally but I do to every F1 event.
Moto GP now thats another true skill at the front sport and why its so good to watch.
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff