A Friend Remembered A Tribute to Mike Bell 2021 Calendar

tbtstt · 28 Nov 2020, 11:12 (Ref:4019231)

I guess the big question: is there going to be one? Sure there will be interest in taking over from IMG, but very difficult circumstances (and potentially short notice) to start fresh?

Assuming there is a new Championship, it looks like GCK (who have now dropped the "RX") won't be there in such numbers...

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCK Motorsport

As well as driving ahead with ambitious hydrogen-powered plans, GCK Motorsport are also committed to switching all our racing projects to green energy only from 2021 - which means we will only compete in electric motorsport from next year onwards

Find out more about all of today's news at www.gc-kompetition.com/gckfuturevision

...though a potential that the cars might still be in action:

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCK Motorsport

We haven't turned our back on RX - it's at our core and we anticipate it going electric in the future! And the Megane R.S. RX may well come out to play next year, but GCK Motorsport won't be racing in thermic anymore

Joel Christoffersson (JC Raceteknik) also said that he intends to run cars next year, fingers crossed it is at the top level again.

crossfades · 30 Nov 2020, 14:39 (Ref:4019695)

Audi is pulling out of Formula E to focus on the Dakar Rally and LMDh, and DTM is basically dead as they will be racing with GT3 cars, whereas they previously also pulled out of the now canned regs for DTM.
https://dirtfish.com/motorsport/daka...gram-for-2022/

Transcript from Dieter Gass when they pulled out of WRX in 2018. https://www.motorsport.com/world-rx/...ramme/3167987/
“We are involved in Formula E so we already do have a programme in electric motorsport, even though we were very interested in the EWRX, [but] at the end of the day it came very much down to a choice between DTM and EWRX”

This isn't WRX news but I wonder if Audi will ever consider a comeback to WRX as electrification is on the way. On another note, I can't help but feel Audi is a joke for pulling out in favour of DTM and Formula E just to scrap both efforts in two years.

**FIRE** · 30 Nov 2020, 17:40 (Ref:4019734)

Quote:

Originally Posted by crossfades

On another note, I can't help but feel Audi is a joke for pulling out in favour of DTM and Formula E just to scrap both efforts in two years.

In my opinion that's unfair to Audi, a brand that was very active in motorsport in the last 20 years.

SnoodyMcFlude · 1 Dec 2020, 10:39 (Ref:4019860)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

In my opinion that's unfair to Audi, a brand that was very active in motorsport in the last 20 years.

Why's it unfair? They keep pulling out of motorsport to concentrate on something else, then pull out of that. They pulled out of Le Mans and 3 years later are heading back to Le Mans, it looks silly.

crossfades · 1 Dec 2020, 13:53 (Ref:4019912)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

In my opinion that's unfair to Audi, a brand that was very active in motorsport in the last 20 years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoodyMcFlude

Why's it unfair? They keep pulling out of motorsport to concentrate on something else, then pull out of that. They pulled out of Le Mans and 3 years later are heading back to Le Mans, it looks silly.

Yeah, and it's especially silly when they pulled out of WRX in favour of DTM as they just preferred DTM for combustion engines, and in favour of Formula E because they already had a programme for the electric side at that point. Basically, they scrapped WRX to compete in two other disciplines they've already given up.

Besides, they are still very committed to motorsport.

hoffman66 · 1 Dec 2020, 19:44 (Ref:4019993)

Audi are very sensitive to the board, they only want to compete in stuff that relates to their range now and hits zero emissions targets, or goes to new markets, they won everything else to the point it was just habit.

Most modern manufacturers are so scared of doing anything new right now

**FIRE** · 2 Dec 2020, 13:00 (Ref:4020150)

Johan Kristoffersson joins Extreme E. He will race for Nico Rosberg's team.

EDIT: I see already some other rx drivers confirmed:
Mattias Ekström will drive for Abt.
Timmy Hansen for Andretti.

Kristoffersson and Ekström future drivers for Audi in Dakar?

**FIRE** · 2 Dec 2020, 13:06 (Ref:4020152)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoodyMcFlude

Why's it unfair? They keep pulling out of motorsport to concentrate on something else, then pull out of that. They pulled out of Le Mans and 3 years later are heading back to Le Mans, it looks silly.

More than 15 years in Le Mans, in Formula E since the start. I would not call that "keep pulling out of motorsport".

Yes they did it in WRX, but Peugeot and VW did the same. I think there was more in it than just change of plans at Audi.

SnoodyMcFlude · 2 Dec 2020, 13:30 (Ref:4020158)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

More than 15 years in Le Mans, in Formula E since the start. I would not call that "keep pulling out of motorsport".

Yes they did it in WRX, but Peugeot and VW did the same. I think there was more in it than just change of plans at Audi.

Okay, so they don't 'keep' doing it, but 2 motorsports they pulled out of within the last few years to concentrate on DTM and Formula E.... which they've now pulled out of to return to one of the motorsports they pulled out of 4 years ago so that they could concentrate on DTM and Formula E...which they've now pulled out of

tbtstt · 3 Dec 2020, 09:32 (Ref:4020319)

Surprised to see Volkswagen canning their motorsport division, I had wondered if we might see them back in rallycross again once electric had take more of a foothold.

With that in mind I wonder if there is more chance of Johan associating himself with another marque in rallycross.

crossfades · 3 Dec 2020, 16:34 (Ref:4020432)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Surprised to see Volkswagen canning their motorsport division, I had wondered if we might see them back in rallycross again once electric had take more of a foothold.

With that in mind I wonder if there is more chance of Johan associating himself with another marque in rallycross.

Yeah, any support from VW Motorsport in any discipline will also be gone. Perhaps that Munnich SEAT is a possibility after all, if it's still at an offer.

Honestly though, unless electric cars make ralllycross relevant, I don't think he should bother with rallycross. He is too talented to compete in it as a privateer.

MissClarrpz · 17 Dec 2020, 06:41 (Ref:4023372)

10 round calendar announced

22-23 May - Spa Francorchamps
12-13 June - Hell
19-20 June - Kouvola
03-04 July - Höljes
24-25 July - Barcelona
31 July-01 August - Nürburgring
21-22 August - TBA (Europe)
04-05 September - Lohéac
15-16 October - TBA (Middle East/Asia)
27-28 November - Killarney

6 rounds for RX2e. 5 rounds for Euro RX Supercars (RX1) and Super 1600 (RX3)

The new promoter has not been announced yet.

A few guesses for the TBA European round are Montalegre, Riga, Estering and Lydden. Obviously hoping for UK round but I doubt it.

SnoodyMcFlude · 17 Dec 2020, 09:47 (Ref:4023384)

I assume the Middle East/Asia round would be Abu Dhabi.

Presumably people at IMG have been involved in agreeing these dates with venues as placeholders?

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hoffman66 · 17 Dec 2020, 22:57 (Ref:4023518)

IMG are not involved at all anymore

SnoodyMcFlude · 18 Dec 2020, 14:06 (Ref:4023638)

Well they are, it's on their website. Also as it's currently out to tender there must be someone speaking to circuits and deciding what the calendar would be (even if not agreeing contracts). I'm not sure the FIA would do this, hence why I said it was presumably IMG (on the basis that they are still the promoter until the end of year)

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