Official WRC thread

Yeah, especially since they released this Impreza and annoyed lots of fans.

I want to know where Mitsubishi is with the Evo X. Why aren't they competing any more?
 
There are Evo X cars in the lower classes.

I really don't get the new STI. Didn't they switch to the ugly ass hatchback to improve the rally cars? Yet the new hatch isn't half as good as the old real STI.
 
Well the bonnet hasn't come loose yet and flung up into the windscreen, but it's only a matter of time...
 
There are Evo X cars in the lower classes.

I really don't get the new STI. Didn't they switch to the ugly ass hatchback to improve the rally cars? Yet the new hatch isn't half as good as the old real STI.

You keep bagging the new Sti for no good reason, other than you don't like the way it looks. The new car is a decent base and should be up there next year.

Atko won a couple of stages in New Zealand I believe after he rejoined for SupeRally. Just a matter of finding what works and what doesn't in terms of set up as the drivers don't have confidence in the car at the moment which is everything at this level. Read an interview with Atkinson yesterday and he said you have to enter every corner faster than you think you can possible and just pray it sticks otherwise you are off the pace.

As for Mitstubishi, the company has enough money problems without throwing money into WRC! It would be fabulous to see them back. There are lots of great drivers missing out at the moment simply through lack of seats.
 
I'm really surprised more major manufacturers don't see the value in supporting a team; I know rallying isn't very popular over here (i.e. Canada and the U.S.), but I always assumed it was massively popular in Europe.

It's popular but nowhere near F1 and that's where most big manufacturers are throwing their money into now. At the moment rallying does not offer enough for a manufacturer's money and that's why things need to change.
 
Well my 2p worth.

Its all to do with a colour - Green, its just not green and a reward ration F1 has more global reach so soon we are going to be left with just three manufacturers.
 
I think I just read somewhere that WRC is going for green fuels in 2010 or 2011. Can't remember where, though, and can't find the article, so I might just mix something up...

As for the reach, WRC is never going to have the reach F1 has. It just is not a TV sport. Events last for three days and live televising of even one proper stage (as opposed to spectator stages) cost huge amounts of money. There are the highlight shows but since the most important bits are in your normal sports news I don't see the general public to tune in for those. This is not going to change, and thus WRC's value as marketing excercise is not going to increase, so the only way to make it more attractive to manufacturers is to decrease the costs to reflect the media visibility.
 
I can see where the WRC will never attract a fanbase like F1. I greatly enjoy watching the WRC highlight shows, for 30 minutes or an hour per day (they used to be an hour, but I'll take what I can get - I have to download them these days since Speed TV ceased their WRC coverage). However, if each stage was covered from start to finish for each competitor I'm sure I would become tired of watching. I would love to plan a vacation to coincide with a WRC event someday, though I don't think my wife or daughter would enjoy watching the cars go by nearly as much as I. :)
 
Latest news, apparently Gronholm is keen on a return. Loeb wants to go circuit racing next year as well as do the WRC.

Andreas Mikkelsen has tested a C4 WRC, video on youtube apparently.
 
Latest news, apparently Gronholm is keen on a return. Loeb wants to go circuit racing next year as well as do the WRC.

On Gr?nholm, he apparently has said that the chances for his return are about fifty-fifty but the current running order rule has to change for him to come back. He has also said that he's not too interested about returning to Rallycross.

I'm not surprised at Loeb's wishes either. He has done Le Mans in the past and some other races, and the light WRC calendar next year means he has time to do races between rallies. I doubt he'd be allowed to race for any major manufacturer but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back at Le Mans with Pescarolo...
 
If Gr?nholm comes back it would be awesome!

With Mikko and Gr?nholm Citroen and Loeb would have a serious challenge. His return would make things very interesting.

However, can Ford have 3 drives?

Would they have Gr?nholm as number 1, Mikko at 2 and Latvala at 3?

Or would one need to give up their seat?
 
If Gr?nholm comes back it would be awesome!

With Mikko and Gr?nholm Citroen and Loeb would have a serious challenge. His return would make things very interesting.

However, can Ford have 3 drives?

Would they have Gr?nholm as number 1, Mikko at 2 and Latvala at 3?

Or would one need to give up their seat?

One of them would have to be moved to Stobart, factory teams can only have two drivers. A silly rule that was brought in some years ago...

Would be excellent indeed to have Marcus back.
 
Just wondering, what's a good news site/blog for WRC stuff other than the official wrc.com?
 
Malcolm Wilson has said Latvala and Mikko are confirmed for next year so Marcus would have to be looking elsewhere, if it happens at all.

He is the voice of reason, the current running order rule is ridiculous. The old system wasn't broke so why fix it?

The decision to only have two factory drivers, well that actual rule was you couldn't have a third driver that had finished on the podium in the last 3 years (unless that rule got updated??) was possibly one of the worst things for the sport ever.

EDIT: Ok this might be old news but I have only just discovered. The WRC reverts back to that atrocity that was a rotating calendar for the next two years at least. No Monte Carlo next year, I am livid. I am all for rotating rounds somewhat, but Monte, Acropolis, Finland and Wales need to stay EVERY YEAR.
 
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From the rule book:
f) A Manufacturer undertakes to take part in all
the rallies of the Championship with two (2) cars.

That said, I would not be surprised if there was a clause on both Mikko's and Jari-Matti's deals that would allow them to be moved down to Stobart. Like they are doing on Jari-Matti's case for the tarmac events this year. Of course the number one driver (this year Mikko, and propably next year as well) is safe as the manufacturer needs to nominate one driver for the whole year and that driver cannot be swapped unless it's a force majeure (like Loeb's mountain bike accident few years ago).

As for the rotation system, I'm surprised you didn't know (or remember) about that seeing that it has been source of controversy for the last 12 months or so. I completely agree on the ridiculousness of the system, taking these traditional events out of the calendar every other year does not help anyone. It's bad for the spectators who lose some of the consistency of the sport since there are no traditional rallies and it's bad for organisations because they cannot keep key staff on constant employment since they only have work to do every two years. I did not believe they would get the system through despite all outcry from manufacturers and key people in WRC, but sadly I was wrong on that regard.

Just wondering, what's a good news site/blog for WRC stuff other than the official wrc.com?

Well, out of international sites I keep an eye on Autosport.com which has all the major WRC news and the WRC area of Crash.net. Then there are a few finnish sites but you propably won't need those. Also, check out the rallying part of motorsport.com forums, it's one of the most active rallying forums I've seen on the internet and whenever there are news in the web in whatever language they tend to appear over there quite rapidly.
 
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EDIT: Ok this might be old news but I have only just discovered. The WRC reverts back to that atrocity that was a rotating calendar for the next two years at least. No Monte Carlo next year, I am livid. I am all for rotating rounds somewhat, but Monte, Acropolis, Finland and Wales need to stay EVERY YEAR.

While I can understand why a rotating calendar is useful, I agree that there are certain locations that simple 'need' to be included every season.
 
Just a random thought I had. Forgive me if it's obvious, if there is a rule about it or if it was done before. I'm newish to rallying.

Here it goes, on all events (except for tarmac) the first driver is always at a disadvantage as he has to "sweep" the road. His tires grab the sand, stones, snow or whatever, and throw them aside making a cleaner and faster line for the driver coming after him. Now, if the first driver (or all drivers) were to have mud flaps on his car, the dirt thrown out by the tire would hit the mud flap and fall right back down onto the line the car has taken. Therefore, the car coming after would no longer have the advantage.

Why isn't this done?
 
Just a random thought I had. Forgive me if it's obvious, if there is a rule about it or if it was done before. I'm newish to rallying.

Here it goes, on all events (except for tarmac) the first driver is always at a disadvantage as he has to "sweep" the road. His tires grab the sand, stones, snow or whatever, and throw them aside making a cleaner and faster line for the driver coming after him. Now, if the first driver (or all drivers) were to have mud flaps on his car, the dirt thrown out by the tire would hit the mud flap and fall right back down onto the line the car has taken. Therefore, the car coming after would no longer have the advantage.

Why isn't this done?

Well, my first guess is that the cars have such savage power, that the wheels kick up dust and dirt in any circumstances. Second one might be that it's a bit of a "traditional" role...
 
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