55 replies to this topic

[BRG]

Can't see a problem, merely using it as an example to show there have been times when there were 6/7 full Factory teams, and approx 20 Factory drivers. Just go back to 2001-2003 and Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Ford, Citroen & Subaru all won events. It obviously couldn't last.

You might want to look at the latest version of the WRC game - WRC4.  It features 16 car models and 65 drivers, ostensibly from the 2013 season.  If you looked at that in 20 years time, you might imagine that 2013 had been a halcyon year for the sport.  But we are probably straying from the topic!

[AlexLangheck]

The people in charge of the WRC over the last 10-15+ years have continually meddled with rules, regs, formats – This suggests they have no confidence in the sport, and/or have to keep chasing new followers/Manufacturers.

 

Whatever peaks/ troughs Sportscars has experienced with Manufacturer interest – they have still kept true to the sport. They didn’t decide to chop Le Mans to 12 hours, or the other races to 2-3 hour blasts. In fact, the 12/ 24 hour races seem to be getting more popular.

 

Endurance has become a dirty word in WRC. How may WRC events have more than 300miles of stages? Have a mix of sprint and endurance events; 2,3,4 day events.

Also, dropping iconic events; Safari, Acropolis, Sanremo, Corsica & NZ – all left off or no longer deemed safe/relevant.  And all we get now are events with virtually the same format – not what rallying is about.

 

As for WRC TV, BtSport has live & highlights, MotorsTV has highlights, and ITV4 has highlights – that’s pretty good. However, who actually knows about this? Tell people were it is.

[chunder27]

As I have said previously, I do not think the problem is awareness or any lack of promotion.

 

the series has been on mainstream TV in the UK for years and simply doesn't pull in an audience.

 

It might have done inthe past, but it simply does not anymore, no matter where you put it!

[BRG]

Also, dropping iconic events; Safari, Acropolis, Sanremo, Corsica & NZ – all left off or no longer deemed safe/relevant.  And all we get now are events with virtually the same format – not what rallying is about.

 

As for WRC TV, BtSport has live & highlights, MotorsTV has highlights, and ITV4 has highlights – that’s pretty good. However, who actually knows about this? Tell people were it is.

Re those iconic events, we have to be realistic.  The Safari couldn't continue with its old open road format - too much traffic and development in Kenya to allow it, and as a closed road stage event, it was never the same.  The Acropolis fell due to Greek financial meltdown.  Sanremo always struggled latterly to provide enough quality stage mileage in the mountains behind San Remo - basically Rally Italia outgrew Sanremo,  Corsica went through the decision of the French MSA to have their WRC rally in the Vosges region to celebrate local boy Seb Loeb. And NZ is just too far away and too insignificant a market for the manufacturers and sponsors (a huge pity of course - it was a magic event, especially when it included the classic long forest stages.)

Edited by BRG, 10 June 2014 - 10:25.

[EightGear]

VW just announced their commitment to WRC untill and including 2019.

[AlexLangheck]

Good news.

 

As long as they don’t start asking to turn the sport into Rally X..  WorldRX already exists, no point in trying to compete with it. Offer something different.