The World Rally Championship thread

[Myrvold]

What!? I thought it was just Skoda that had a works team now. That was partly why Neuville suddently got shipped over til Citroën.

[DanielPT]

Everything could be solved with one single rule: Bring back group B cars or similar.

Let them struggle. It's FIA fault that we are at this point. Rallying became pointless.

[mario]

So it looks like this little saga between Prodrive and BMW is about to come to a close finally, with the German manufacturer seemingly getting cold feet and pulling the plug early on a motorsport programme yet again.

BMW set to terminate Prodrive contract to run the Mini WRC team

Whilst it's not actually confirmed yet, and BMW might not yet pull out still, the writing's on the wall as far as I'm concerned. The question now is, how long will the DTM venture last? It's so infuriating, especially seeing as Sordo is doing great things with a car that still hasn't realised its full potential. I wish BMW grew a spine and started committing itself properly to motorsport.

The problem with BMW is that they now only want to enter major series on their own terms - they pushed the ACO to modify the regulations for GT cars to make it easier to convert a 3 series to the GT class (including reusing a number of parts from the Touring car version), then pushed the DTM organisers to shift the regulations towards the GT regulations for their benefit. I guess that BMW were hoping that the FIA might be more willing to skew the regulations in their direction than the FIA were willing to do; add to that repeated arguments with Prodrive over who will pay for what and BMW look like they are dropping this despite success (hell, they are beating the Ford Works rally team and Sordo is 2nd in the drivers championship, yet that still doesn't seem to be enough for them).
Mind you, I also wonder whether BMW are pulling out because VW has announced that they will be running a WRC program - we've seen in other series how VW have sometimes obliterated their rivals in other series, so perhaps BMW are pre-emptively pulling out now so they aren't seen as being beaten by VW?

[Stramala]

What!? I thought it was just Skoda that had a works team now. That was partly why Neuville suddently got shipped over til Citroën.

I believe Peugeot still give some financial support to the national teams (France, Benelux, Portugal, UK). Now I think about it I'm not so sure about Ford, but Subaru are fully backing Toshi Arai again, as well as Jarkko Nikara and Andreas Aigner for some rallies.
And Neuville was never really shipped over, he was a PSA driver, which meant he was both a Citroen and Peugeot driver, hence why he spent 2009 in the JWRC in a Citroen C2.

[Stramala]

ITV4 had agreed terms to broadcast the WRC in Britain, but that deal fell apart amid the North One situation.

This makes me mad. Really mad. WRC was finally going to return to free-to-air TV and then North One bathplugs it all up?! God damn. I will just pray that enough national TV networks come forward with proposals for Filmworks to show up and produce the shows.

[Stramala]

BREAKING NEWS

I have just received a press release from Mini WRT. The official works team as of Monte Carlo is being demoted to a privateer effort, and instead, to retain their status as manufacturers, Team Portugal (Araujo and Nobre) will be promoted to works status.

[DanielPT]

BREAKING NEWS

I have just received a press release from Mini WRT. The official works team as of Monte Carlo is being demoted to a privateer effort, and instead, to retain their status as manufacturers, Team Portugal (Araujo and Nobre) will be promoted to works status. It's a really odd move and I can't make much sense of it, considering Prodrive will still be building and maintaning all the cars.

I can't help but to smile at that press release. Araujo is a good competent driver although far from the leading drivers league, who, in turn, are far from the Ogier-Loeb league. Anyway, perhaps there was a bust up with those guys in the previously known official works team..

[Stramala]

BREAKING NEWS

I have just received a press release from Mini WRT. The official works team as of Monte Carlo is being demoted to a privateer effort, and instead, to retain their status as manufacturers, Team Portugal (Araujo and Nobre) will be promoted to works status. It's a really odd move and I can't make much sense of it, considering Prodrive will still be building and maintaning all the cars.

I can't help but to smile at that press release. Araujo is a good competent driver although far from the leading drivers league, who, in turn, are far from the Ogier-Loeb league. Anyway, perhaps there was a bust up with those guys in the previously known official works team..

I just figured out why they did this. Story coming very soon.

[Wizzie]

Motors TV to show Rally Sweden in UK.

Not sure about the rest of the world other than Scandinavia though.

[DanielPT]

Eurosport has a title that reads: "Latvala leads after Loeb crashes".

Never mind that they seem to imply Latvala only leads because Loeb crashed (perhaps they are right, but we will never know).

This is a title that includes all the words that we recently became used to when it comes to rallying, still, put it this way and it brings something new and refreshing to the sport!

[Wizzie]

It'd only be a matter of time before Latvala throws it into a tree

[mario]

Eurosport has a title that reads: "Latvala leads after Loeb crashes".

Never mind that they seem to imply Latvala only leads because Loeb crashed (perhaps they are right, but we will never know).

This is a title that includes all the words that we recently became used to when it comes to rallying, still, put it this way and it brings something new and refreshing to the sport!

There is something in that, it must be said - Loeb started the event with a 10s time penalty for a late departure from servicing due to making some late set up changes, and it is thought that he lost about two minutes when he ended up stuck on a snowbank. At the moment, he is 2m08.9s off the lead in 7th place - so it is reasonable to assume that, had he not lost as much time as he had, that Loeb would at least be amongst the leading pack or possibly in the lead of the event.

It'd only be a matter of time before Latvala throws it into a tree

Assuming the tyres last long enough for him to do that - although running further back on the road paid off in the earlier stages, it seems that on the later stages, where the top layers of snow have been brushed aside and exposed the gravel beneath, that quite a few drivers are suffering from damage to the studs of the tyres.

[Stramala]

Eurosport has a title that reads: "Latvala leads after Loeb crashes".

Never mind that they seem to imply Latvala only leads because Loeb crashed (perhaps they are right, but we will never know).

This is a title that includes all the words that we recently became used to when it comes to rallying, still, put it this way and it brings something new and refreshing to the sport!

To be fair, I almost made the same faux pas when writing the headline for my WRC report. But, in the end, it didn't matter, because every piece of technology I own simultaenously broke

[DanielPT]

And Latvala failed to bathplug it up... Disappointing really, although he showed some effort when he hit that rock puncturing his tyre and making him lose time. The bonus is that prevented probably the only fair chance of victory for Hirvonen at a rally other than Finland.

[Wizzie]

There is a God!

Too bad nobody will be able to see it but that might be about to change.

[Stramala]

There is a God!

Too bad nobody will be able to see it but that might be about to change.

Also glad to see Mokkipera back again, IMO the best stage behind Ouninpohja.

[Wizzie]

The light at the end of the tunnel?

[mario]

As usual, it seems that Latvala has been hit by problems yet again whilst in the lead of a rally - he broke his front suspension after striking a large rock in one of the opening stages which has seen him slide quite far down the order.
What is perhaps more worrying is that Latvala's accident, although initially ascribed to chance, might not have been so coincidental after all. Autosport is reporting that stage 9 has been cancelled after reports of spectator security problems - including reports that Neuville had rocks thrown at his car by spectators on the opening stage. If that is not abhorrent enough, there are reports that some spectators are also placing rocks on the roads to try and catch drivers out - so perhaps Latvala's accident was caused by somebody intentionally placing rocks on the course so somebody would crash out. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97943

[Wizzie]

As usual, it seems that Latvala has been hit by problems yet again whilst in the lead of a rally - he broke his front suspension after striking a large rock in one of the opening stages which has seen him slide quite far down the order.
What is perhaps more worrying is that Latvala's accident, although initially ascribed to chance, might not have been so coincidental after all. Autosport is reporting that stage 9 has been cancelled after reports of spectator security problems - including reports that Neuville had rocks thrown at his car by spectators on the opening stage. If that is not abhorrent enough, there are reports that some spectators are also placing rocks on the roads to try and catch drivers out - so perhaps Latvala's accident was caused by somebody intentionally placing rocks on the course so somebody would crash out. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97943

But, since it's Latvala, it would have been only a matter of time before he found a tree anyway

[Wizzie]

Oh dear Jari

[eurobrun]

If Latvala went to F1 he would make De Cesaris look like Heidfeld.

[Wizzie]

If Latvala went to F1 he would make De Cesaris look like Heidfeld.

I think it's safe to say Jari-Matti Latvala is the dictionary definition of a muppet

[DanielPT]

If Latvala went to F1 he would make De Cesaris look like Heidfeld.

I think it's safe to say Jari-Matti Latvala is the dictionary definition of a muppet

It was bound to happen. Latvala's need for crash is way stronger than anything De Cesaris had...

[Waris]

I often daydream about Jari-Matti Latvala going to NASCAR. That would be hilarious, wouldn't it? Especially on a short track, because the cars would be really close together.

[Pieman]

The amount of pure rejects and rejectful behaviour in this championship at the moment...this website could sponsor it!

[Stramala]

I have an idea!

DiRT Campionato Italiano
Superleague meets IRC meets Superstars.

The teams?
AS Roma
SS Lazio
FC Internazionale Milano
AC Milan
Juventus
US Citta di Palermo
SSC Napoli
Udinese Corse
Cagliari Corse
Bologna Corse
Associazione Corse Fiorentina
Genoa Corse
Unione Corse Sampdoria

Alberto Llovera has already proven with his outings in a Fiat Punto S2000 that disabled drivers can still race in rallying, so now we can have Alex Zanardi driving for the Bologna team

Sanremo, Sardinia, Targa Florio, 1000 Miglia, San Marino, Salento, Como could make up at least part of the calendar, perhaps also with trips to Corsica and Monte Carlo. Everybody would be driving Fiat Punto S2000s to keep the competition level and to make it even more Italian. Giandomenico Basso would probably end up being champion anyway, but I suppose there would be some interesting racing.

As for running the teams, perhaps former Italian F1 reject teams may want to try their hand at running rally teams. Although Interwetten actually already bridge the gap between single seaters and rallying by running Franz Wittman in IRC with a Peugeot 207 S2000 while also have a World Series by Renault team.
Hopefully Juventus are run by a combination of Andrea Sassetti and Ernesto Vita



Yes...I'm THAT bored of real WRC. Go figure.

[Klon]

SS Lazio

Are they really called that? If yes, I might become Lazio fan - this hilariously ironic name.

[Stramala]

SS Lazio

Are they really called that? If yes, I might become Lazio fan - this hilariously ironic name.

It gets better. Their club logo has an eagle standing above it...
But just to be clear, the SS part stands for Società Sportiva and not Schutzstaffel

[Klon]

But just to be clear, the SS part stands for Società Sportiva and not Schutzstaffel

You sure about that?

[MinardiFan95]

In a recent article on Autosport.com, Loeb has shown that he is against endurance rallies, and would quit the WRC if they were re-introduced. I've recently watched the 1991 Safari Rally on TV and from just watching that, I can gather that endurance rallies are much more interesting (at least for TV audiences) then the current short rallies. As we probably all know, one of the main reasons why WRC is so boring now is Loeb's domination, so this could potentially bring more interest from TV viewers (that is, providing there is actually some TV coverage, thanks North One ).

[Stramala]

In a recent article on Autosport.com, Loeb has shown that he is against endurance rallies, and would quit the WRC if they were re-introduced. I've recently watched the 1991 Safari Rally on TV and from just watching that, I can gather that endurance rallies are much more interesting (at least for TV audiences) then the current short rallies. As we probably all know, one of the main reasons why WRC is so boring now is Loeb's domination, so this could potentially bring more interest from TV viewers (that is, providing there is actually some TV coverage, thanks North One ).

Much like the most exciting races in F1 can come from circuits that aren't known as 'drivers tracks' and contain corners the drivers don't like, they often produce good racing. The same applies in WRC enduros, they throw in a random factor that the driver has no control over. A 10 minute lead can become a 20 minute defecit in the space of one stage, the Safari was so unpredictable. If they turned Acropolis into an enduro, that might cause lots of problems for the drivers as well.

[DanielPT]

In a recent article on Autosport.com, Loeb has shown that he is against endurance rallies, and would quit the WRC if they were re-introduced. I've recently watched the 1991 Safari Rally on TV and from just watching that, I can gather that endurance rallies are much more interesting (at least for TV audiences) then the current short rallies. As we probably all know, one of the main reasons why WRC is so boring now is Loeb's domination, so this could potentially bring more interest from TV viewers (that is, providing there is actually some TV coverage, thanks North One ).

Much like the most exciting races in F1 can come from circuits that aren't known as 'drivers tracks' and contain corners the drivers don't like, they often produce good racing. The same applies in WRC enduros, they throw in a random factor that the driver has no control over. A 10 minute lead can become a 20 minute defecit in the space of one stage, the Safari was so unpredictable. If they turned Acropolis into an enduro, that might cause lots of problems for the drivers as well.

I would also like the return of night stages please...

[eurobrun]

In a recent article on <a href="http://Autosport.com">Autosport.com</a>, Loeb has shown that he is against endurance rallies, and would quit the WRC if they were re-introduced. I've recently watched the 1991 Safari Rally on TV and from just watching that, I can gather that endurance rallies are much more interesting (at least for TV audiences) then the current short rallies. As we probably all know, one of the main reasons why WRC is so boring now is Loeb's domination, so this could potentially bring more interest from TV viewers (that is, providing there is actually some TV coverage, thanks North One ).

Much like the most exciting races in F1 can come from circuits that aren't known as 'drivers tracks' and contain corners the drivers don't like, they often produce good racing. The same applies in WRC enduros, they throw in a random factor that the driver has no control over. A 10 minute lead can become a 20 minute defecit in the space of one stage, the Safari was so unpredictable. If they turned Acropolis into an enduro, that might cause lots of problems for the drivers as well.

I would also like the return of night stages please...

And more manufacturers.

[East Londoner]

Apparently, the FIA remain committed to the WRC, for now...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98221

[Waris]

I thought Loeb was already quitting WRC after this year, to focus on sportscars with his Sébastien Loeb Racing team?

[Stramala]

I thought Loeb was already quitting WRC after this year, to focus on sportscars with his Sébastien Loeb Racing team?

He said he would in future. He didn't specify it would next year. Maybe he retires at the end of next year, you have to wonder if perhaps he wants to beat Ogier in a championship fight when Sebastien 2.0 has a works Volkswagen machine, just to prove he is better than his 'replacement' in the sport, before he calls it quits.

[mario]

Interesting strategic choice going in in the Portuguese Rally, with Ford and Citroen taking diametrically opposed views. With Latvala and Solberg having first choice for the starting order, Latvala chose last place and Solberg went for the penultimate position, reasoning that they could take advantage of the other cars cleaning up the road ahead of them.
Citroen, however, have gone for the reverse strategy, with Hirvonen first and Loeb second on the road - their logic being that, with the possibility that dust clouds thrown up by the drivers ahead could severely reduce visibility, it is safer to start first and take advantage of the better visibility. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98438
It's going to be interesting to see whose decision pays off - Latvala has admitted that his strategy may be riskier, but being so far back in to title chase means that he has little to lose and everything to gain.

[DanielPT]

Interesting strategic choice going in in the Portuguese Rally, with Ford and Citroen taking diametrically opposed views. With Latvala and Solberg having first choice for the starting order, Latvala chose last place and Solberg went for the penultimate position, reasoning that they could take advantage of the other cars cleaning up the road ahead of them.
Citroen, however, have gone for the reverse strategy, with Hirvonen first and Loeb second on the road - their logic being that, with the possibility that dust clouds thrown up by the drivers ahead could severely reduce visibility, it is safer to start first and take advantage of the better visibility. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98438
It's going to be interesting to see whose decision pays off - Latvala has admitted that his strategy may be riskier, but being so far back in to title chase means that he has little to lose and everything to gain.

Although it will be cloudy this weekend, it passed many weeks now since it last rained here with some significance, so the roads will most likely be very dusty, just like last year. My prognostic will be Citroen to wipe the floor with Ford.

[DanielPT]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98442

Can't see why Latvala is worried... If there is someone who doesn't need night or dust to crash a car it is him. And he will definitely crash on Friday...

[East Londoner]

Loeb has...crashed out!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98460