5 replies to this topic

[rallygp]

Hi to all,

I have been reading these forums on and off for many years, but this is my first post here and I genuinely hope I don’t break any forum rules with it. I am a longstanding motorsport fan, being interested in all forms of motorsport and seen many changes through the years. I don’t have a favourite form of motorsport, just enjoying the variety. Rallying is one of those forms, but seeing it plunge from its highs in the 80’s and 90’s to its current state, together with the general difficulties of making rallying interesting and safe, led my thinking (like many others) to what many describe as “F1 on gravel” which actually sort of already exist in the form of Rallycross. But to my taste, although reasonably spectacular, Rallycross seems a bit gimmicky and lacks a lot of features that can make it the ultimate form of mixed surfaces competition (don’t get me wrong though, I nevertheless like Rallycross), which is why I naively set off (being only the average dreamer) on a mission to do just that, start the “ultimate mixed surfaces competition”. Anyway, I did go into a bit more detail of what such competition should be in my initial presentation and I have even more detailed version in an expanded script, but now that my illusion that I can get anywhere is gone (understandably ), I just want to let the wider world know about my work, so it doesn’t feel like a complete waste. The initial presentation is here: www.rallygp.com/presentation , but to add to it, I just approached the whole subject from point of view of it being an enthralling spectacle to watch in a great and safe setting - so why not have massive jumps where three cars can jump abreast, let’s add a steeply banked gravel turn, recreate the atmosphere of an old Italian town somewhere along the race course and think you are in the old San Remo, or what about the Safari muddy grounds, and so on and so on. Granted, doing this will require some investment by whatever venues stage these races, but then motor racing isn’t cheap…

At the same time I appreciate that a lot of hard core rally fans would absolutely loathe the idea of something called a rally in a relatively short and closed course, and for them I simply suggest they ignore my thread. Nevertheless, it is my absolute believe that had these races been created, they would be extremely popular as a form of motor racing, not forgetting of course that the popularity of any motor racing event is more dependent on its promotion than its substance.

Anyway here it is, just for your enjoyment if that is your cup of tea.

Regards,
Nick

[DrProzac]

This topic made me recall these videos:

 

 

 

Rally drivers racing on a crictuit (alongside of F1 drivers) have been done before, so it's not a crazy idea.

[rallygp]

Thanks DrProzac, I was a great fan of Gr.B and when it was banned many moons ago, I started thinking how can we continue enjoying these cars, but in a safer environment while being closer to the spirit of rallying than Rallycross is, so that is how RallyGP was born all those years ago.

 

Regards,

Nick

Edited by rallygp, 30 March 2014 - 00:30.

[BRG]

No.

 

Just no.

 

Rallying is a proper sport, not a circus act.

[BillyWhizz]

I've read through your proposal and I have to say that the idea would appeal to me.

 

With all the palava about the new sound of F1 (I believe that the sport has just gone and lost one of its signature USPs, regardless of advances in technology and the race to be 'green'), I was thinking just today of how I missed the racket from those (admittedly dangerous) Group B cars. Standing high on a mountain pass (waiting for hours) you really could hear those yokes coming from five miles away; particularly the Quattros and the 400 Mantas and even the old RS1800s and 2000s. But aside from historic events or the likes there is nowhere to experience that kind of sensation today.

 

Yea, yea, yea. I know there are a thousand reasons against why such sensory drama wouldn't be feasible in today's climate, but a varied surface/feature event held on some kind of long circuit where there was good spectator access and day-long running - or at least several runs through/around the stage, meaning the spectator could watch from a good number of vantage points if they were inclined to do plenty of walking, would get my attention.

 

Only thing is that RallyGP would need to be different, and not some super rallycross series - which I am at pains to make clear rallycross is not what I'm thinking of here, because I'm not sure how rallycross success leads to significant road car sales - it always had that distinctly amateur feel to it, whereas there was no doubt about the impact of rallying on the sales of the brands you name on page 2 of your document, and to that list I might add Ford, Opel/Vauxhall and even Fiat with their fab old 2000TC Mirafioris, so the series would need to appeal to the car makers and sponsors with a strong potential route to market, a polished marketing/execution strategy, attractively rated tv bundles and solid organisational infrastructure etc, etc. It would also need to be a series, I don't know if I mean national, European or global events, but car makers are not going to commit to building cars for a single race because no matter how popular it was, one event would only serve to create awareness before disappearing off the radar for another year.

 

I guess Pikes Peak do something along those lines and they're definitely not too concerned about allowing shouty flame belching, gas guzzlers to join the fray. Pikes Peak on a varied surface/feature circuit with the cars making several runs over a day would be something. I fear we can but dream, but I'd be following that series in a heartbeat if it were alive.

[rallygp]

Thanks BRG, I appreciate your stance. Jokingly of course, to me the art of circus is a very respected form, but rallying currently is doing a very poor job at disguising what a circus it has become relative to what I remember it and I don't like that.

 

Thanks BillyWhizz, that is what I mean, and as you say it must be a series, not just one off event to have the credibility with the manufacturers (despite other events that have done reasonably well being just once a year). Rallycross feels like it is lacking some substance despite being a good show. By the way, the last Fafe Rally Sprint and the number of spectators attending this confirms the interest is there...

 

Regards,

Nick