2024 WRC and ERC discussion

[andy97]

I have opened this up now as news and calendars are coming out for nest years.

Personally I also would like to split discussions of the WRC and ERC away from National and Historic discussions. Maybe that’s just me, but hope no one minds.

Must admit, that I am not sure where to put the BRC discussion, but I suppose in a separate National and Historic thread!?

[GravelBen]

I think the number of regular/frequent posters in the PH rallying section is small enough that we don't really need to split discussion into more separate threads, but we can see how it works out.

Sounds like Paddon is planning to contest ERC again, after mostly playing things safe to take the championship this year he wants to push for more rally wins next year. Quite a few of the rallies were new to him this season so gaining that event knowledge will help him lift the pace further - not that there was any lack of pace this year, just more cautious risk management.

[ArnageWRC]

GravelBen said:

I think the number of regular/frequent posters in the PH rallying section is small enough that we don't really need to split discussion into more separate threads, but we can see how it works out.

Sounds like Paddon is planning to contest ERC again, after mostly playing things safe to take the championship this year he wants to push for more rally wins next year. Quite a few of the rallies were new to him this season so gaining that event knowledge will help him lift the pace further - not that there was any lack of pace this year, just more cautious risk management.

The Rallying threads are inhabited by the same handful of people......it's the same on the Autosport forums....There will be days without any comment, but pages and pages on what Max had for breakfast, or how many crashes Marc has had this morning.....


We all know the issues with the WRC, but I always feel the ERC should/ could be better than it is; but then I look at who runs it......the same people as the WRC.....

[flatlandsman]

An rallycross and European rallies, it is a bit silly,

But bike racing is the same the same company run what was European series, World superbike MotoGP and the Spanish series where all the riders come from.

It is a total monopoly.

[GravelBen]

ArnageWRC said:

...but I always feel the ERC should/ could be better than it is...

Out of interest, what don't you like with the ERC?

This year was the first time I've watched much of it, prompted by WRC+ giving access and having a Kiwi driver there to follow for some patriotic interest / investment.

I've really quite enjoyed it, big fields with a lot of contenders in the main class on most rallies - quite a contrast to WRC where there are only a handful of top level entries and then you only see a few WRC2 cars as well.

Edited by GravelBen on Thursday 19th October 00:34

[GravelBen]

I see the 2024 WRC calendar is out and only has 3 events outside Europe.

Not much of a 'world' championship, more of an ERC+.

[ArnageWRC]

13 events for a sport with 2.5 manufacturers seems ambitious......They always moan about costs, yet won't cut the number of rounds to cut costs. Compare and contrast to the WEC - who have far more manufacturers, but limit the number of rounds to about 8-9.

I have very little confidence in the current promoters who can't seem to make it attractive.....

[GravelBen]

ArnageWRC said:

...They always moan about costs, yet won't cut the number of rounds to cut costs...

They won't simplify car technology or stop creating new rules requiring new car designs every few years either...

[flatlandsman]

being honest they are linked to red Bull, as long as red Bull backed stuff is winning in some way that is all they care about, they basically push themselves. they did for decades with Loeb and Ogier and they always try and be on the best car and driver, so they really need to turn up to their job.

I have no idea why any of it is behind a paywall, I guess the minimum people paying the most is their business plan, saying that they tried to sell WRC to just about every channel in the UK and it was dropped so they had little option.

[ArnageWRC]

I wouldn't get carried away with the Red Bull link - although they're part of the WRC Promoter group. You would never guess - watch other RBTV output, and the rally stuff is nothing like it.....it's not much different from the old ISC/North One output; and that's from 20 years ago.

We all thought RB getting the promoters role would do wonderous things.......It hasn't turned out like that.

[flatlandsman]

My point being that whatever happens at the moment, and in the past 20 or so years, an RD backed driver or car festooned with livery wins, so RB have no incentive whatsoever to try and do any kind of extra marketing to increase the footprint.

They will be where the money is, not on tv but at events doling out cans and other stuff, as that is where the people are. Not sitting at home watching on tv.

[ArnageWRC]

flatlandsman said:

My point being that whatever happens at the moment, and in the past 20 or so years, an RD backed driver or car festooned with livery wins, so RB have no incentive whatsoever to try and do any kind of extra marketing to increase the footprint.

I don't understand that rationale; so they're happy to have a poor series with few manufacturers - but as long as a RB sponsored athlete wins, that's fine? If that is the case, then the sport is fooked.......and extremely short sighted.

[flatlandsman]

Think about why else are they involved?

They dont care about the sport, they care about marketing, and every single world champion pretty much in the last 20 or so years has either been one of their athletes or driving a heavily RB branded car, so every time they win, their marketing is done for them worldwide without them having to spend a penny!

Why else would a drinks company buy the rights for a sport they are heavily involved in?

[ArnageWRC]

But they do very little proper promotion - that's why we have so few manufacturers.......and the least interest of motorsport fans.

Just look on here, Autosport, Ten Tenths - the rallying sections are nearly always the least busy......They're not doing their job.

[fttm]

Rali Ceredigion 2024 is now an ERC round , well done to all involved .

[ArnageWRC]

Great news for all the organising team - well deserved.

Now over to those in British rallying to support the event; I recall the IRC Rally Scotland didn't get the entries it deserved........

[l354uge]

autosport link

"power stages are making the rest of Sunday a snooze fest, should we get rid?"

"Na, let's cock up the points system so the rally winner could score less than the guy in 3rd"

Desperate

[ArnageWRC]

"Fiddling while Rome burns........"

Once again they're not addressing the real issues......We've seen this all before.....

[flatlandsman]

For goodness sake, "we are desperate to make changes but have blind fear that any one of these manufacturers will quit of we do too much"

Have some bloody balls, forget them, they are only interested in selling crap cars not your series, do something revolutionary instead of having pathological fear of losing manufacturers that are only there to serve their interests not anybody elses, even their customers, who they just want to fleece.

Skoda have done more for their image building 500+ R5 cars that have sold all over the world than Hyundai have in 10 or so years of spending hundreds of millions in WRC,

[GravelBen]

l354uge said:

autosport link

"power stages are making the rest of Sunday a snooze fest, should we get rid?"

"Na, let's cock up the points system so the rally winner could score less than the guy in 3rd"

Desperate

Sounds like a shambles of a system!

I've been saying for a few years they just need to adjust the balance so powerstage points aren't worth so much relative to overall results.