The 2018 Rallying thread..(WRC, ERC, etc)
Discussion
I'm in agreement on the magic money tree. Loeb ain't going there unless Malcom has pulled off something huge.Unless M sport announce anything looks like poor Breen will be left out in the cold.
My first reaction to the Loeb news was excitement but now that I think about it, no, can he not just leave. I really don't like this, in for a few rounds type of s
te. It makes the sport seem, I don't know, amateurish? If you are going to compete then come back and do the season, or else stop filling a seat which could be occupied by someone new or inexperienced.
My first reaction to the Loeb news was excitement but now that I think about it, no, can he not just leave. I really don't like this, in for a few rounds type of s
te. It makes the sport seem, I don't know, amateurish? If you are going to compete then come back and do the season, or else stop filling a seat which could be occupied by someone new or inexperienced. confucuis said:
Unless M sport announce anything looks like poor Breen will be left out in the cold.
My first reaction to the Loeb news was excitement but now that I think about it, no, can he not just leave. I really don't like this, in for a few rounds type of ste. It makes the sport seem, I don't know, amateurish? If you are going to compete then come back and do the season, or else stop filling a seat which could be occupied by someone new or inexperienced.
I quite like the idea of him coming back, but only if he can be on form as he was in Spain. I'll feel cheated of his greatness if he comes back and is mixing it just above the WRC2 boys (highly unlikely to happen). His part season might bring even more excitement to the whole season instead of just the 2nd half like this year.My first reaction to the Loeb news was excitement but now that I think about it, no, can he not just leave. I really don't like this, in for a few rounds type of s
te. It makes the sport seem, I don't know, amateurish? If you are going to compete then come back and do the season, or else stop filling a seat which could be occupied by someone new or inexperienced. It also harks back to the years of teams drafting specialists in for certain rounds, which i think I remember being quite exciting? Time will tell obviously.
M-Sport being so quiet is disconcerting, with about a week left until Monte entries close no deal/announcement for them is disheartening. Especially the effort they've put in over the last 15 or so years. I sit with quiet hope for any imminent announcement.
RyanTank said:
I quite like the idea of him coming back, but only if he can be on form as he was in Spain. I'll feel cheated of his greatness if he comes back and is mixing it just above the WRC2 boys (highly unlikely to happen). His part season might bring even more excitement to the whole season instead of just the 2nd half like this year.
It also harks back to the years of teams drafting specialists in for certain rounds, which i think I remember being quite exciting? Time will tell obviously.
M-Sport being so quiet is disconcerting, with about a week left until Monte entries close no deal/announcement for them is disheartening. Especially the effort they've put in over the last 15 or so years. I sit with quiet hope for any imminent announcement.
Really hope M Sport can get something together, it's a sad state of affairs if the championship winning team for the last 2 years isnt in the series the yeae after through a lack of sponsorship.It also harks back to the years of teams drafting specialists in for certain rounds, which i think I remember being quite exciting? Time will tell obviously.
M-Sport being so quiet is disconcerting, with about a week left until Monte entries close no deal/announcement for them is disheartening. Especially the effort they've put in over the last 15 or so years. I sit with quiet hope for any imminent announcement.
RyanTank said:
just read a tweet - Loeb rumoured to be doing the following rounds
Monte - 1 week after Dakar ends, I doubt it tho.
The Hyundai press release stated he'd be starting with Monte and then five more. Sordo doing 8 rounds. Nothing agreed with Paddon yet.Monte - 1 week after Dakar ends, I doubt it tho.
And Malcolm still saying "if we're there". He's got 8 days to decide.
DanielSan said:
RyanTank said:
I quite like the idea of him coming back, but only if he can be on form as he was in Spain. I'll feel cheated of his greatness if he comes back and is mixing it just above the WRC2 boys (highly unlikely to happen). His part season might bring even more excitement to the whole season instead of just the 2nd half like this year.
It also harks back to the years of teams drafting specialists in for certain rounds, which i think I remember being quite exciting? Time will tell obviously.
M-Sport being so quiet is disconcerting, with about a week left until Monte entries close no deal/announcement for them is disheartening. Especially the effort they've put in over the last 15 or so years. I sit with quiet hope for any imminent announcement.
Really hope M Sport can get something together, it's a sad state of affairs if the championship winning team for the last 2 years isn't in the series the year after through a lack of sponsorship.It also harks back to the years of teams drafting specialists in for certain rounds, which i think I remember being quite exciting? Time will tell obviously.
M-Sport being so quiet is disconcerting, with about a week left until Monte entries close no deal/announcement for them is disheartening. Especially the effort they've put in over the last 15 or so years. I sit with quiet hope for any imminent announcement.
Personally, the WRC is still too far hidden away both in terms of media, and event wise. It's not a popular view, but events need to cover a wider area, rather than the current compact routes we see nowadays. But that isn't going to change.
ArnageWRC said:
Nobody seems to be asking why they can't get sponsorship. So why? The media/ PR people constantly back slap the Promoters on how wonderful All Live+ is, yet all this extra coverage isn't yet delivering the results you'd like to see.
Personally, the WRC is still too far hidden away both in terms of media, and event wise. It's not a popular view, but events need to cover a wider area, rather than the current compact routes we see nowadays. But that isn't going to change.
Rallying is a very very minor sport these days. Look at spectator numbers compared to 20 years ago. It didn't move with the times. I think this forum is a good indicator of rallying's decline, a few posts about the WRC and very little else. Personally, the WRC is still too far hidden away both in terms of media, and event wise. It's not a popular view, but events need to cover a wider area, rather than the current compact routes we see nowadays. But that isn't going to change.
I agree with your comments about media and events being hidden away. I also agree that nothing will change. It's sad really, promote something well and take it to the people and they'll attend and then sponsors get interested too.
DelicaL400 said:
Rallying is a very very minor sport these days. Look at spectator numbers compared to 20 years ago.
Maybe in the UK its less popular - but watching TV / WRC+ coverage of European rallies you still see thousands of spectators out on the stages, and its very popular here in NZ too.GravelBen said:
and its very popular here in NZ too.
How does the popularity compare to 20 years ago? How does it compare to the popularity of such as rugby or cricket? Watching old UK rally videos is depressing, the quality of the entry lists, the huge numbers of spectators, the routes that had a wide geographical spread.When I was young loads of people of my age were into rallying. There are so many more things to be doing with your time these days, if something isn't promoted well it'll get lost amongst all the other options. In addition, even if you manage to attract some interest, the costs are prohibitive for many which wasn't as much of an issue years ago when racesuits weren't needed, seats didn't need changed every 10 minutes etc etc.
A shame about Paddon but it's a good illustration of how rallying goes backwards - two ~40 year old drivers coming back and younger ones binned.
DelicaL400 said:
How does the popularity compare to 20 years ago? How does it compare to the popularity of such as rugby or cricket? Watching old UK rally videos is depressing, the quality of the entry lists, the huge numbers of spectators, the routes that had a wide geographical spread.
When I was young loads of people of my age were into rallying. There are so many more things to be doing with your time these days, if something isn't promoted well it'll get lost amongst all the other options. In addition, even if you manage to attract some interest, the costs are prohibitive for many which wasn't as much of an issue years ago when racesuits weren't needed, seats didn't need changed every 10 minutes etc etc.
A shame about Paddon but it's a good illustration of how rallying goes backwards - two ~40 year old drivers coming back and younger ones binned.
Hyundai have made their decision purely on economic future. The french market is a lot more attractive than the NW market. Shame as I don't think Loeb is near as good as who is was during his A years, but he definitely has a lot more followers around the world than Paddon. When I was young loads of people of my age were into rallying. There are so many more things to be doing with your time these days, if something isn't promoted well it'll get lost amongst all the other options. In addition, even if you manage to attract some interest, the costs are prohibitive for many which wasn't as much of an issue years ago when racesuits weren't needed, seats didn't need changed every 10 minutes etc etc.
A shame about Paddon but it's a good illustration of how rallying goes backwards - two ~40 year old drivers coming back and younger ones binned.
DelicaL400 said:
How does the popularity compare to 20 years ago? How does it compare to the popularity of such as rugby or cricket?
20 years ago I was barely a teenager and had no idea of the bigger picture so I don't know, I just liked watching cars go sideways! But NZ rallying is probably the healthiest I've seen it in the last 5-10 years in terms of both competitor numbers and spectators out on the stages. Paddon being in WRC has given us mainstream media WRC coverage for the first time in many years too - we do have decent NZRC coverage on TV (usually an hour show on a sunday afternoon) but you would hardly hear it mentioned on the news while Paddon's most recent WRC result will get a mention. Increasing costs are probably the biggest issue for competitors. Definitely a minority sport compared to rugby and cricket though for sure, thats a fair point - I was thinking more in comparison to other motorsport.
Edited by GravelBen on Friday 14th December 11:36
ArnageWRC said:
DanielSan said:
RyanTank said:
M-Sport being so quiet is disconcerting, with about a week left until Monte entries close no deal/announcement for them is disheartening. Especially the effort they've put in over the last 15 or so years. I sit with quiet hope for any imminent announcement.
Really hope M Sport can get something together, it's a sad state of affairs if the championship winning team for the last 2 years isn't in the series the year after through a lack of sponsorship.Personally, the WRC is still too far hidden away both in terms of media, and event wise. It's not a popular view, but events need to cover a wider area, rather than the current compact routes we see nowadays. But that isn't going to change.
I remember the furore all those years ago when Schumacher got paid £3million a year for wearing a hat with a sponsor on. and its gone on and on since then, Hamilton apparently wore £112m worth of sponsors on his suit this year, yet look how basic the Mercedes was liveried compared to other grid fillers. I know not a fair comparison compared to WRC but i'm trying to make a point, probably badly!
Maybe we need to get the "influencers" more involved in rallying? if companies will give these weirdos stuff for nothing just to make a social media post about it then give one a drive
Yeah, the Ford was so poor Tanak was winning rallies in it last year too, it's not that bad, the credit goes to Ogier, first time Ford have had the best man in their car since the early 80's really.
I've been saying it for years but no-one listens, Red Bull are the PR company for WRC, their people win most events with Ogier and Loeb and various other teams and drivers, so their PR is done for the internally without doing anything, speaks for itself.
I think you ahve to get into the real world, WRC is only really that big in the place it is happening, the big events otherwise are Monte and Finland. Monte largely coz of history and there is nowt else going on.
FE is the coming sport, they are pushing that remorselessly at the moment, all over BBC website for instance. That is where the manufacturers want to be, and where the marketing is.
Not WRC
I've been saying it for years but no-one listens, Red Bull are the PR company for WRC, their people win most events with Ogier and Loeb and various other teams and drivers, so their PR is done for the internally without doing anything, speaks for itself.
I think you ahve to get into the real world, WRC is only really that big in the place it is happening, the big events otherwise are Monte and Finland. Monte largely coz of history and there is nowt else going on.
FE is the coming sport, they are pushing that remorselessly at the moment, all over BBC website for instance. That is where the manufacturers want to be, and where the marketing is.
Not WRC
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