Rallycross On Top Gear - Part II

[tbtstt]

Just spotted this mentioned on Facebook and thought it was worth giving its own thread.

There was a Top Gear Live Stream a couple of evenings ago with the three presenters interviewed in anticipation of the new series of Top Gear (which I believe starts this Sunday). Mixed in with the interview were clips from the forthcoming series, one of them features rallycross...

http://youtu.be/F8T1rMsJtQU?t=45m40s
(The video should start at 45:40, skip to that point if it doesn't)

...quite a few Supercars there; Ollie OD's Focus, Procters Fiesta, Pauwels Focus, Hansens 208, a Marklund Polo and what looks like a MINI Countryman? Clarkson mentions not getting lapped by American Top Gear, so I assume that means Foust will be one of the drivers.

I assume this would be the filming at Lydden that was mentioned in the RallycrossRX 2014 thread?

[chunder]

Knowing the egotistical PR that surrounds the WRX series this will be shown just before Lydden I would imagine.

Cant really believe they allowed these guys loose in quarter million pound cars with everyone else.

But if it helps boost some publicity then it could be great, seems this is where Petter was a few weeks back

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by chunder

Knowing the egotistical PR that surrounds the WRX series this will be shown just before Lydden I would imagine.

I'm sure this season of Top Gear will be over well before the World Rallycross Championship gets underway: they might be able to time the repeats on Dave for the World round at Lydden!

Originally Posted by chunder

Cant really believe they allowed these guys loose in quarter million pound cars with everyone else.

I note that only James May is shown driving in that clip: perhaps only letting the slowest guy out there was the safest bet!

Originally Posted by chunder

But if it helps boost some publicity then it could be great, seems this is where Petter was a few weeks back

Yeah, its a major place to get some advertising, that's for sure. Can't see Solberg in any of the clips, but would be good if he was involved in some capacity.

I'm office bound today, so I thought I would make use of the time and grab a few stills from the clip, how many cars can you identify...

#1



#2



#3



#4



#5



#6



#7



#8



#9



#1 - Hansen 208, Procter's Fiesta & OOD Focus.
#2 - Hansen 208.
#3 - OOD Focus (foreground), Hansen 208?, MINI Countryman & Procter's Fiesta.
#4 - Pauwels Focus, Hansen 208?, MINI Countryman & Procter's Fiesta.
#5 - Hansen's 208, Marklund Polo & Foust's Polo.
#6 - Onboard, maybe a Polo?
#7 - Pauwels Focus.
#8 - Looks like a Mk.6 Fiesta, Tommy Graham's old car perhaps?
#9 - Steve Hill's Evo X? (on the left)

[Hampton Caught]

Thanks for posting the information and photographs. All looks very intersting and I can't wait to see the eventual item on the TV some time soon(ish).

Whatever angle the 'boys' take, I can't see it being anything but good for the sport, especially given how overwhelmingly positive they were a few seasons ago first time around!

Given the class of cars and drivers at Lydden and given Hansen's car rummaging around in a tyre wall, they were clearly going for it, it should make for a great broadcast. Then again, with the Clarkson factor involved, I'm sure it will make very entertaining, if not slightly painful viewing!!

Cheers, Steve

[chunder]

The worrying part about this is, are they trying to include a jump in the Lydden track?

[M.Lowe]

must be mad letting them fools in proper cars

[Distracted]

I have a feeling this was filmed on the Friday before the event- just based on the weather! (It was sunny/warm on the Sunday, overcast on the Sat but the place looks too quiet for a Sat.)

Plus I was there on the Sunday and can't remember seeing the Mini/Focuses anywhere about.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Distracted

I have a feeling this was filmed on the Friday before the event- just based on the weather! (It was sunny/warm on the Sunday, overcast on the Sat but the place looks too quiet for a Sat.)

Plus I was there on the Sunday and can't remember seeing the Mini/Focuses anywhere about.

Are you talking about the May weekend the World Rallycross was at Lydden? I don't think Procters Fiesta was running back then, was it? I'd also be surprised if any of the big teams would risk their cars with a Championship round the next day?

I assumed the feature was filmed in December, as there were a few posts indicating that Top Gear, along with a number of Supercars, were present at Lydden late last year.

[Distracted]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Are you talking about the May weekend the World Rallycross was at Lydden? I don't think Procters Fiesta was running back then, was it? I'd also be surprised if any of the big teams would risk their cars with a Championship round the next day?

I assumed the feature was filmed in December, as there were a few posts indicating that Top Gear, along with a number of Supercars, were present at Lydden late last year.

I was... brain fried right now. Makes sense that the teams wouldn't risk the cars.

[tbtstt]

Looks like the rallycross content is coming in Episode 7, which airs Sunday 8th March.

Originally Posted by World Rallycross Official Facebook

What's this?!
Top Gear's James May teaming up with Top Gear BBC America's Tanner Foust in a ‪#‎WorldRX‬ race?!
More info soon..

[Distracted]

I can't wait to watch it. First Top Gear I've been excited for in a while.

[tbtstt]

Bit of blurb on it...

Originally Posted by World Rallycross PR

WORLD RX AND LYDDEN HILL TO STAR ON BBC TOP GEAR

Originally Posted by World Rallycross PR

The FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy will be featured on the next episode of BBC Top Gear. The show will be broadcast at 8pm on Sunday 8 March on BBC2. Presenter James May will drive a World RX Supercar while co-presenters Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond stand in as May’s spotters.

The special rallycross feature, which was filmed at Britain’s Lydden Hill race circuit late last year, also stars US-based Top Gear presenter Tanner Foust who is the first American to have won a round of World RX. Several other World RX drivers also appear on Top Gear.

More information about the show can be found here

[Pozi]

I guess this answers the "have Lydden put a jump in" question....

[tbtstt]

Was about to post that picture Pozi! Fresh gallery of images on the BBC America website...

http://www.bbcamerica.com/top-gear/p...gallery/#10238

...including a few of the cars jumping at what appears to be the exit of the joker lap.

I was actually at Lydden a couple of weeks ago and I completely forgot to look down that end for any evidence of a jump.

[rallyloverke]

When did they actually do this? During the Lydden event last year? Since i see at one of the shots Petter Solberg's DS3 with number 11?

But that doesn't make sense since i didn't notice that jump that time

[rallyloverke]

Originally Posted by rallyloverke

When did they actually do this? During the Lydden event last year? Since i see at one of the shots Petter Solberg's DS3 with number 11?

But that doesn't make sense since i didn't notice that jump that time

oh just notice a post a bit before, late last year :-)

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by rallyloverke

When did they actually do this? During the Lydden event last year? Since i see at one of the shots Petter Solberg's DS3 with number 11?

But that doesn't make sense since i didn't notice that jump that time

Filming took place late last year. Solberg posted a picture from Lydden on his Facebook on December 18th and there were some comments on the forum around that time indicating that Top Gear were there then.

Just spoke to a photographer who was at Lydden the same day as me last month (21st), he was down at Chessons and reckoned the jump was still there then. Maybe they just haven't got round to moving it, or maybe it really is a permanent addition?...

(Though surely they can't have cars jumping back in from the joker section onto the main track?)

[paul1982]

I spoke with a driver who was there when filming for Top Gear. And he was very enthausiastic about the jump.... so i think it is permanent!

[Hickey]

Turns out the fiesta was Julian Godfrey in disguise.

What did people think of the jump? I'd say it's a little unnecessary but actually seemed to work well.aubergine designed so that people coming off the joker aren't going faster than normal circuit?

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Hickey

Turns out the fiesta was Julian Godfrey in disguise.

I spotted that! Not sure on the new livery, but I shall wait until Lydden before passing judgement.

Originally Posted by Hickey

What did people think of the jump? I'd say it's a little unnecessary but actually seemed to work well.aubergine designed so that people coming off the joker aren't going faster than normal circuit?

I was pleasantly surprised. It was further back into the joker merge than I had expected, so cars weren't jumping directly on to the racing line. As you say it should slow the majority of cars down, though some drivers are bound to take it flat out...

I read a comment from Willie Woods on Facebook last night indicating that they are currently negociating with the MSA to keep the jump. Shame that its on the part of the circuit that's hard to get pictures of.

[Pozi]

Originally Posted by Hickey

Turns out the fiesta was Julian Godfrey in disguise.

What did people think of the jump? I'd say it's a little unnecessary but actually seemed to work well.aubergine designed so that people coming off the joker aren't going faster than normal circuit?

I know the die hard fans will hate the jump but I thought it looked quite good, especially with Solberg taking off sideways to set himself up for the corner exit

[chunder]

At the moment the joker means a faster run off of Chessons, the jump will slow you down a bit, but you can also get it wrong and hit the jump wrong, which emans you could go into the other car, whish is of course what IMG want.

Great to see a sport i once loved on such a great portal as this. I only hope it leads to some more fans coming, I just wish it wasnt to Lydden as if you have never been before its a bit basic and maybe only a one stop show

[Distracted]

Did anyone think the actual racing bits were muddled? I kept seeing cars racing that hadn't been on the start line. I need to watch it again to be sure. Maybe to get camera angles?

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Distracted

Did anyone think the actual racing bits were muddled? I kept seeing cars racing that hadn't been on the start line. I need to watch it again to be sure. Maybe to get camera angles?

Presumably they just lumped all the footage together then picked out the bits they wanted and slotted them together to make the "story". After all it's a Top Gear 'fun' feature not coverage of a WRX round.

[geordiecriag101]

Was great to watch rallycross getting such an enthusiastic showing and just adds to the feeling that it is on the up.

One question i have, was this whole event just for TopGear or was it a general test day as there seemed almost a full line up of world and british series?