2024 WRC and ERC discussion

[ArnageWRC]

df76 said:

Ogier was pretty blunt about the state of the sport in his brief stage end interview at the shakedown. You'd expect some significant change for 2025.

Yeah, and there was no comment from the commentators on air at the time - understandably........

However, if there's anything we've learned over the last 10+ years, is that they rarely make the correct decision......and the WRC stumbles along aimlessly

[520TORQUES]

Just trying to work out how the hell to watch the sport is a mess.

Date

Leg

Channel

Coverage from

Wednesday 24 January

Shakedown

TNT Sports Extra 1

3:30pm GMT

Thursday 25 January

Ceremonial start

TNT Sports Extra 1 (found it on Discovery+)

2:15pm GMT

Thursday 25 January

Stage 1 - Stage 2

TNT Sports Extra 1/TNT Sports 1

7pm GMT/7:30pm GMT

Friday 26 January

Stage 3 - Stage 5

TNT Sports 4 (SKY EPG says TNT Sports 2)

7:45am GMT

Friday 26 January

Stage 6 - Stage 8

TNT Sports 2

1:45pm GMT

Saturday 27 January

Stage 9 - Stage 11

TNT Sports 4

7am GMT

Saturday 27 January

Stage 12 - Stage 14

TNT Sports 4

1pm GMT

Sunday 28 January

Stage 15 - Stage 16

TNT Sports Extra 1/TNT Sports 4

5:30am GMT/6am GMT

Sunday 28 January

Stage 17 (Power Stage)

TNT Sports 4

11am GMT

info from https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/how-to-watch-wr...

[df76]

520TORQUES said:

Just trying to work out how the hell to watch the sport is a mess.

Stuff.

It's all very clear on the Discovery Plus schedule, and possible to catch up if needed (which is an improvement from the BT Sport days). Getting every minute of the stages live is great, and certainly can't argue with that.

[520TORQUES]

df76 said:

It's all very clear on the Discovery Plus schedule, and possible to catch up if needed (which is an improvement from the BT Sport days). Getting every minute of the stages live is great, and certainly can't argue with that.

and those that just want to use a TV? It's bouncing all over the place.

It does look like the TV via TNT is showing more for the Monte, it was virtually impossible to find on the TV last year. Hopefully it's not just a Monte thing this year.

[confucuis]

TNT should have all the stages live for all the rallies this year.

But theyve got to stop showing the interviews instead of the fking driving. Put the interview in the bottom left of the screen and show us the cars!

[520TORQUES]

Just been fast forwarding through the rally 2 runners for stage 1, after the first few runners it's old fat man after old fat man. WTF has happened to the WRC.

[thepawbroon]

520TORQUES said:

Just been fast forwarding through the rally 2 runners for stage 1, after the first few runners it's old fat man after old fat man. WTF has happened to the WRC.

The young guys are all in Junior WRC, which does not include the Monte. There are 19 registered crews, all of whom will be out on the Swedish Rally next month.

I'd be interested to know what your definition of "old" is - for the top 9 Rally2 crews after SS2, the average age of the drivers is 26 years 4 months. Seven of those nine would also qualify for the Junior WRC.

[Beethree]

520TORQUES said:

Just been fast forwarding through the rally 2 runners for stage 1, after the first few runners it's old fat man after old fat man. WTF has happened to the WRC.

There’s definitely some ‘gentlemen’ drivers, but not in the top 20 (Rally1 and 2 combined)

[Speed Badger]

I'm surprised other manufacturers are not making the equivalent of the GR Yaris and running them in the WRC. It's been an enormous sales hit for Toyota, in fact this very publication ran an article the other day regarding Toyota selling more GR cars than Priuses in Europe last year.

I kind of still struggle to wrap my head around the fact that only one of the main WRC class of cars feature a road going 4 wheel drive model. Back in the day, the Evos, Imprezas, Celicas, Escort cosworths etc could all be bought from your dealer as 4x4 road cars. I had a rally friend who was tossing up between a GR Yaris and the Hyundai I20, and he didn't actually realise until he started looking into it properly that the Hyundai was front wheel drive, he had assumed from the WRC it was like the Yaris.

Obviously the cars don't have to be 4x4's, but I'm kind of assuming the Fiesta has sold well, Hyundai has shifted a reasonable amount of I20N's and I mentioned the GR Yaris sales. I'm surprised no other manufacturer wants to enter as a full on works team, or even semi - bit like the BTCC way of doing things.

[thepawbroon]

Speed Badger said:

I'm surprised other manufacturers are not making the equivalent of the GR Yaris and running them in the WRC. It's been an enormous sales hit for Toyota, in fact this very publication ran an article the other day regarding Toyota selling more GR cars than Priuses in Europe last year.

I kind of still struggle to wrap my head around the fact that only one of the main WRC class of cars feature a road going 4 wheel drive model. Back in the day, the Evos, Imprezas, Celicas, Escort cosworths etc could all be bought from your dealer as 4x4 road cars. I had a rally friend who was tossing up between a GR Yaris and the Hyundai I20, and he didn't actually realise until he started looking into it properly that the Hyundai was front wheel drive, he had assumed from the WRC it was like the Yaris.

Obviously the cars don't have to be 4x4's, but I'm kind of assuming the Fiesta has sold well, Hyundai has shifted a reasonable amount of I20N's and I mentioned the GR Yaris sales. I'm surprised no other manufacturer wants to enter as a full on works team, or even semi - bit like the BTCC way of doing things.

Rather ironically. the WRC regulations were changed in 1997 to move away from Gp A (i.e. the rally car being a modified version of the road car) to the World Rally Car concept, because manufacturers couldn't make the economic case for the production base car. That worked at the time, because Toyota, Skoda, Seat, Hyundai and Peugeot all joined the WRC as a result.

Now, the Rally1 regulations are quite similar to BTCC - i.e. there's a standard safety cell and a spaceframe chassis with carbon body panels. The thing that prevents more manufacturers getting involved seems to be the cost (driven by the Hybrid) and the lack of PR opportunity.


Personally I think the success of the GR Yaris road car is quite a lot to do with the rallying, and also the success level - Toyota have won the last 5 driver's titles. THey've recently launched Ogier and Roverpera special editions. But also the fact that Toyota are a proper global brand and can sell that car all round the world.

[flatlandsman]

If you go back to the WRC days, last time Hyundai were doing it I am sure the only Accent you could buy was a 1.6 or 1.3, no performance version whatsoever.

The 206 hot version was something like an XSi and the later Citroens the Xsara and C4 had mild versions but nothing that was even like the Yaris.

The closest you could get was obviously Subaru and Mitsy they rallied the car you could buy, Ford to some extent with the Focus RS aswell.

Skoda, well the Octavia VRs was a good car but the Fabia was a great car but a diesel, genius marketing in my eyes, but nothing like a WRC. Suaukia, had a Swift Sport, great car, SEAt had the Cupra range which I guess was pushed more than most by SEAT with WTCC and WRC. But I think the hot Cordoba was a diesel also lol!

It is all about marketing, nothing else no link to road cars just brands, that is why they pulled out as it was not giving them sales they were spending, economy dumped so they ran away.

A Mercedes road car has nothing whatsoever to do with f1 but the brand does,m it#s pathetic dumb and idiotic to me, but hey people... 4 million people a day used to BUY The Sun, peopel are thick and easily manuipulted, look how manny of them spend thousands on f1 tickets.

[ArnageWRC]

Speed Badger said:

I'm surprised no other manufacturer wants to enter as a full on works team, or even semi - bit like the BTCC way of doing things.

Simple answer; the cost!! Massively expensive for a Rally 1, that very few privateers can afford them. 2.5 manufacturers (3 if you're feeling generous) is not the sign of a healthy series. Completely unsustainable......
And the biggest issue is ROI/value - there is very little in the current WRC......Manufacturers are going elsewhere, to better run/ promoted series...whether it's WEC, IMSA, etc

[Beethree]

Outside of the obvious lack of entires for Rally1, the competition in the top 3 so far has been really entertaining. Great to see Neuville being on the pace from the start. I do think the Rally1 cars are pretty spectacular on the live coverage, I can imagine even more so in person!
Rally2 is also providing some really close stage times, shame about Solberg retiring.

[df76]

Beethree said:

Outside of the obvious lack of entires for Rally1, the competition in the top 3 so far has been really entertaining. Great to see Neuville being on the pace from the start. I do think the Rally1 cars are pretty spectacular on the live coverage, I can imagine even more so in person!
Rally2 is also providing some really close stage times, shame about Solberg retiring.

Yep, excellent rally so far. Hope it stays tight until tomorrow morning.

[Don Roque]

Despite the concerning lack of entries in WRC1 and the lack of top talent driving (six full time drivers this year, really?), the action on the stages is great and the cars look incredible. The pace looks pretty quick this year too, with the temperatures being quite mild and with little ice. It's great viewing if you can catch bits and pieces of it.

[epom]

Rallying on the Telly Saturday lunchtime. Yayyyy.

[520TORQUES]

thepawbroon said:

Personally I think the success of the GR Yaris road car is quite a lot to do with the rallying, and also the success level - Toyota have won the last 5 driver's titles. THey've recently launched Ogier and Roverpera special editions. But also the fact that Toyota are a proper global brand and can sell that car all round the world.

I don't. I think it's because there is nothing equivalent available and those hankering after a similar experience to the Impreza STi and EVO bought these. They would have sold even without the WRC link.

They probably wouldn't have been made in the first place without that link though.

[Maxdecel]

Thought I'd post this, quite a mix of stage type. Particularly impressed with long flat into LH in the valley bottom.

[flatlandsman]

There is also a clamour for anything worldwise that is funky, cool, quick and Japanese, you only have to look at the GT86 to see that a car that doesn't really do anything other than fun can sell.

Some manufacturers dont care about this, Toyota thankfully have realised that fun can sell, I only hope some others realise this, as most road based cars a re about as dull as cars can be if you are on a budget

[Its Just Adz]

Is there any where to watch a round up of this on TV?
I saw TNT mentioned above but I don't have Sky.