2024 Rallying

[AndyS]

The issue for me is the use of promoters by the FIA. In its current form it doesn't work. They exist purely to make money. Calling them promoters is misleading as they actually don't seem to do much promoting. They should be called what they are, commercial rights holders. That, in reality, is their sole reason for being, to do deals for the TV coverage, hosting fees and sponsorship to the highest bidder. There is seemingly very little emphasis on the best interests of the sport.

You need it run by people who have the sport as their first and foremost interest. I'm sure there is a reason, but why the FIA don't run their various categories in house I've never understood. Probably the opportunity to make a load of money, I suspect! In House they can still do deals but the best deal for the promotion of the sport, not the annual profit margin. Clearly they can't run it at loss, but equally they don't need to run it to squeeze every last penny out of it.

It's blindingly obvious what needs to change, but whenever they have these reviews, nothing ever changes other than a bit of tinkering round the edges and gimmicks. They only need to look at the aforementioned recent RAC to see how it can be done. Oliver Solberg made the comment about how it worked so well and that the people organising the WRC could learn a lot from it.