2020 Rallying Thread (WRC, ERC and national rally)

[df76]

Only four weeks until the new WRC season, so a new 2020 focused thread needed.

Toyota making a real commitment to rallying with the launch of the GR-4 road car. Assume that they're staying for the immediate future. Less certainty from everyone else, and no driver confirmation yet.

I've enjoyed the MSN Rally coverage this winter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mF72NP7Q-o

[DelicaL400]

M-Sport have finally confirmed Lappi, Suninen and Greensmith. Hopefully Lappi will benefit from being at Dovenby, he didn't look too happy last year!

[df76]

DelicaL400 said:

M-Sport have finally confirmed Lappi, Suninen and Greensmith. Hopefully Lappi will benefit from being at Dovenby, he didn't look too happy last year!

Yes, probably the best line up that they could hope for given the circumstance. Lappi has a chance of a decent result.

[Allyc85]

Looks like Lappi has settled in well with the Fiesta!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYimC_addnM

[confucuis]

Poor Breen! Wish he got a seat this year

[Al Klostert]

When there is a shortage of seats - and too many drivers, it becomes a buyers market - literally. Any driver from a rally friendly country is always at an advantage; Lappi had backing from Finnish forestry company Ponsse. Drivers like Breen, Paddon, Meeke, etc have no chance of raising funds/ sponsorship for a seat for a whole season.

One must always be optimistic before the season starts; however I'm not sure how much of a great season we will have - there is a lack of depth at the top end, with how many WRCars?? However, Tanak v Neuville v Ogier could be epic......and the Hyundai inter team rivalry could be 'interesting'.

[woodypup59]

I wonder if / when it will be shown on ordinary UK TV ie spike / ch 5 or w h y ?

[df76]

woodypup59 said:

I wonder if / when it will be shown on ordinary UK TV ie spike / ch 5 or w h y ?

No clear information about Channel 5 coverage yet, wasn't confirmed until after the Monte round last year. Red Bull TV (free) shows that they will be having a catch up show each evening, and there will be a live stage on Saturday afternoon.

[Allyc85]

Just been confirmed as being on ITV4, mainly on Tuesdays at 8pm.

https://motorsportbroadcasting.com/2020/01/15/worl...

[df76]

Allyc85 said:

Just been confirmed as being on ITV4, mainly on Tuesdays at 8pm.

https://motorsportbroadcasting.com/2020/01/15/worl...

Thanks for that, positive news.

[ArnageWRC]

ITV4 is a better fit for the sport than Ch5; however, this will be the 3rd time ITV4 will have had WRC highlights - the previous two occasions they dropped it due to low viewing figures.

After reading that article, I do think it's time Red Bull TV were able to show more than 1 live stage on a Saturday; why not show both runs of the stage? They need to provide more 'free to air' coverage than they currently do. One solitary free stage is nowhere near enough.

[ceesvdelst]

I would guess because it is still trying to be sold, WRC has been on just about every channel and never seems to stay anywhere for long as it always has poor figures, yet somehow it still seems to be sold every renewal.

That is it is restricted, plus of course the WRC+ thing which restricts everything to such a point as to lose a lot of fans anyway. Great job guys, make people pay so your restrict the viewers to the smaller and smaller amounts. Or make it free so more can watch in a series with dying tv figures Modern sports marketing in a nutshell.

[df76]

ceesvdelst said:

I would guess because it is still trying to be sold, WRC has been on just about every channel and never seems to stay anywhere for long as it always has poor figures, yet somehow it still seems to be sold every renewal.

That is it is restricted, plus of course the WRC+ thing which restricts everything to such a point as to lose a lot of fans anyway. Great job guys, make people pay so your restrict the viewers to the smaller and smaller amounts. Or make it free so more can watch in a series with dying tv figures Modern sports marketing in a nutshell.

As I understand it, the Channel 5 figures weren't that bad but just not good enough for a mainstream at peak times. ITV4 is probably a good fit, just like BTCC. There's more coverage on Red Bull TV for free (including live), and a little surpised that full live coverage is on BT Sport as well. Can't see it getting any better than that these days.

[DelicaL400]

df76 said:

and a little surpised that full live coverage is on BT Sport as well. Can't see it getting any better than that these days.

I was surprised at that too, BT Sport was £5 a month on top of my Broadband so I got it for the football/rugby, I hadn't realised WRC All Live was on there.

Has anyone been watching the Dakar coverage? I wonder if Kris Meeke will compete in it next year with him being there with Toyota this year. I'm not sure 500+ km stages would be his thing.

[giveitfish]

df76 said:

As I understand it, the Channel 5 figures weren't that bad but just not good enough for a mainstream at peak times. ITV4 is probably a good fit, just like BTCC. There's more coverage on Red Bull TV for free (including live), and a little surpised that full live coverage is on BT Sport as well. Can't see it getting any better than that these days.

The figures will continue to be bad unless they change the style of coverage. It’s been the same for over 15 years now - it treats every rally as a fresh start for casual viewers and wastes half the program on basic explanations and lifestyle features. 3 days of competition just seems an afterthought shown in uninspiring clips that communicate nothing of the excitement you get actually being there

I love rallying but can’t be bothered to seek out the coverage. That says it all to me.

They need to stop dumbing down and treating the audience as half wits. Instead treat us as a knowledgable in-crowd so we feel special. Get into the detail of tech and tactics. Trust us to follow it and we will.

[df76]

Agree about the C5 / itv4 coverage, I just record and fast forward a lot. The red bull tv nightly shows were good last year and provided more. 100% live coverage on bt sport is a massive bonus.

[ceesvdelst]

Most red bull stuff is great footage, but always ruined by incessant garbage form the presenters, who seem to think the show is about them, I tried it, lasted about 15 minutes and switched off, first impressions count and theirs were awful.

And don't red Bull still basically own commercial rights for WRC?

[Allyc85]

Ogier in testing

https://www.facebook.com/rallyechrono/videos/84885...

Though he did stick it in a ditch at one point!

[Slippydiff]

Allyc85 said:

Ogier in testing

https://www.facebook.com/rallyechrono/videos/84885...

Though he did stick it in a ditch at one point!

Prediction :

Any reliability issues aside, that’s the driver/car combination that’ll win this year’s Monte (and probably the championship...)

[ArnageWRC]

Looked fast & committed; however, it's not something that is the most important virtue on the Monte. Keeping out of trouble and making right tyre choices is what usually wins the event. Quite often a driver has won/ lost the event on maybe 1 tyre choice. Saying that, the modern shorter versions don't tend to be like this....