FIA World Rallycross Championship 2018

[Oscar97 25]

So Mettet has been replaced with Abu Dhabi, great...

[tbtstt 2,387]

Oscar97 said:

So Mettet has been replaced with Abu Dhabi, great...

Yeah. I felt that the World Championship had been on a tipping point between "proper" and temporary circuits: it seems like that balance is skewed now. 

[RallyDriven 398]

I feel like they’re aiming to high with this. A lot of the entries of the wrx are privateers who won’t be going there. Only 15 went over to the USA for example. I’ll wait to see what the track looks like, but I can’t see it being very popular. Unless Abu Dhabi are putting money in to get the teams over

[KingOfCoins 286]

They are moving too forward top fast. Especially when you only got two factory teams. With one threathening to leave at times. I really hope EuroRX can become more independent like americaRX 

[JorritVD 1,236]

Oscar97 said:

So Mettet has been replaced with Abu Dhabi, great...

I am a bit suprised also. They have no RX history at all, but they have a passion for rally with Rally-Raid and Rally and sponsoring the Citroën team in WRC. At least they have enough sand their to build the unpaved part. Rather I might have seen Mettet indeed, but we can take some possible positives about it:
- This is an early year event, meaning the european events are hosted later in better weather conditions and therefore more more people will visit the events. 
- It could be a night time event, which might look cool on tv
- The Abu-Dhabi track is already in the F1 games, so it could become DLC in DR2.0

[tbtstt 2,387]

I see that Petter Solberg has confirmed he will return to the World Rallycross Championship in 2019. I hope his performance continues to pick up as his health improves and we see him return to his winning ways. 

[Oscar97 25]

So they're really making a RX track at Francorchamps.

http://www.fiaworldrallycross.com/article/10155/spa-francorchamps-to-join-world

[dwkGravey 0]

Oscar97 said:

So they're really making a RX track at Francorchamps.

http://www.fiaworldrallycross.com/article/10155/spa-francorchamps-to-join-world

I'm cautiously pessimistic. I'd prefer to see rallycross cars race on rallycross circuits, and not try to be a character-less mini-F1.

Has anyone actually been clamouring to see an RX Supercar go through Eau Rouge? They're built for acceleration, the idea of a hatchback that tops out at 200 km/h climbing that hill doesn't exactly thrill me. But we'll see what they do. Cautiously pessimistic.

[Oscar97 25]

We'll see. I'm pretty sure they're going to use the parking lot as part of the track, so it's up to them to make something entertaining.

[tbtstt 2,387]

The unstoppable Kristoffersson machine rolls on: another victory in Germany!

Surprisingly aggressive driving from the Peugeot Total drivers; I thought Loeb was being quite pushy in the qualifying heats, but Timmy Hansen took it a step further in the semi finals. I am not a big fan of Marklund, but I am glad to see that Timmy was punished for what he did, a lot of excessive contact on the exit of turn one. 

Conversely another great performance from Kevin Hansen, real shame his weekend ended in the barrier. Also a shame that Petter had issues as, although I'm not sure he would have challenged Johan, he looked on course for a podium spot. 

Unfortunate weekend for Liam Doran. He really looked on the pace in Q4, but his Q1 disqualification gave him no chance. 

The "live" segment of the TV coverage (which obviously wasn't actually live) was all screwed up yesterday, I hope they fix the audio sync issue for the repeat later in the week. 

[RallyDriven 398]

I watched the heats on Facebook but had to go out and missed the ‘live’ show. Racing looked incredibly action packed all weekend, especially the final and semi. I’d love to see that track make its way to dirt rally 2!

[JorritVD 1,236]

Hi all,

I was at the Estering last weekend. My very first visit to a World RX event and really enjoyed it.

After a long week at work, long days and short nights, packed the camper on friday evening. Together with my dad we started the 3,5 hour trip from my home in Nij Beets towards the Estering on Saturday morning. In the morning I checked the Estering website and saw that the campsite was already full. So we had no clue where we would stay.

Arriving at the Estering we could park the camper quite easily, put on my DiRT Rally 2.0 T-Shirt :tongue:, , and walked towards the track around 12 o'clock. It was already quite busy. After that slowly more and more people arrived. First checked out Q1 at the fast gravel uphil section between turn 5 and 6. On TV you can't really see, but the track goes really up and down. And turn 5 is kinda eau rouge of the rallycross (so gravel + no run-off). After went to the paddock and Q2 we checked out near the starting area. Amazing to see how fast the cars go through the uphill section, and to see how fast they start. Also the sounds are amazing to hear. The S1600 and Supercars aren't as loud as GT3 cars, but an awesome sounds those Rallycross cars have.

After the action had been finished on the Saturday we went back to the camper to pick my (i still not have a real correct name for it) graphics i designed and printed two on dibond (which gives a nice matt effect and is strong material). I have been lucky that both Mattias Ekstrom and Andreas Bakkerud signed both, and got a lot of compliments and nice reactions from the team, drivers and fans who were there. One I will keep for myself. The second one I don't know yet. Andreas was really interested in it, but at that moment he had no time for a chat unfortunately. The team got my contact details, so who knows. 


(a photo from before the weekend)

After signed me and my dad packed both printed graphics again and walked back to the camper (+/- 800m walk). Than my dad and me needed to check for a spot to park the camper for the night, as the parking and camping area wasn't possible. Luckily Buxtehude was just within 5 km of the track where they have a camper parking area where you can park for 5 euro a day and for 1 euro a day you got electricity. So cheaper to stay that at the track actually. We made some dinner and took some beers, walked through the nice city and at a flammkuchen :smile:

The next day we went early to the track, and already arrived at 8 o'clock. But it was already much more busy than the day before at 11:30. Also during the day it was very busy at the track, but there was a good atmosphere. The racing was very cool to see as well. Watched the warm-up and Q3 at turn 1. Amazing to see how 'easy' the Supercars can be thrown into a corner.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo587A1CwU1/ 

After Q3 we walked towards Turn 5. And damm, awesome to watch, but really need to search for cover after the cars come by and throw up little stones and dust. After we went more towards the back of the track and watched the finals between turn 4 and turn 5. Again nice to see the cars go flat our up into the rallycross eau rouge. After the action was finished we ate and drink something at the track, and again ate and drink something more at the camper, before we could travel quite easily towards home from a good action packed weekend with beautiful weather.

Nice detail was that the track commentators spoke in Swedish, English and German. 

A other thing I worry a little bit about is the track. I saw two heavy crashes. The first one was the Super 1600 startcrash in Q3 and Timmy Hansen's crash in the final. Both luckily unhurt, but i will be interested how the FIA will look at this. A other thing is that it might have been a bit to busy. The Estering might need to invest in something concrete terrace units stands, so people not need to stand behind other people, and more people have a good view on the track and more people can be at the track. I think the Estering reached its maximum capacity (instagram post say 22.500), and in that case it is no wonder IMG looks for track with more spectator capacity, as well as paddock space, as at the Estering has just space for two series it seems. 

Oh yes, I saw two people from the Yas Marine Abu Dhabi track checking out the Estering track.

I still can say a lot more and be a lot more detailed, but its enough for now. 

[RallyDriven 398]

Turn 1 at estering has to be one of the most spectacular corners in motorsport!

I agree with you about the safety of the track, the concrete walls are very unforgiving and they are on some very high speed corners. 

From watching on the tv I thought it looked as if you couldn’t see much of the track as a spectator. Lydden was great as you could see the whole race clearly from almost anywhere on the track. Silverstone also wasn’t too bad, although you could only just about make out the roofs of the cars over the rear of the circuit

[tbtstt 2,387]

Great to read you have been to your first World RX event @JorritVD! Good track to first experience the cars as well; rallycross Supercars are always awesome but the driving is, in my opinion, so much more impressive at a "real" rallycross circuit. 

It looked like they have done quite a bit of work on the circuit compared to last year, especially across the top of the track, as that was really rutted last year but actually looked pretty smooth this time around. The joker was a lot more unforgiving as well with the modified walls. 

RallyDriven said:

From watching on the tv I thought it looked as if you couldn’t see much of the track as a spectator. Lydden was great as you could see the whole race clearly from almost anywhere on the track. Silverstone also wasn’t too bad, although you could only just about make out the roofs of the cars over the rear of the circuit

Yeah, the spectating at Silverstone was better than I was expecting, but nowhere near as good as similar circuit based layouts like Barcelona or Mettet (it's not worth comparing to Lydden, as the view for spectators there is incomparable to anywhere else!)

[KingOfCoins 286]

So Peugeot is pulling from the championship too. Guess we can congratulate Kristofferson with a perfect 2019 season win unless IMG does something really drastic to salvage this.
https://twitter.com/JPImparato/status/1052850092984676353

Looking forward to the new GRC though. They're just missing a Scandinavian round

[RallyDriven 398]

I can see world rallycross coming into trouble soon. The fia and the manufacturers all want electric, but literally the entire fanbase doesn’t. But at the end of the day, fans are attracted by manufacturers and teams, and manufacturers and teams are attracted by fans. If manufacturers didn’t have this stupid idea that motorsport fans are interested in electric racing everything would be fine 

[tbtstt 2,387]

I could be completely off - as I don't know if PSA have a central pool for motorsport funding or if each individual manufacturer has a separate budget - but could this be connected to Citroen signing Ogier? 

With Citroen getting Ogier onboard and talking about going all out next year, I just wonder if the extra funding has come from elsewhere within the PSA Group? Or are Peugeot stepping back until there are concrete plans for electric in place?

[lindbergtommie 77]

tbtstt said:

I could be completely off - as I don't know if PSA have a central pool for motorsport funding or if each individual manufacturer has a separate budget - but could this be connected to Citroen signing Ogier? 

With Citroen getting Ogier onboard and talking about going all out next year, I just wonder if the extra funding has come from elsewhere within the PSA Group? Or are Peugeot stepping back until there are concrete plans for electric in place?

That's an interesting thought, and could very well be a reason.

[KingOfCoins 286]

I don't think Ogier demanded so much money that they had to shut down an entire motorsport division. But I think it could be part of the reason. Like with the signing of Ogier they took the Peugeot money and gave it to Citroen. 

I'm certain there are other reasons too *cough*10/11 wins*cough*

[Oscar97 25]

If Audi and Peugeot withdraw from WRX, so will Volkswagen. I could see the WRX featuring only privateers in the future, which would probably mean less money and less temporary tracks on F1 circuits, which is nice.

Is there any information about GRC Europe?

[tbtstt 2,387]

Oscar97 said:

Is there any information about GRC Europe?

Press conference is happening today, I would expect more details this afternoon or tomorrow. 

Article on the withdrawal of Peugeot now up on Motorsport.com:

https://www.motorsport.com/world-rx/news/peugeot-to-withdraw-from-world-rx-after-2018/3196989/

According to a statement from the Peugeot Brand CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato:

"Peugeot will concentrate its resources on developing these new [electric sports] vehicles and has therefore decided to withdraw from the WRX championship at the end of the 2018 season, whose evolution towards electrification is uncertain"

So it seems delaying the electrification of World Rallycross has caused them to walk away. Does that mean they will return as and when electric rallycross happens?

[RallyDriven 398]

tbtstt said:

I could be completely off - as I don't know if PSA have a central pool for motorsport funding or if each individual manufacturer has a separate budget - but could this be connected to Citroen signing Ogier? 

With Citroen getting Ogier onboard and talking about going all out next year, I just wonder if the extra funding has come from elsewhere within the PSA Group? Or are Peugeot stepping back until there are concrete plans for electric in place?

Possibly, but it sounded like they were more concerned with the electric future of the sport. I think there’s more going on behind the scenes with this whole electric thing. But if it was a Ogier budget issue thing they would never publicise that

[JorritVD 1,236]

Lol, Peugeot stopped with Dakar to focus on WRX. I still think it is all because of VW. They increased the cost a lot. Therefore Ford, Audi and now Peugeot left. When those manufacturers entered, budgets and development were lower and factory involvement was much lower. The best thing IMG can do maybe is kinda ban factory involvement like VW did. Although all is to late and maybe new Supercar regulations need to be added, maybe comparable to TCR.

I am interested though what the Hansen family and EKS will do next season. I can expect Hansen to continue with two 208 for both Timmy and Kevin if they can find the required budget. 

On paper the WRX can’t be called World Championship anymore, as they not have enough manufacturers anymore.

[Janneman60 154]

tbtstt said:

I could be completely off - as I doun't know if PSA have a central pool for motorsport funding or if each individual manufacturer has a separate budget - but could this be connected to Citroen signing Ogier? 

With Citroen getting Ogier onboard and talking about going all out next year, I just wonder if the extra funding has come from elsewhere within the PSA Group? Or are Peugeot stepping back until there are concrete plans for electric in place?

I don't think this is the main reason. WRX is offcourse expensive, but I heard 1WRC event costs about the same as a whole season WRX.

[tbtstt 2,387]

Check the link I put on the last page @Janneman60 and @JorritVD:

https://www.motorsport.com/world-rx/news/peugeot-to-withdraw-from-world-rx-after-2018/3196989/

According to a statement from the Peugeot Brand CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato:

"Peugeot will concentrate its resources on developing these new [electric sports] vehicles and has therefore decided to withdraw from the WRX championship at the end of the 2018 season, whose evolution towards electrification is uncertain"

Delaying the electrification of World Rallycross has caused them to walk away. 

JorritVD said:

On paper the WRX can’t be called World Championship anymore, as they not have enough manufacturers anymore.

It's a World Champion because of the countries it visits, not because of manufacturer involvement. 

Janneman60 said:

I don't think this is the main reason. WRX is offcourse expensive, but I heard 1WRC event costs about the same as a whole season WRX.

Not sure about that figure. You could do a lot more than one rally with what VW have spent...