Euro rallycross footage

[peespeed]

Euro Rallycross Lousada1

Euro Rallycross Lousada2


Couple of clips I found on the net for you all to enjoy

[RXfan]

Thanks for those clips, seems like this is the only way we are going to get to see any european rallycoss over here! I see the circuit had a joker lap format, i hope this is something that doesnt take off over here, it seems rather sad to me if this is the main way cars 'overtake' in europe. Maybe more proof that what happens in the european is not neccessary a good thing.

[Hog]

Who the hell thought up the "Joker lap" thing?

Jesus - it's rallycross - not flipping "It's a Knockout"...........

[silver bullet]

I think the joker lap could be a good idea, but I don't think it will happen in the UK because the MSA won't allow it.

[Upside Down Bug]

Who needs the 'Joker lap', Rallycross is exciting enough without it!

I'm with RXfan on that one.

[RXfan]

Originally Posted by silver bullet

I think the joker lap could be a good idea.

ok....give us your reasons!

[fullcircle]

Nobody on here has any concept of The European Rallycross Championship, what-so-ever.

Having visited about 25 rounds over the last 6 years there is one inherent problem with the races, they are very processional. I am a huge fan of the racing and fully understand why the RSS boys are pushing to get the cars over here. However there is very little overtaking due to the cars being very closely matched.

The joker lap is there to try and help this and make it more excitable. The Swedish Champs have proved this with drivers and fans alike

I for one would like the joker lap in use more. Also what would help things is if they watered only the joker part of the lap. Rallycross by definition is about compromise. That is why the cars are spectacular, but nowadays the tracks are very close to being all tarmac (certainly in Europe) and so the cars are then setup accordingly which results in them being like a touring car. Therefore no compromise.
There are too many people on here who criticise for the sake of it without knowing enough about the subject which they are commenting on

[silver bullet]

Originally Posted by RXfan

ok....give us your reasons!

OK
From a spectators point of view, there is nothing exciting about watching four or five cars following each other from lights to flag without anyone making inroads on the other. Especially at the less spectator freindly circuits.
If the joker lap was introduced it would add a bit of spice to the mix. "Which driver can make the best use of the joker, who can do a Schumie and put in a blistering lap to gain an advantage" you can not tell who will have the advantage till all cars have completed the joker lap.

From a drivers point of view. If you are tucked up behind a car who is holding you up, but you have not quite got enough to pass it, then you use the joker and hope you can gain a few yards so as to stay in front when he has used it.

There are my reasons for the joker lap.
What have people got to say against it.

[206180]

Every lap is a joker lap the way I drive !!!!

[leonidas]

I don't have anything against joker laps but I think there are other things the ERC could do to spice up racing. The circuits tend to be very tight with short straights and lots of tarmac turns with only one racing line. The better answer may be to open them up a little, with wider bends on the loose leading onto longer straights - placing a greater emphasis on driver skill and traction out of turns.

And could they make more use of 'superspecial' type features such as 'yumps' and watersplashes?

[PhergAthor]

There is a jump at Holjes and a jump in the jokerlap in Loheac.

In Essay the D1 cars briefly go airborn within the chicane.

I think there are more examples of circuits were cars jump. Watersplaches are not a good idea. Entering a watersplash at full speed is like driving into a concrete wall.

[leonidas]

Originally Posted by PhergAthor

Watersplaches are not a good idea. Entering a watersplash at full speed is like driving into a concrete wall.

Then slow down! Seriously though, you may be able to put watersplashes on very slow sections, coming out of hairpins etc...

I just think that there are certain features which make some circuits more interesting to watch / drive (wide loose turns, slightly banked turns, hairpins at top of hills, jumps, undulations, longer straights, blind apexs, 'flip-flop' chicanes etc) - and the more of these you can build into a circuit the better the racing is...

[RXfan]

Originally Posted by fullcircle

Nobody on here has any concept of The European Rallycross Championship, what-so-ever.
There are too many people on here who criticise for the sake of it without knowing enough about the subject which they are commenting on

I dont know if this comment was aimed at me bit for your information i have a visited odd rounds of the ERC for many many years though not yet to a round that features a joker lap(that may change this year). i know what you are saying about the lack of overtaking but this is more down to circuit design than the cars being closely matched, it seems most circuits try and pack in as many yards as they can into such a small area. Rallycross use to be about racing on different types of surfaces and in the Group B days there was plenty of overtaking but now in Europe it seems to be mainly tarmac and rough tarmac so where is the chance of drivers taking different lines? Tight tarmac circuits are never going to produce overtaking but a joker lap?

[RXfan]

Originally Posted by leonidas

I just think that there are certain features which make some circuits more interesting to watch / drive (wide loose turns, slightly banked turns, hairpins at top of hills, jumps, undulations, longer straights, blind apexs, 'flip-flop' chicanes etc) - and the more of these you can build into a circuit the better the racing is...

totally agree!!

[Hog]

Well - I'm entitled to my opinion so here it is.

I think the Joker lap idea sucks. Big time. RXfan is right when he says that perhaps circuit design has more to do with a lack of overtaking rather than the cars or drivers. It seems to me that a lot of the European Circuits are too tight and stop start - compared to the flowing circuits we have (had) over here like Lydden, Brands, Cadwell, Croft etc etc.

Part of the thrill of Rallycross IS the fact that cars are closely matched and can run nose to tail for 3 or 4 laps. The overtaking is a bonus for sure, but in my years of specatating and marshalling some of the most enthralling battles have been the races where in the end, the places haven't changed.

Who remembers Rob Gibson, Dimi Mavropoulos, and Steve Palmer when they used to compete in the Lydden Winter Series? Nose to tail, lap after lap, and frequently finished as they'd started - but I dare you to find more exciting racing anywhere on 4 wheels.......

[moyzer]

I think it's fair to say that in most instances if you get to the first corner in first position, you're going to be pretty unlucky not to win. Whilst the Joker Lap removes a bit of this certainty, I would still rather see traditional races run in the BRC. Chuck in a nice banked first corner and let it be choice of high and fast, or tight and neat!! You'd have plenty of overtaking then!!

[silver bullet]

I think we are lucky here in the UK. Our circuits have great variaty, we have power circuits like Knockhill & Blyton, the more technical ones like Anglesey & Lydden, and Croft and Pembrey which have a bit of both. The one thing about all of them is they have plenty of opportunity for overtaking.
I don't think our circuits need altering, most of the things leonidas mentions we already have, (we even have a jump at Anglesey). But the question is, do ERC circuits have to have a joker lap?
If so we will never get a ERC round till we get a track with a joker.

[rx-guru]

The so-called joker lap (actually a stupid name for it as I always see a joker [playing card] as an advantage, but the joker lap must be longer/slower and therefore is nothing but a disadvantage) is not a must in the ERC and in 2006 will be available/driven at just 4 of the 11 venues (Portugal, Sweden, Belgium, Norway) as far as I know yet. Some EC tracks do not even have the space/possibility to include an alternative route. If you go to http://www.erc24.com/ and click on the different ECRs (the 11 "fingers" on top) you'll find the track diagrams, 4 with and 7 without the joker. Note: The shorter alternative route at the Eurocircuit/Valkenswaard is not a joker but a water-splash for rallying purposes.