2013 World Rally Championship

[Johnny Russian]

Completely disagree! Top 10 should get the points, no matter how many rallies you drive, or what car you drive. A top 10 is a top 10.

the WRC and FIA seem to agree with you rather than me, since that is the way it is actually done personally i would like to see it the other way around, because in my opinion if you are going to score points i think you should be committed to competing in at least half the rallies. but fair is fair i guess, if you get beaten by someone who is only competing in 1 or 2 rallies, well, perhaps you deserve not to get those points

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Well, for a local driver, he might just only have scraped enough money together to drive his/her local WRC rally. Then he/she should be allowed to keep the points.

As I cannot remember any good examples from newer times, because to rallies are so similar, and it is quite hard to get good equipment as a privateer.

But Marcus Grönholm, got a 5th in Rally Finland in 94, and a fourth in 96. He truly deserved the points he got.
And, to be fair, if you, as a factory-driver, fighting for the champ. Ends behind a privateer. Though luck, but then you really wasn't fast enough (or the privateer was really fast).

EDIT: Just remembered another example. "Fast" Freddy Loix. 2nd in Portugal 97, 3rd in 98 and then 2nd in the next rally, in Spain in 98.
He only drove 4-6 rallies each season, but he really deserved those points.

Actually, in 98, if these "only a few rallies due to budget/other things" wouldn't have scored. Mäkinen and Sainz would've ended on the same amount of points. Mäkinen would still win with more wins though.
However, in 97, Mäkinen would not get his second title, that title would've gone to McRae! And to be fair, that would've been wrong. A driver loosing/gaining a title, due to a faster driver not getting points?

 

[Johnny Russian]

In other rallying news, Hyundai may debut their i20 WRC test car sometime during the 2013 season. The car is slated for full entry into the WRC in 2014. Apparently Toyota might also make a return with a car based on the Yaris, and possibly even Fiat with an Abarth-based car. Unfortunately, Citroen might have to pull out soon due to financial constraints.

There's a flashy video of the i20 WRC car here.

And you can read more news about it here.

Youtube video of the i20 presentation:

 

[Johnny Russian]

on a completely unrelated note, here's a cool vid of some older rally cars getting seriously sideways. and crashing. lots and lots of crashing

 

[Trebor901]

This video just shows how rubbish todays cars are, they've gone from saloon cars that were spectacular to watch to boring little hatch backs that only old people drive the road cars of

 

[Johnny Russian]

This video just shows how rubbish todays cars are, they've gone from saloon cars that were spectacular to watch to boring little hatch backs that only old people drive the road cars of

yeah man i feel exactly the same way. back in the day we had the mighty Imprezas, Lancers, etc. nowadays we have the mighty ... Fiesta

the cars still look pretty decent in race spec and they still have a large amount of power, but i'll take the old Group A and B cars over the current cars any day

 

[William Levesque]

This video just shows how rubbish todays cars are, they've gone from saloon cars that were spectacular to watch to boring little hatch backs that only old people drive the road cars of

Indeed... The I20 ? Absolute crapmobile, lol...

At least the Abarth has some passion into it, I'd like to see the WRC version, make it happen Fiat !

 

[Michael Nelson]

I only recently started watching WRC (late 2011) and truth be told I actually had to persevere the first few events I watched, I found it slightly confusing and a little bit boring.

So, I didn't get tot watch Rallies during those days when saloon cars were common (although I do get to watch season highlights ), but it seems to me like today's WRC is all about drivers, whereas the WRCs of years past were about the cars. I think that's why I didn't find it interesting to begin with, I didn't know who anyone was, and there were only 3 different vehicles that all looked similar.

But I quite enjoyed the 2012 season, beginning to know who the drivers were and rooting for them.

I don't really know who the FIA could put the emphasis back on the cars, or if that would even improve the popularity of the WRC. It's just something I've noticed in my short time following the sport.

 

[GAIAjohan]

Hyundai never had a nice WRC car. Remember that terrible Accent?

If there was one WRC car I really liked, but never was successful, it was the Seat Cordoba.

 

[Johnny Russian]

I only recently started watching WRC (late 2011) and truth be told I actually had to persevere the first few events I watched, I found it slightly confusing and a little bit boring.

So, I didn't get tot watch Rallies during those days when saloon cars were common (although I do get to watch season highlights ), but it seems to me like today's WRC is all about drivers, whereas the WRCs of years past were about the cars. I think that's why I didn't find it interesting to begin with, I didn't know who anyone was, and there were only 3 different vehicles that all looked similar.

But I quite enjoyed the 2012 season, beginning to know who the drivers were and rooting for them.

I don't really know who the FIA could put the emphasis back on the cars, or if that would even improve the popularity of the WRC. It's just something I've noticed in my short time following the sport.

back in the day it was about the cars and the drivers. but the problem nowadays is the new rules, where the WRC cars have to be based on 1.6 liter engine cars. the rules for WRC cars have also been approaching more and more the rules for the S2000 cars, which are the Skoda Fabia, Proton Sartria, etc. for those two reasons that's why i think the cars are getting smaller and smaller.

they have also scrapped the rule where the WRC cars have to be quite similar to road cars, i think because of the current economic climate (to reduce costs). this is why in real life a Fiesta is front-wheel drive, naturally aspirated, compared to the AWD turbo-charged WRC Fiesta. back in the day the WRC cars had to be based mainly on a road car, which is why one manufacturer (can't remember who it was) once designed a WRC car and then just built the minimum amount of road cars required, which was 1 000 i think If they still had those rules you would be able to go to a Ford dealership today and buy a turbo-charged AWD Fiesta RS

another problem with the current WRC rules is that manufacturers only have to compete in one full season to achieve homologation. that's why Mini are now pulling out as a works team, because they've done that. this allows the manufacturers to sell their WRC cars to private teams like Prodrive, M-Sport, Qatar, and Abu-Dhabi. what this means is that the brand gets all the exposure of their cars being in the WRC, without any of the costs of actually running a WRC car.

given the current economic climate it's understandable and makes sense from a business viewpoint, but the way things are going at the moment, in a few years time the WRC might just be completely private teams without any manufacturers actually competing at all! Ford and Mini are already out as manufacturers, and Citroen are pulling out too. That means that next year it looks like Hyundai are going to be the one, lonely manufacturer running a WRC car. All the other cars will be run by private teams, unless VW continue their works team. but since they would've achieved homologation after this season, who knows, maybe they will also pull out!

anyway sorry for the long essay!

 

[Michael Nelson]

...

they have also scrapped the rule where the WRC cars have to be quite similar to road cars, i think because of the current economic climate (to reduce costs). this is why in real life a Fiesta is front-wheel drive, naturally aspirated, compared to the AWD turbo-charged WRC Fiesta. back in the day the WRC cars had to be based mainly on a road car, which is why one manufacturer (can't remember who it was) once designed a WRC car and then just built the minimum amount of road cars required, which was 1 000 i think If they still had those rules you would be able to go to a Ford dealership today and buy a turbo-charged AWD Fiesta RS

...

This seems kind of like a double-edged sword to me, it may cheaper for the manufacturers to enter, but then are they going to sell more cars by doing well in the WRC, if they don't sell any cars that reflect their WRC success? Hence, is there sufficient motivation to join the (now cheaper) WRC?

 

[Johnny Russian]

This seems kind of like a double-edged sword to me, it may cheaper for the manufacturers to enter, but then are they going to sell more cars by doing well in the WRC, if they don't sell any cars that reflect their WRC success? Hence, is there sufficient motivation to join the (now cheaper) WRC?

i know what you mean. i think the reason most people buy a Fiesta, an i20, etc. has got very little to do with the WRC and more to do with the fact that they are pretty good cars for a reasonable price. compare that to the fact that most people i know who own Imprezas or Lancer Evos bought them because of the exposure they got in the WRC. personally i can't see anyone going "oh wow VW are in the WRC I GOTS TA HAVE ME A POLO RIGHT NOW!"

i guess nowadays it's more to increase the exposure of the manufacturer/brand name as a whole, rather than of any one specific model.

 

[nijeat]

Not the point but can just see only drivers and their driving, ignoring what brand and their business, like me hehe. Driving offload(or tarmac) is cool and it's sometimes more easy to enjoy especially in these days. Apart from WRC there are still anyway lots of rally cars for many rally event in the world such as Salon, GT and other historic. Even though they can never be directly compared to current WRC and drivers.

e.g. Nantet's 911

Ponce's M3

 

[Johnny Russian]

Rally Sweden is due to start next week on 7 February. VW look promising to take their first WRC rally win, especially since Jari-Matti Latvala has performed well at this rally in the past. I wouldn't count the M-Sport team out though as M-Sport prepared Ford's have won the last 6 rallies in Sweden.

Rally Sweden are currently taking votes to decide on who should be pared up for the Super Special Stage head-to-head! pairing suggestions should be posted on their facebook page

 

[JayS]

Rally Sweden is due to start next week on 7 February. VW look promising to take their first WRC rally win, especially since Jari-Matti Latvala has performed well at this rally in the past. I wouldn't count the M-Sport team out though as M-Sport prepared Ford's have won the last 6 rallies in Sweden.

Rally Sweden are currently taking votes to decide on who should be pared up for the Super Special Stage head-to-head! pairing suggestions should be posted on their facebook page

Hi. I don't think that we'll see the first VW win in Sweden because it isn't Ogiers terrain and JML will throw the car probably under pressure into vegetable. My favorites this time are Östberg and Hirvonen because these two are very reliable on snow.
Let's don't forget Loeb ...

Generally I think VW will be strong this year but I would wait until Portugal to estimate their real performance. The driver line-up is very good if both keep their cars on the road.

Hirvonen is my favorite for the championship this year because his own and also Citroens experience is very big at all. Hopefully Sordo will finally win a rally(s). Maybe on Tarmac.

But in my opinion the strongest car this year is the Ford but their drivers aren't ready to win the Championship. Neuville and Novikov are very fast but too often next to the road and Östberg must be getting more speed this year. And their big Fiesta WRC Update is still outstanding.

I am very pleased for the season.

 

[Johnny Russian]

VW have done huge amounts of testing in Sweden, and Latvala has won twice before including last year but i agree with you that Ostberg might be in with a shout. and of course Loeb is always in with a shout

in other news, Petter Solberg is going to be driving his own Mk2 Ford Escort in the historic rally part of the event. The historic cars are only going to do 6 stages though - 2 on Friday and 4 on Saturday.

 

[Roy Magnes]

I'll be in the swedish and norwegian forest from friday to sunday spectating

Are there any more RD-people out there this weekend?

 

[Johnny Russian]

that's awesome Roy, enjoy it! hope it's not too cold! never been to watch a live WRC event before, unfortunately all the countries they have them in are miles away from mine

 

[Michael Nelson]

I'll be in the swedish and norwegian forest from friday to sunday spectating

Are there any more RD-people out there this weekend?

I'm jealous. I've never spectated a Rally before, was going to go to last years NZ Rally, but it clashed with exams =/

Hope you have fun!

--

Also, does anyone know if the pairings for the first SSS has been posted anywhere? That would be quite interesting to watch (from the postings on Rally Sweden's Facebook page it seems like Loeb vs Ogier is inevitable ), I wonder if videos will be posted anywhere also.

 

[Johnny Russian]

Chris Atksinson is going to be driving a Citroen in the rally, standing in for Khalid Al Qassimi who is unable to compete in the event (don't know why though). Matt Wilson is going to be standing in for Al-Attiyah, who is sick, in the Fiesta WRC.

can't find the head-to-head listings anywhere i'm afraid...

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