FIA WRX 2017

[DiRTKiNG808 15]

Dytut said:

@tbtstt : Yeah I agree, it's always looked so much more planted than the other cars. Almost like it can be softer than the other cars but somehow avoid all the body roll and suspension overloading.
 It would be nice to see if VW could replicate the same success on another car or if the Polo is just that magical perfect. Makes one wonder what they did with the car. 

I hope they make some kind of documentary about it in a few years when they've stopped racing it and show us all the black magic. 

The VW Beatle in the GRC series is kind of the same way. Subaru keeps closing on them but so fare the VW are the dominat car.

[KingOfCoins 286]

So ford is dropping out of WRX. It's really a shame
https://www.motorsport-news.co.uk/news/rallying-news/rallycross/blocks-ford-backed-team-to-quit-world-rallycross/

[tbtstt 2,387]

Great to see Peugeot/Loeb confirm at least some involvement for 2018. Real shame about Ford though. I must confess I had been expecting Bakkerud and Block to be a lot more competitive this year, but I still think it's a real shame to see them go (perhaps an early clue that Ford will be putting their money into a WRC effort though?).

[DiRTKiNG808 15]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! My favorite team in WRX is leaving. That makes me a little sad. I will miss Hoonigan and Block. I hope that Bakkerud finds a good team because he is an amazing driver.

[dwkGravey 0]

If Ford is leaving WRX because they're not interested in the electric future of the series... and WRC has no plans to go electric but would like Ford as a manufacturer team...

[KingOfCoins 286]

dwkGravey said:

If Ford is leaving WRX because they're not interested in the electric future of the series... and WRC has no plans to go electric but would like Ford as a manufacturer team...

I think it's the combination of the electric future and the dominance of the VW. If their car was still just as competitive as it was the last year I think they would stick around in the series for another year at least.

[gfRally 449]

Electric future?  Sigh....                                     

[DiRTKiNG808 15]

Electric Rallycross would be absolute SH*T! Excuse my French. I soooooooo hope that dies before it starts.

[tbtstt 2,387]

DiRTKiNG808 said:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! My favorite team in WRX is leaving. That makes me a little sad. I will miss Hoonigan and Block. I hope that Bakkerud finds a good team because he is an amazing driver.

Yeah, I hope Bakkerud can find another seat for 2018. His driving has been a bit aggressive at times this year, but he is quick and deserves a place in a decent team.

dwkGravey said:

If Ford is leaving WRX because they're not interested in the electric future of the series... and WRC has no plans to go electric but would like Ford as a manufacturer team...

I may end up eating my words, but I don't think the electric cars have anything to do with it. Despite the rapid growth of the series, the WRC is still a better global advert than World Rallycross. Ogier said he would probably stay at M-Sport if Ford got involved, so it is going to be a massive coincidence if they pull the plug on rallycross and don't put that money into the WRC.

DiRTKiNG808 said:

Electric Rallycross would be absolute SH*T! Excuse my French. I soooooooo hope that dies before it starts.

The technology is a perfect match for rallycross - and there seems to be a lot of manufacturer interest - so I think we are going to see it around for a while. I can't see it replacing the top class in the near future though: good thing too, as I don't want the Supercar class going anywhere!

[Janneman60 154]

I disagree with that. A whole season wrx with 2 cars doesn't even cost as much as 1 rally. Money can not be the reason for a manufacturer. I believe the laxk of performance is a bigger reason. The past learns that the Wilson factory can't deliver a quick enough rallycross car and this year learns this is still the case.

[tbtstt 2,387]

Janneman60 said:

I disagree with that. A whole season wrx with 2 cars doesn't even cost as much as 1 rally. Money can not be the reason for a manufacturer. I believe the laxk of performance is a bigger reason. The past learns that the Wilson factory can't deliver a quick enough rallycross car and this year learns this is still the case.

The amount of money that Volkswagen Motorsport have supposedly spent on the World Rallycross this year is a lot more than one rally would cost. 

Not sure I would agree with "lack of performance". The Focus was very quick in 2016 and arguably the car to beat at the end of the season (look at how much ground Bakkerud gained in the latter rounds of 2016). There seemed to be little progress made in the off season though so, although the Focus was still near the front, it wasn't quite on the pace of the PSRXVW Polo or the EKS S1. 

It certainly wasn't struggling at the back though. It has actually performed much better than I expected, I really didn't think a long wheelbase would work that well. 

[DiRTKiNG808 15]

The Ford Focus RS RX is a beast of a car. It's fast and quick while being a bigger car. To me it also looks the best out of all the cars.

[tbtstt 2,387]

DiRTKiNG808 said:

The Ford Focus RS RX is a beast of a car. It's fast and quick while being a bigger car. To me it also looks the best out of all the cars.

The M-Sport Fiesta is still my favourite looking of the modern cars. The loan Fiesta that Block ran at Loheac back in 2014 sounded absolutely savage. Gronholm is running the same car this year, but it doesn't sound quite as mean now!

Aside from the Countryman, I think all the current Supercars look pretty cool: to be fair though, most cars looks good if you slap wide arches on them and give them 550+BHP!  

[Janneman60 154]

Let's hope Bakkerud gets a decent ride next season. Besides that he is quick I believe WRX needs extravert persons like him. Block is also that kind of person but just can't find the speed.

[DiRTKiNG808 15]

tbtstt said:

DiRTKiNG808 said:

The Ford Focus RS RX is a beast of a car. It's fast and quick while being a bigger car. To me it also looks the best out of all the cars.

The M-Sport Fiesta is still my favourite looking of the modern cars. The loan Fiesta that Block ran at Loheac back in 2014 sounded absolutely savage. Gronholm is running the same car this year, but it doesn't sound quite as mean now!

Aside from the Countryman, I think all the current Supercars look pretty cool: to be fair though, most cars looks good if you slap wide arches on them and give them 550+BHP!  

They do sound amazing!

[dwkGravey 0]

tbtstt said:

DiRTKiNG808 said:

Electric Rallycross would be absolute SH*T! Excuse my French. I soooooooo hope that dies before it starts.

The technology is a perfect match for rallycross - and there seems to be a lot of manufacturer interest - so I think we are going to see it around for a while. I can't see it replacing the top class in the near future though: good thing too, as I don't want the Supercar class going anywhere!

Agreed, an electric class would be great. Instant torque, acceleration over top speed, short races, all wheel drive, EVs are way more suited for rallycross than say Formula E at this point in history.

[sqdstr 107]

I'm seeing rumours about Grönholm building a WRX team for his son with a Hyundai i20 WRC car as base.

Link is in French:
http://www.lemagsportauto.com/rallycross-hyundai-gronholm-lan-prochain/27350/

[KingOfCoins 286]

Seems like we're getting a USA round next year. On the Circuit of the Americas

https://parcferme.no/nyheter/usa-tildeles-vm-runde-hockenheim-ryker-kalenderen/ (In Norwegian)

And Hockenheimring is going. A good exchange in my eyes. considering I was never much of a fan of that track

[DiRTKiNG808 15]

That's so awesome! I'm glad the WRX is coming to the US. COTA is an awesome track and I can't wait to see what they do with it.

[tbtstt 2,387]

Been away for a few days, so just catching up on the latest news now. I'm not surprised to see the World Championship appear in the US, but I didn't think it would happen while the GRC was still in existence. 

It seems silly not to have had the US and Canadian rounds back-to-back but, according to what I have seen on Facebook (specifically comments from Andrew Coley), it seems it wasn't possible to align the schedules. 

[DiRTKiNG808 15]

I think the GRC will be around for a while. It keeps gaining popularity. Rounds 10 and 11 were packed. I really appreciate both series.

[gfRally 449]

Texas might be a vacation spot for me, just need to talk the misses into it.

[Madhun1967 51]

IM THERE next year .............................roadtrip from Ohio !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tbtstt 2,387]

Anyone watch the final round of the Championship? I thought the track was decent and there was some good racing. 

Semi final two was absolute chaos at the start, Block's Focus seemed to have shed most of it's front end by lap six! I thought the ruling against Block was a bit harsh though, would like to know more details about it (i.e. was it because of the weight of the car at the end of the race or prior to it lining up for the final). 

Great pace from Timmy Hansen, shame that Kristoffersson got a bit of breathing space at the start of the race, as Timmy looked faster in the latter part of the race.

[gfRally 449]

tbtstt said:

Anyone watch the final round of the Championship? I thought the track was decent and there was some good racing. 

Semi final two was absolute chaos at the start, Block's Focus seemed to have shed most of it's front end by lap six! I thought the ruling against Block was a bit harsh though, would like to know more details about it (i.e. was it because of the weight of the car at the end of the race or prior to it lining up for the final). 

Great pace from Timmy Hansen, shame that Kristoffersson got a bit of breathing space at the start of the race, as Timmy looked faster in the latter part of the race.

It was for weight-in before the final when they disqualified him.  I think rules like that shouldn't be black and white, there was not a motive to cheat or somehow gain an edge over opponents.  It was just RX and the nature of the race, I think any weight advantage was lost to the aero disadvantage (I know aero isn't huge in RX but the skirting is there for a reason.  He was doing well and it was the final race Ford.  Oh well...