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With the planned changes to the WRC, the ones to decide the rally, each rally being decided on the final stage, the world that is the World Rally Championship is set for another change.
Over the coming period we will take a look at what we think the WRC should do as it sets itself up for the future.
In this article we will look at some of the issues and where we presently sit in the world of rallying. Watch out for our thoughts on the cars; the rallies and their stages’ the finance, the media and the people.
To start, there has been a shift over the past couple of years, and they have been positive.
To start we don’t mind the powerstage – in fact we like it, a few points to try on the final stage, live TV or webTV if you’re like us, a thrilling finish at Germany, not bad in Australia. Not every time will you get the thrilling finish, but that is honestly ok.
The WRC have gone through a series of changes in the last 10 odd years, most of them bad. Some of them so bad they lose the Monte-Carlo Rally. Some of the good. The current range of cars is pretty decent, the R1-5 spec cars provide a good way to go. The ease of access for spectators is a qualified good.
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Certainly, the lack of adventure is a bad – continued sanitisation of rally is bad, the want to be X-Games is worse. WRC is not Rally-cross, it isn’t a pandering extreme sport – it is an adventure, an opportunity to engage in a form of motorsport that allows some risk, some fun. Trees, different surfaces and the chance for the dedicated fan to get close to the car – enjoy the cars in a way you should be able to, not behind a huge fence, behind a massive sand trap.
Undoubtedly some of the reasons they want to change how the WRC gets a winner is that the manufacturers want bang for their buck.
We hear things like VW bringing a massive budget to the WRC – Citroen – the previous big spenders said, upon the VW announcement to join the Championship – “They did the same [big budget] in Dakar,” said Quesnel, “and Mitsubishi won with no money. And, don’t forget, Mitsubishi was red too! (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89839)
For Citroen, like Mitsubishi and Subaru before them, the WRC allowed them to reinvent themselves, dragging them from a dismal decade in the 90s with falling sales and boring cars. The success of the Xsara, led to a C4 – an interesting and successful car. But the global financial crisis hit the auto industry – particularly the French. Despite the value of the WRC, costs had to be cut. The Citoren boss said – “Look where Citroën was a decade ago – almost gone. The lead force in that transformation has been product, but the World Rally Championship program has contributed a lot too, inspiring the company from within and transforming its image among the outside world,” Banzet was quoted as saying by Autocar.
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For Hyundai, it was rumoured in the Financial Times they would be rallying on 80 Million Euros per year (http://www.worldrallyblog.com/2013/06/30/wrc-news/hyundai-in-wrc-for-a-minimum-of-4-years-big-budget-confirmed/) and VW are rumoured to be getting ichy feet unless they get a better return.
Which is the real point and is where the WRC needs to look for change. If there is say 20 million worth of value in a year of the WRC, why are the manufacturers more. If there is 20 million, shouldn’t the manufacturers be spending 10 and the privateers spending a lot less than that?
We also know that there will be car changes in 2017.
This is where the WRC must look to reengage their fans and build new ones. Where fundamental changes can be made.
No gimmicks.
And it might be the opportunity to return to a cost effective rallying state, with more entertainment and more opportunities car manufacturers or tuners to get on the stages.
Next up we’ll take a look at cars.
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By Sam Tickell, October 2014
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