22 replies to this topic

[Anja]

With a new (again) WRC points system confirmed I suppose it's time for a new season thread! After much criticism WRC decided to drop the convoluted points splitting after just one season and returns to awarding full points based on final classification - with additional points awarded for Sunday results and the Power Stage. Not perfect but definitely an improvement if you ask me.

 

Sharper focus on rally wins with 2025 WRC points update

[Muppetmad]

"Less bad" seems to be the best we can hope for these days, so I'll take it.

[Stephane]

That's a bit more logical than this year.

[ArnageWRC]

"Less bad" seems to be the best we can hope for these days, so I'll take it.

 

Yeah; It's a damning indictment on the sport, and those running it that this is the best we can ever hope for..........

[noikeee]

Points for Sunday. Sigh. I guess it's "less bad" but not entirely sure it's going to re-spark my interest for this.

Are Rovanpera, Ogier doing full seasons this year? Having previous champions deciding they couldn't be arsed to do the whole thing but still showing up once in a while and winning, made 2024 often feel even more like a joke. Although from what I've understood Ogier then tried to do full time and failed, I think, I just didn't follow 2024 very closely

[Anja]

Rovanpera is back to doing a full season, Ogier is not. 

[ArnageWRC]

Points for Sunday. Sigh. I guess it's "less bad" but not entirely sure it's going to re-spark my interest for this.

 

So, now 'only' 3 sets of points; making 3 'mini events'........So Sunday, Power Stage, and Overall points; with a maximum of 35 on offer. 

 

It's all 'fiddling, whilst Rome burns'........

[Stephane]

well, they also presentend 2027 rules. we'll see how that goes with more freedom and sort of a BoP. It worked well for WEC.

[Vielleicht]

I think the 2027 proposals are very interesting, and a practical response to the challenges of the today and the coming decade. 

 

It is not clear which powertrains are going to be most attractive to car manufacturers in five or ten years time. It also will be different for different manufacturers in different regions at different times. This becomes difficult when deciding on a powertrain concept.

 

They could decide on one of them and bet the championship's health on it being a good choice, or they could propose a performance balanced platform that is more flexible in the hope that it can handle the uncertainty of transitions. 

 

I hope it works, because I think it could be a good technical model beyond rallying. 

[ArnageWRC]

well, they also presented 2027 rules. we'll see how that goes with more freedom and sort of a BoP. It worked well for WEC.

 

I'm not convinced there's enough manufacturers out there interested in the WRC; we're not going to see loads signing up like in the WEC. 

[Myrvold]

Points for Sunday. Sigh. I guess it's "less bad" but not entirely sure it's going to re-spark my interest for this.

Are Rovanpera, Ogier doing full seasons this year? Having previous champions deciding they couldn't be arsed to do the whole thing but still showing up once in a while and winning, made 2024 often feel even more like a joke. Although from what I've understood Ogier then tried to do full time and failed, I think, I just didn't follow 2024 very closely

 

I struggle to see the part-time drivers as an issue. It was 10-15 years where it wasn't the norm, but other than that, it is how WRC have always been. Ogier will never do a full season again, it was easy to see that he was not happy about having to do the last 3-4 rallies of this year either.

I am happy that the rally win actually matters again in 2025.

[Stephane]

I'm not convinced there's enough manufacturers out there interested in the WRC; we're not going to see loads signing up like in the WEC. 

 

Let me hope, please

[ArnageWRC]

Some of next years FiA Rally calendars:

 

FIA World Rally Championship (approved by the WMSC on 31 July 2024)   

   

26 January Monaco Rallye Monte-Carlo

16 February Sweden Rally Sweden (Jun.)

23 March Kenya Safari Rally Kenya

27 April Spain Rally Islas Canarias

18 May Portugal Vodafone Rally de Portugal (Jun.)

08 June Italy Rally Italia Sardegna

29 June Greece Acropolis Rally Greece (Jun.)

20 July Estonia Rally Estonia

03 August Finland Rally Finland (Jun.)

31 August Paraguay Rally Paraguay

14 September Chile Rally Chile

19 October Austria / Czech Republic / Germany Central European Rally (Jun.)

09 November Japan FORUM8 Rally Japan

30 November Saudi Arabia Rally Saudi Arabia

Jun.: Event counting towards the Junior WRC

 

 

 

FIA European Rally Championship (approved by the WMSC on 18 November 2024)      

 

04-06 April Spain 42 Rally Sierra Morena (Jun.)

09-11 May Hungary Rally Hungary (Jun.)

30 May -01 June Sweden Bauhaus Royal Rally of Scandinavia

13-15 June Poland 81st Rally Poland (Jun.)

04-06 July Italy Rally di Roma Capitale (Jun.)

15-17 August Czech Republic Barum Czech Rally Zlin (Jun.)

05-07 September Great Britain Rali Ceredigion

03-05 October Croatia Croatia Rally (Jun.)

Jun.: Event counting towards the Junior ERC

 

FIA European Historic Rally Championship (approved by the WMSC on 11 December 2024)

 

 13-15 March Spain Rally Costa Brava

25-26 April Czech Republic Historic Vltava Rally

16-18 May France Rallye Antibes Historic

27-28 June Belgium Ardeca Ypres Historic Rally

17-19 July Austria Historic Rally Weiz

15-16 August Finland Lahti Historic Rally

05-06 September Greece Acropolis Historic Rally

25-27 September Italy Rally Elba Storico

17-18 October Spain Historic Rally of Asturias

07-08 November Portugal Historic Rally Fafe

 

 

FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (approved by the WMSC on 2 October 2024)      

 

03-17 January Saudi Arabia Dakar

21-27 February UAE Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

18-24 May South Africa South African Safari Rally

22-28 September Portugal BP Ultimate Rally-Raid

10-17 October Morocco Rallye du Maroc      

Edited by ArnageWRC, 12 December 2024 - 15:37.

[Anja]

I'm not convinced there's enough manufacturers out there interested in the WRC; we're not going to see loads signing up like in the WEC. 

 

They should've just made WRC2 regs into the top class and we get Skoda and Citroen, five brands would be plenty. I suspect they'll be forced to do that sooner or later once the new rules fail to attract new entrants.

(not to mention it would make it much easier for all kinds of privateers and local heroes to actually compete against the best in WRC events)

Edited by Anja, 13 December 2024 - 14:16.

[Stephane]

We had this with S2000, R5, now rally2.

I guess manufacturers just don't want privateers to win

[Anja]

We had this with S2000, R5, now rally2.

I guess manufacturers just don't want privateers to win

 

It's gonna be fun when Hyundai pulls out and all we're left with is the might of Toyota vs M-Sport "barely there" Ford. Dark days of WEC vibes...

Edited by Anja, 13 December 2024 - 14:29.

[Myrvold]

It's gonna be fun when Hyundai pulls out and all we're left with is the might of Toyota vs M-Sport "barely there" Ford. Dark days of WEC vibes...

Or the Citroën - M-Sport days, with a cameo from a surprisingly competitive Prodrive MINI

[BRG]

They should've just made WRC2 regs into the top class and we get Skoda and Citroen, five brands would be plenty. I suspect they'll be forced to do that sooner or later once the new rules fail to attract new entrants.

(not to mention it would make it much easier for all kinds of privateers and local heroes to actually compete against the best in WRC events)

If Neuville is to be believed, they may have just done that by accident!

 

https://www.motorspo...-cars/10681881/

[ArnageWRC]

Not much enthusiasm on here. Anyway, Rallye Monte-Carlo - SS1 starts in approx 5 mins.......

[Anja]

Ogier wins SS1, rally over 

 

I had a check on wikipedia and he didn't finish Monte lower than 2nd since 2013. Good lord. 

[Stephane]

Neuville almost out.

[Anja]

 

Tanak was pretty lucky not to be out too. 

[JRodrigues]

It has been a pretty fun (but unfortunately shorter) morning! Neuville, Tanak and Oiger with some off's.. Munster with a 2nd best stage time... Evans leading... Rovanpera also seems to be struggling a bit.. The afternoon looks promising!