Lack of interest in WRC?

[RallyRaider]

Does the WRC still hold the same interest for people? Or is it just me that is losing enthusiasm? I'm very disillusioned with the way rallying is heading. The rule changes, sanitised routes, manufacturers withdrawing, everything really. Even the return of Carlos Sainz failed to move me. Has rallying has lost it’s excitement? Anybody out there? Do you feel the same?

[ales]

I feel barely enthusiastic enough to reply to a WRC thread

IN reality I do agree with you. For me it started last season. Now I rarely bother watching the rally roundups on TV (I did watch Greece though). I can't say I can put the finger on why though.

[Guido]

I've never really been a WRC-TV watcher, but I still follow it on the net, whenever possible.

[hrmodeler]

I'm still rally enhusiast and I will always be.
I don't lime FIA rules but I like rally.

[street_racer_00]

I don't have speed channel anymore, so I can't even watch the WRC now...boo.

[disomma]

i'm a fan simply because in the US there is nothing like it. it showcases cars that aren't generally available in the states, with some exceptions. but it is by no means perfect. being born in italy, and being a lancia freak, i miss the 80s and early 90s. furthermore, homoglation was exciting. it was cool knowing that you could buy the road version of what these guys were driving. the fia tends to meddle a bit too much, i.e. formula 1, but if we're lucky, they might get things right for a change.

[CrzyMR2T]

im a big fan of WRC, but it doesnt seem very popular with americans. when i mention WRC or rally racing to people at my work or wherever, most of them have no idea what im talking about, and i always end up explaining to them what it is.

[RallyFanatic]

I have too lost interest in the wrc, to more closely matched regional rallies and rallysprints. Though i saw on my holiday in a german mag (autobild motorsport) that the fia is trying to lower costs in rallying (no active diffs,saves 100000 eur per car alone) for 2006 an 2007. Apparently hyundai is also reentering the wrc in the next few years, and suzuki was thinking about it. You'll all probably know this allready but I think that this is a very good impulse for the sport. The speed will be lower but more manufacturers will mean more competition, and extra places for young talents to be discovered.

[gnasha]

Well it would help if it had more TV coverage, we have the world champion here and naf all. Just a few 30mn report for a whole rally or if you want the long one it's around 2am brilliant, that should bring more viewer. Anyway I'm still following it on the net but I must admit that I am less enthusiast as before.
As for reducing the cost, I saw a report on Citroen case which is thinking coming back in 2007 if the rule are changes but is a bit in a dilema as they would like to keep Loeb.

[lamehonda]

Seems like the coverage just sucks so much that its hard to be interested. If speed would cover it live and pay more attention to all of the competitors(like they do with nascrap) it would be more interesting.

[potsie]

I think at the moment rallying is going through a period similar to that of F1 2-4 years ago - i.e. one team dominating (via a far greater budget if Prodrive and M-Sport are to believed), which is being made worse by budget cuts to other teams (think how the Focus won the late season tarmac events last year, but M-Sport had no money to follow up the success). This is not helped by the difference in performance of the Michelin and Pirelli tyres. I am sick of seeing Seb driving conservatively, taking no risks, and winning by 30 sec. And don't give me the argument of 'the other teams should try harder' - money and resources always wins (think Ferrari in F1, HRT in V8 supercars a few years ago, Chelsea currently in football).

Obviously, cutting the cost is key. But the FIA needs to do it in a sensible manner. For example, the active diffs. Banning them makes good economic sense - except when you are a privateer team and cannot afford to retro-engineer you car, as is the case with the OMV backed Xsaras. Also, you do not have to be a genius to work out it makes more sense to run New-Zealand/Australia/Japan and Mexico/Argentina as back-to-back events. Transportation costs alone account for a huge chunk of current budgets. Rallying needs to encourage more manufacturers, but also make it attractive for privateer teams to buy 2nd hand cars and run them - have you seen the cost of a 2nd hand Impreza or Focus WRC?

Also, the cars need to be more sideways! I recently read an interview with Colin McRae, in which he said the Xsara was the only rally car he never came to terms with. The reason he gave was that it did not suit his style. Sliding was definitely out, and it needed to be driven like a circuit racer. When was the last time you saw Seb putting the back of the Xsara out? Do you think he even knows what a Scandanavian flick is?

And to be honest, rallying is lacking in drivers that can capture the public's imagination. Think of McRae or Delecour - brutally quick, spectacular to watch, but always with the possibility of sticking into the trees! How about Didier, Juha, Tommi and of course Carlos? Apart from Petter and Marcus, the other drivers are robots. Don't get me wrong, they are highly talented and great at their jobs, but it seems that is all it is to them - a job. No fire, no passion, no temper tantrums when things go wrong! Having said that, I did recently see Gigi Galli bin a Lancer WRC demonstrating it at the Castle Combe RallyDay. What a breath of fresh air he is!

In short not enough teams, too expensive, and too few drivers worth watching.

Now pass the TV guide so I can set the timer for this weekend's Rally GB - I want to see Colin put the Fabia halfway up a Welsh tree and blame Nicky for a late pacenote call!

Grant.

[lamehonda]

Yeah, I can't wait to see Mcrae this weekend.

[chuck16]

I must admit that there almost needs to be a "Rally Channel" as Speed's coverage only 1.5 hours now which use to be 2 hours isn't all that great.

How fare is it that they spend 3 hours of Nascrap every sunday and only 1.5 hours of Rallying. There needs to be a few more car racing channels I think.

That being said, the WRC, is the only sport I follow closely through the year. Thank god for the web to keep me updated. I also have www.crash.net synced to my palm so I can read updates on my coffee break.

Yeah be interesting to see how McRae does at Rally GB. Between his record and the Fabia's record I'd be surprised to see him at the finish....

[Jaguar D-Type]

I'd like to see more WRC on tv.

[da_moose]

3 hours of Nascar on Sunday!!! Yeah thats just Sunday, what about every other day of the week, It's more like 20 hours per day every day. I don't even watch Speed anymore except for the rally or a couple of other shows. It's rediculous.