2023 rallying thread (WRC, ERC, national and historics)

2023 rallying thread (WRC, ERC, national and historics)

Author
Discussion

Slippydiff

15,114 posts

229 months

Friday 20th January 2023
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thepawbroon said:
I think Elfyn cut his teeth in BTRDA and Welsh forest rallies in a Micra....

Anyway, what I read into the "darkness" comments was more about the weather, specifically the temperature dropping at night and damp patches forming ice after the route note crews had been through.

It is a shame this Monte is a bit more benign than usual, due to lack of snow. But we have the prospect of an Evans and Tanak fight back now.

D
I’d be amazed if Elfyn hadn’t done some night rallies around the Welsh lanes, but you might be right, his rise to the WRC may have been slightly less grassroots.



Edited by Slippydiff on Monday 23 January 16:29

greeny12

Original Poster:

312 posts

225 months

Friday 20th January 2023
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Weather - or lack of it - is doing this event no favours. It's just so samey. Feels like you could interchange any of today's stages and not notice the difference.

Shame.

Oneball

865 posts

93 months

Saturday 21st January 2023
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No one seems to like the Hyundai except Neuville, no change there then!

ArnageWRC

2,154 posts

165 months

Saturday 21st January 2023
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greeny12 said:
Weather - or lack of it - is doing this event no favours. It's just so samey. Feels like you could interchange any of today's stages and not notice the difference.

Shame.
I don't think it helps that they don't use a larger geographical area, as they did in years past.

I'm reminded of 2011, when it was quite a dry event, apart from the 2nd afternoon when snow was a possibility; Delecour had been telling everyone it would snow a few days before. He was right, and the event was turned upside down......something we don't see very often in recent Montes.

Slippydiff

15,114 posts

229 months

Saturday 21st January 2023
quotequote all
ArnageWRC said:
Idon't think it helps that they don't use a larger geographical area, as they did in years past.

I'm reminded of 2011, when it was quite a dry event, apart from the 2nd afternoon when snow was a possibility; Delecour had been telling everyone it would snow a few days before. He was right, and the event was turned upside down......something we don't see very often in recent Montes.
Agreed. It’s pretty tedious seeing the same stages used 2,3 and this year, 4 times.

If they used stages further afield from Monaco there’d be a much better chance of some of them being properly icy or snow covered.
As JP says, the lack of a lunchtime service halt means there’s no opportunity to try differing suspension/diff/geo set ups (well they could, but if they get it wrong, the day becomes nothing more than a damage limitation exercise) and having to make tyre choices several days before an event like the Monte is, quite frankly ridiculous.




ArnageWRC

2,154 posts

165 months

Saturday 21st January 2023
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I'm afraid tedious is the word - and one wishes it wasn't. It's the same old format event after event, year after year......there's little variation. Drivers have years worth of pace notes of the same stages, which may have slight changes over the years.

It all needs a massive shake up.....doing the same thing isn't bringing anything new to the sport. It's just stagnating....and in truth being left behind by other series.

LukeBrown66

4,479 posts

52 months

Saturday 21st January 2023
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It is just a profit scheme for Red Bull, they personally sponsor the leading drivers, and often cars, pretty much have since they got involved, they tie the footage up behind paywalls so the loyal few thousands who are dumb enough to pay for it keep them able to cover it and maybe make a small profit, while ripping its heart out entirely for their free Red Bull channels.

the drivers are amazing, the stages are sometimes amazing, and the cars deserve more. As do the teams. They must get something out of it, not sure what, but enough to warrant being there. And fans live get the teat at times of seeing that.

I have said for a long time it needs root and branch overhaul, longer events over more days, more night driving, more tough conditions, none of this get back in of you retire and can stills score points nonsense.

costs can be reduced by going to R5 or as I would have it an R5+, maybe that has hybrid, but a simple package that doesn't cost the earth. price capped as R5 is. less rallies, more stage mileage, newer stages every rally if possible, no in car video recording as right now crews literally sit there and record and wtriet notes to videos, that is why they take the risks they do and the cuts etc, that is not rallying really.


epom

12,237 posts

167 months

Saturday 21st January 2023
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This batch of WRC cars are as bonkers as anything that has gone before. Incredible.

Active75

245 posts

170 months

Saturday 21st January 2023
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I'm one paying for the coverage, and I am enjoying it even though its the same stages over and over. They still change with the time of day and the bit of overconfidence that results in place swapping, then plans on how and where they might regain the time.
It still seems quite close between the top 5. Sunday could be fun watching. Could be. I hope so.

confucuis

1,307 posts

130 months

Sunday 22nd January 2023
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I'm paying for the app and enjoying the coverage as well!

Really love this generation of cars, by far the most impressive era ever to me. The only down side is the cost and lack of manufacturers, that's the only reason I'd be interested in a R5+ class, to ensure Skoda, Citroen, Msport, Hyunda, Toyota.


Only 16 seconds between Rovanpera and Ogier now after Rovanpera took 10 seconds out of him on the last stage. Still might be too much but with 60 odd KM to go, it's gonna spice things up! Pity Evans lost 43 seconds with a puncture, he'd be right in there with a chance for victory.


fttm

3,833 posts

141 months

Sunday 22nd January 2023
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Roll on 2 weeks time , Galway .getmecoat

confucuis

1,307 posts

130 months

Sunday 22nd January 2023
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fttm said:
Roll on 2 weeks time , Galway .getmecoat
Yup, I'll be marshalling I'd say, Probably the toughest tarmac rally in Europe with how mucky it gets!

Trying to work out the stages from the road closing orders, I find it a fun challenge! 160 entries received, they will be live streaming the service area and broadcasting live on the stages with a highlights programme released online during the week after the event rather than on TV a few weeks later. This is being trailed for the entire tarmac championship.

Tom1312

1,033 posts

152 months

Sunday 22nd January 2023
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Some poor pictures of some of the more unusual cars from Brands yesterday.

The 308 sounded otherworldly compared to the usual suspects.

Great way to spend a day though.

Generally easy/good viewing.

Sadly the stage layout made viewing the dirty bits quite hard though.

Also, shout out to the loudest and fastest 1.4 Micra I've ever seen...


ArnageWRC

2,154 posts

165 months

Sunday 22nd January 2023
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I like that Porsche 911 in the RSR works colours.....

Tom1312

1,033 posts

152 months

Sunday 22nd January 2023
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It looked and sounded absolutely fantastic.

That and the 308 were amazing to see going round (even if they weren't going 10/10!).

confucuis

1,307 posts

130 months

Sunday 22nd January 2023
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https://www.wrc.com/en/news/2023/wrc2/breaking-gry...

Gryazin has been handed 5 second penalty and lost the win, Rossel wins WRC2!

That 308 is gorgeous, what is the variety of cars like in those circuit rally events? Over here it just seems to be mk2's and Civics now!

ArnageWRC

2,154 posts

165 months

Sunday 22nd January 2023
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5 sec penalty for cutting a corner.....It's rallying.....utterly ridiculous....So a Frenchman in a Citroen takes the win.....Hmm....

LukeBrown66

4,479 posts

52 months

Wednesday 25th January 2023
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Anyone reminded of Mini and Citroen all those years ago!

Is this French lad a red Bull protege by cny chance too?

GravelBen

15,860 posts

236 months

Sunday 29th January 2023
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Took me a while to find this thread again, apparently there is a separate rallying section of PH now and its there instead of general motorsport... when did that happen?

ArnageWRC

2,154 posts

165 months

Sunday 29th January 2023
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GravelBen said:
Took me a while to find this thread again, apparently there is a separate rallying section of PH now and its there instead of general motorsport... when did that happen?
I don't understand this at all - it was fine where it was, in the General Motorsport forum. Rallying simply doesn't get the interest to warrant a separate forum.