Posts Tagged ‘regulations’

Long stages – good or bad?

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Today’s big news seems to have been the new format of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, where the Baumholder stage will be 48 km’s – to be compared with the previously longest stage of the event, 30 km. The first thing that comes to my mind is Rally Mexico in 2005, where Loeb and Gardemeister had one stunning fight on the last stage of the rally. At the very last and very long stage, Alfaro (44.38 km), Loeb took back 40.1 seconds in an unbelievable drive that pipped the finn on his fourth position sending him back to fifth. That was one of the coolest events that year in the WRC, in my opinion.

I’m not sure if a long stage like Baumholder is stunning news, but there’s an interesting principle in it because it’s fun, and most important; it’s allowed. In the last years we’ve seen some comebacks of stuff associated with ralling in the past, that brings diversity to the WRC. Previously, the FIA and rights holders have seemed to pack everything together to one streamlined package by stipulating some stupid rules, making each and every rally as similar to the other ones as possible. Now they’re slowly switching to another way, that organisers should be free to bring more personality to events. One thing is the possibility to run night stages, one thing is the new thing that an event can be run over 2,3 or 4 days and another one is that the total distance of special stages now can be between 300 and 500 km’s with no upper limit on a special stage’s length – more than that it can’t be more than 80 km’s of competitive stages between services.

All those things opens up for a better WRC, where Monte Carlo for example can run their classic night stages, where Germany can have the Baumholder stage and where organisers can profile themselves with a short, intensive 2 day rally – or a marathon rally with 4 days. To bring back old stuff doesn’t at all mean you take a step back, I think this is a perfect step forward where modern stuff like super special stages, stages run twice and other things can be combined with the old classic’s thats deeply rooted in the minds of many fans. Thumbs up to FIA for finally taking some actions to improve the championship!

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Posted in Rally promotion and media coverage, WRC | No Comments »

Are FIA changing their mind about the 2010 techical regulations?

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

In connection to the FIA and Max Mosley arranged meeting between FIA, ISC, manufacturers and organisers in Paris this week regarding the marketing and promotion of the WRC – discussions regarding the techical regulations for 2010 are also scheduled later this week. The 12th of December last year, the World Motorsport Council decided that Super2000+ will be the World Rally Car of the future – starting from 2010 (read more on FIA.com). However, they postponed the decision regarding the exact look of the plus-package, because they wanted to modify it to ensure cost reductions. According to Autosport.com, FIAs strong intention is to ensure a real cost-cut from today’s expensive bills for competing the WRC, and they want it as a kit possible to add or remove to a Super2000 car in almost no time.

Now, it has taken some time since the decision in December, and I know that FIA have recieved critism – which makes sense – for taking too much time before a final decision is made. Manufacturers have to decide regarding their involvement in the WRC and then develop the car and package needed to compete. You can’t expect it to take just a few monts – since we of course want highly dedicated manufacturers that all keep a high level close to each other.

So now, it seems like FIA may change their previous decision – and there are a few possible ways to go. One is to allow for the old-fashioned WRC cars in the championship even in 2010. But then, they wouldn’t back on Super2000+ – instead they seem to want to make it a combo. This was also indicated when WRC.com made their roundup of rule changes going into the 2009 season, as they wrote the following:

“The World Rally Car era is coming to an end. This season will be the last that this type of vehicle will compete alone at the top level of the sport. 2010 will be a transitional season when a new specification of World Rally Car, based on a Super 2000 vehicle, will compete alongside the existing machinery. From 2011, however, the Super 2000 based model will take over completely.”

Another option is to go for the common Super2000 from next year, without the additional expenses of the Super2000+ package. In a recent interview in Autosport Max Mosley admits that the Subaru and Suzuki redrawals from the WRC may have caused people to change their opinions on wether the plus package should be introduced or not – despite the fact that the WMSC explicitly decided not to go on with the plain Super2000 spec in December. He opens for the possibility to go for a pure Super2000 specification without an additional package.

My opinion is that keeping the WRC cars in 2010 would be tough. They have a better performance than Super2000+ cars – and who would like to run a car doomed to lose? Also, it could cause even the Super2000+ cars to be overdeveloped and expensive, in the crazy chase for milliseconds that costs so much money in today’s WRC. I don’t know how it could be done smoothly – but I’ve also heard indications that Citroen, one of the championship’s most loyal manufacturers – expect to run the 2010 WRC with their C4WRC, so FIA may be in a difficult situation.

To me it makes most sense to skip the plus package on the Super2000 cars and make it a pure and really cheap formula that would probably attract quite a few manufacturers already from the beginning. Citroen would hopefully accept that – even since they don’t expect to take their Super2000(+) car into competition until 2011. Regarding the fans, I’m convinced that people’s interest and heart in the sport doesn’t come from – or depend on – a few horsepowers or km’s more or less – or the turbo. It depends on sideways action, nice sound and the fights between the best drivers on demanding surfaces – and that’s not a problem with Super2000. What we really need that we will also get (at least closer to) with Super2000 is a lot of manufacturers all on a good level that keeps the competition on top – and the end of the era where Citroen and Loeb can win everything almost without resistance.

Note: The next World Motorsport Council meeting, deciding about the 2010 technical regulations, will be held in March.

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Posted in WRC | 2 Comments »

Monte Carlo organiser criticizes the WRC

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

During the Rally Monte Carlo pre-event press conference, ACM’s (Automobile Club de Monte Carlo) Media Director Michel Dotta expressed critics against the strict set of regulations applying to all World Rally Championship events. Questioned about the difference between arranging a WRC event and an IRC event Dotta said:

- The main difference is very important: the IRC is definitely something that is more easy to manage than a WRC event. We have all the other stages, which can be completely different. We can manage more easily the last ones together. You can see the last night of Turini, which could not be in the WRC… 

Dotta get’s straight onto the problem – that the FIA has made the WRC an expensive championship covered by strange rules for both manufacturers and organizers. Instead they should focus on making the championship cheaper, easier to understand and more consistent regarding regulations and costs.

I promise to get back to this subject soon with more opinions…

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Posted in IRC, Rally promotion and media coverage, WRC | No Comments »

WRC is melted, let’s shape it!

Friday, January 2nd, 2009

The financial crisis is striking and the rally sport is melting down in almost all levels. Local/national/regional drivers are having a hard time finding sponsors and WRC teams are retiring due to low sales, too expensive costs and most probably even because of the new technical regulations applying from 2010. The only championship that seems to be at least close to normal state is the IRC (Intercontinental Rally Challenge). Of course it’s much because of the fact that the Super 2000 cars used in IRC will be used (in quite modified state with turbo, etc) even in the WRC from 2010 and on. It makes much more sense to develop or drive a car that will be used in the future, than an old and much more expensive WRC car that will never more be used.

However, after Subaru’s and Suzuki’s retirements – both probably caused by a combination of the new regulations and the financial crisis, WRC is really running at a low. It has been melted down during many years with rising costs and strange regulation changes from the FIA that hasn’t always been good to the sport. Citroen has entered a second team, manufacturer 2, that will compete the WRC 2009. This is probably a combination of getting good money from the drivers and getting “cheap” top 5 placements in the championship where competition will be really weak. Maybe it’s also an attempt to “save” some of the reputation of the championship by having a few more cars entered in each round!?!

Added to this, Sebastien Loeb may be doing his last year as a top level rally driver – or at least in such an outstanding level. He has the chance to take a last title quite “easily” in 2009, and maybe he’ll choose to retire after that. To continue with a new car and perhaps even brand in 2010 is much of a risk. For Loeb, that has already achieved everything, I would consider it more of a risk to lose than a chance to win. But he may continue anyway, since he is a true rally lover and since Citroen is rumoured to be developing a Super 2000 car. Without a S2000 Citroen, Loeb will end his WRC career – that’s for sure.

Ironically, these factors are the big reason why I look bright on the future of WRC – seen in a larger perspective. The championship really needs a new base that attracts more manufacturers and private teams that can take the competition to a new level. Also, it would really benefit from a Sebastien Loeb in a car he’s not used to, and maybe a little bit weaker car – which is really ironic. He is the best driver ever, no doubt about it, and his success is really fun to see. But the truth (and shame) is that the championship doesn’t need such an outstanding driver right now. The championship needs a solid and close top level where drivers battle man to man and with close fights all round the top 10 in every race. That, combined with good television coverage, better new media coverage (this is a really big and currently really bad point) and smart media strategies could make up for a reborn WRC.

I don’t know if it will happen, but I know one thing: Now is the time to start shaping the new WRC, so anyone that want’s to be on the train should jump on, now. I think that 2009 is the big turning point, and hopefully for something really good. That’s why I started this blog. I want to see it happen!

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Posted in General rallying, IRC, WRC | 1 Comment »