2012 World Rally Championship

[Chronus]

Brilliant driving.

 

[mohammad2011]

Hi. I missed an awesome Group B cars since it was banned in late 1986. So when the FIA will allow Group B cars to compete again?

 

[Manuel De Samaniego]

mmm... I guess never. There are many historic Rallies that have group B cars though

 

[Rhys Gardiner]

Never. As awesome as they were, they were also too quick and too dangerous for official competition.

The closest thing to Group B these days is the Pikes Peak Unlimited class.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

the modern wrc rally cars with all there tech and tyres are posting quicker times than the group B cars of old..

this was mentioned a bit back as there a course that hasn't changed much in all these years ... but they are no were near look/sound as impressive..
I don't know if this counts for all events that the wrc run in today..

 

[Rhys Gardiner]

the modern wrc rally cars with all there tech and tyres are posting quicker times than the group B cars of old..

They're also a lot easier to drive and have better safety equipment. At the time, however, the Group B cars were too fast because they didn't have these things.

The current World Rally Car regulations are based on Group A, so there's been a lot of time for development!

 

[Warren Dawes]

Oops! Double post due to the Forum backing up ( I assume).

 

[Warren Dawes]

The scariest thing about the Group B era was the spectators.
The crowds were huge because these cars were so spectacular, and they lined the narrow roads in thousands, often jumping in front of the on-coming cars to take photo's etc.
Considering how fast and on-edge these brutes of cars were, the spectators were maniacs. It's amazing more people weren't killed.

Rallying has probably never drawn so many spectators since though.

 

[nijeat]

Even though not by FIA but We somehow could have seen the meeting of the Group B by Michelin on August 25~26, as Michelin Group B Rally, one-off event though, and celebrating 30 years of Group B. But canceled due to for some reason and rescheduled to 20~22 September with just demonstration run of Rally Isle of Man.

http://www.rallyegroupeb.com/about

 

[DiRTGameRocks]

Philippe Bugalski is my hero, I miss him too. R.I.P.

But don't worry, we have many more of rally heroes like Sébastien Loeb, Mikko Hirvonen, Ken Block, Jonas Andromeda, Marcus Grönholm, Tommi Makinen, Carlos Sainz, and more...

 

[Manuel De Samaniego]

San Martino Di Castrozza. Crew is OK

 

[Ondrej Kapal]

This year is total disaster for rally trough the whole Europe. But it seems the worst is happening in Czech, so far 2 dead co-drivers and 1 dead spectator. Not to be enough, czech driver Antonín Tlusťák, who participates in FIA Europe Rally Championship, crashed during Rally Príncipe de Asturias and killed another spectator.

I just read a minute old message about it. I don't know what is happening

 

[Ondrej Kapal]

OFFICIAL NOTICE
Rally Príncipe de Asturias deeply regrets the death of a fan, with the initials A.M.C.N., on the second running of the Villaviciosa-Colunga stage near to Alto de La Llama. The accident took place when car number 2 left the road during the competition.
The organisers have therefore decided that Nava 3 will be the final stage of the Rally with a start time estimated at 18:00.
ACPA Press Departament Rally Príncipe de Asturias

 

[Xosé Estrada]

This is my local Rally, in fact I was going to one of the stages that were suspended (near Gijón/Xixón)

It's the second death in one month in local rally here

 

[Xosé Estrada]

In the era of downsizing and safety? No way.

 

[Harry Platt]

To be honest if something like Group B was to return, it would still never be as astonishing as Group B was. Free for all regulations in WRC nowdays would result not in crazy horsepower, but crazy tech, making the cars ridiculously easy to drive and probably less of a spectacle than it is now.

 

[Thilo Falkenberg]

With the announcement of Red Bull Media House taking over the promotion duties from 2013 on, it was also announced that the FIA European Rallye Championship or ERC will start to be promoted by Eurosport Events. The Parisenne company signed a 10-year contract.
Eurosport-Event promotes the FIA European Touring Car Cup and the FIA World Touring Car Championship. After restrictions on the WRC broadcasting rights Eurosport Events formed the Intercontinental Rallye Challenge and promoted it from that time on. There was roumor that IRC and ERC merge, however this was denied by the FIA World Council.

Eurosport Events announced that there won't be a IRC in Europe, at least not in the current form.

source: http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/2012/Pages/wmsc-280912.aspx

 

[Thilo Falkenberg]

It was confirmed yesterday: http://www.racedepartment.com/forum...rallye-championship-the-end-of-the-irc.57123/

Well I think this could turn out to be a good thing. Maybe even live stages return, at least on Red Bull TV (internet stream).

 

[Karlip]

Thought i'd make a thread of the rally where Sebastien Loeb clinched his 9th world rally championship title. Enjoy the videos and pictures:

Arzeno's scary crash, lucky to be unharmed!

Petter Solberg's crash with luckily no people hurt!

Ott Tänak spins & Novikov crashes!

Mads Ostberg pushes the limits!

Difficult start for Sebastien Chardonnet:

 

[Hamed]

WRC 2012 France Day2