World Rallycross R3 - Mettet, Belgium

[andyterry16]

As to 'how did it look on TV' I would say very good. My 9 year old has practically packed his bag for Lydden! First corner a bit of an issue but the last corner looked awesome with the drifting. And also there was lots of space for people coming out of the Joker lap flat out and not driving into the side of somebody.

As to the puncture issue didn't the knife edge at Brands shred tyres - Will taking out the whole British entry in a GP final springs to mind.

[tbtstt]

I was down by the bottom grandstand for a while and, although the view of that section is great, its a rather restricted view of the rest of the circuit from there. The view from the top (in the region of the start line) was much better, you lost the cars for a moment as they dropped down onto the low section, but you could see pretty much everywhere else.

I wasn't there last year so perhaps its unfair to comment, but from the coverage I've seen I thought the revised layout this year was much better on the cars. No car breaking jump in the latter half of the lap and a much better thought out final corner/joker lap section.

As far as I could tell it was the curb on the bottom transition that was causing the punctures. A lot of cars were skimming it, but a few seemed to be really clouting it. I would concur with what Hickey said, it's no different to the curb at Lydden: skim it and you're on the fastest line, cut across it and you're risking a puncture (or a full air display if you take the Tommy Graham line).

[paul1982]

Originally Posted by chunder

Oh dear.

Puncture track, loads of dust. ""Voice of rallycross" speaking like a east end gangster.

Track is clearly cutting tyres and bumps on the transition phases, and what a shocker when you just lay gravle over hardcore.

Let's all clap as the man with the most endurance gets through to the finals rather than the quickest man.

All hail temporary tracks, rubbish tyres and the Ion spotters spotters tower brought to you in association with Ion, did I mention Ion?

Is this the sport I used to love!

I really think that you have some bright toughts about the past in rallycross..... yes it is more with sponsors and a lot of replay's on TV and saying the brand name of ion, monster etc etc... (but they are paying and thats tge reason why we can see our sport on TV!) But don't forget that rallycross was on tv for a minimum in the past or you couldn't see any moving pics!

The event in Belgium gave us a very good entrylist and some good racing!

I follow rallycross for more than 30 years and going to a lot of races in europe and i think the racing is not that much different as in the past! Or you like pembrey (i think 95) with around 8 SC's. And 20 cars in total?

It goes with ups and downs and i think we are now in the up section. Enjoy it!you never know what the future will bring.
And again.... you don't have to watch it.

[paul1982]

Originally Posted by paul1982

I really think that you have some bright toughts about the past in rallycross..... yes it is more with sponsors and a lot of replay's on TV and saying the brand name of ion, monster etc etc... (but they are paying and thats tge reason why we can see our sport on TV!) But don't forget that rallycross was on tv for a minimum in the past or you couldn't see any moving pics!

The event in Belgium gave us a very good entrylist and some good racing!

I follow rallycross for more than 30 years and going to a lot of races in europe and i think the racing is not that much different as in the past! Or you like pembrey (i think 95) with around 8 SC's. And 20 cars in total?

It goes with ups and downs and i think we are now in the up section. Enjoy it!you never know what the future will bring.
And again.... you don't have to watch it.

Sorry . Pembrey was 97 i think. 95 was brands....

[chunder]

Sadly my keenness gets the better of me and I can't help watching. The actualy on track action is decent, but the format, spotters tower nonsense, is already tired. Jordan awesome, other bloke poor English and forgettable. Hour long programme, four races. Really?

I keep thinking they are in it for the right reasons IMG but am a littte disappointed.

I wish I wasn't I really do.

There are some bright spots from Belgium, you had the ERC which added to car count (why on Gods earth are they not at Lydden insted of drift, retro, riot rig and RX lites) and some local stuff. I think I know why on shame on them if so.

There is the threat of teams away from the establishment like Kristoffersen and Larsson proving they are doing a better job than the big teams in some ways.

But the lack of effort put into s1600 and other classes is starting to be really obvious. You had live coverageof Lites in Portugal and a results sheet for S1600 here.

It is obviously a job for the boys and the series will be Lites and WRX next year. And this is disappointing, no ingenuity, no new ideas, just boring same spec Fiestas.

My disappointment is merely worries for the future. I was very keen on IMG and WRX initially, but am just concernned that's all.

[paul1982]

Originally Posted by chunder

Sadly my keenness gets the better of me and I can't help watching. The actualy on track action is decent, but the format, spotters tower nonsense, is already tired. Jordan awesome, other bloke poor English and forgettable. Hour long programme, four races. Really?

I keep thinking they are in it for the right reasons IMG but am a littte disappointed.

I wish I wasn't I really do.

There are some bright spots from Belgium, you had the ERC which added to car count (why on Gods earth are they not at Lydden insted of drift, retro, riot rig and RX lites) and some local stuff. I think I know why on shame on them if so.

There is the threat of teams away from the establishment like Kristoffersen and Larsson proving they are doing a better job than the big teams in some ways.

But the lack of effort put into s1600 and other classes is starting to be really obvious. You had live coverageof Lites in Portugal and a results sheet for S1600 here.

It is obviously a job for the boys and the series will be Lites and WRX next year. And this is disappointing, no ingenuity, no new ideas, just boring same spec Fiestas.

My disappointment is merely worries for the future. I was very keen on IMG and WRX initially, but am just concernned that's all.

For the future i'm worried to .. en yes i also think 25 WRX supercars and 15 rx lites uin the future.... and then hope the Challenge will step up. But how it is at the moment is good. The reason for more TC and S1600 and also ERX is the smaller calander (fits more in budget) but it is a shame they not dtive in Lydden. But like the round in belgium and also in Buxtehude it is brilliant! And because i'm worried aboutcthe future too i double enjoy the massive entrylists we sometimes have now!

[schanche]

IMG and Petter sadly are taking Rallycross to the super rich! Which was the game plan all along and making those who should know better into money grabbing *******s!
Bring on the stadiums because that will be the final nail in the IMGRX coffin.
Then hopefully the real European rallycross challenge will start to get bigger and better at the traditional tracks. I know people who went to Germany and came away enjoying the DTM more haha.
Incidentally can the FIA run two separate championships could the ErC ever break away from the IMG drivel and be run by another organisation?

[chasing cars]

Last minute decision to go and definitely the right one, very pleasantly surprised by the circuit, had a grandstand ticket but also watched from other parts of the circuit. Nice not to have high debris fencing or high barriers meaning most of the circuit was visible from most places, though its a shame theres no access to the bottom part along the back straight. Also good not to have any view blocked by photographers who seemed mainly obsessed with the jump, funny how people criticize the jumps yet they're a magnet to photographers.

Camping was limited with not much space for tents,yet a huge area for VIP parking! All in all 2 great days of rallycross which when your at the circuit is no different to the "good old days" with none of the over the top RX nonsense you get on tv.

[WJM]

Originally Posted by schanche

Incidentally can the FIA run two separate championships could the ErC ever break away from the IMG drivel and be run by another organisation?

Yes of course this is possible. In Rally Red Bull owns the WRC and Eurosport the ERC. But in Rallycross the FIA sold both ERX and WRX to IMG....

But all you people talking about the Challenge, don't you see what is happening? Next year the German WRX round will be Hockenheim and the ERX round will be Estering. And so they will split all the races over time, WRX in stadiums and ERX on traditional tracks. Yes I do not have have a source for that, but that is my opinion on what will happen in the future.

As long as there is a 6-7 round ERX the challenge will mean nothing.

[Hickey]

I wonder whether, if Lydden had an ERX round for supercars or s1600, we would still have all this whingeing. It's always been about money. Always will be. The event was a huge success, entries were both high in quantity and quality. It has a big following amongst competitors at the moment. When did we ever see 20 Touring cars at Belgium or Lydden. Isn't there an argument that restricting the number of support events has had a positive impact on the number of regular competitors? Yes. There is that argument. Are several people on here too entrenched in their views to see that? Yes.

As said above, forget the drivel on tv and Andrew "brash is better" coley and the energy drink war tosh. Once you are at true event it is all forgotten and the big crowds and big entries are great for the sport.

Of course I'm concerned that the number of Erx events for support classes will go down next year and it hat entry fees are too high but it is going well so far.

It's just a damn shame we have a relatively small field at Lydden. Had erx last year and hopefully will have it next year. Maybe that's fair

[paul1982]

Agree with Chasing cars and Hickey.
When you are at the track there is really no difference with 1988 or 1995 or 2000 or 2010....etc...

Yes it is with bigger tents and trailers... but you still can talk with the drivers and have look in the tents!

For example... mattias ekstrom... no change to see or met him in Hockenheim because of his DTM commitments. In RX no problem! (Even open friday with eat and drinks in the EKS tent!) I really looking forward to the races we still have to visit this year! For me that are Lydden, Buxtehude (with also 80-90 entrees like belgium because of the ERX SC-TC-S1600) and Loheac were i expect around 35 Supercars an around 30 s1600 cars!

[chunder]

It depends how short sighted you are.

Rallycross is not, has never been and never will be a big sport, even in relation to anything else in motorsport.

Charging the equivalent of a BSB event even in advance prices and then charging people for printing their own tickets? I mean how preposterous do you want to be for Gods sake. That alone is reason to tell them to chuff off.

There are those of us that yes were around back in good old days, grids were not massive, neither were crowds. Prices were cheap, tracks were basic but rallycross knew what it was. It was a hidden little gem where clubmen could progress relatively cheaply from basic formula's and eveninto the bigger supercars classes without breaking the bank.

I do welcome the increased marketing and PR rallycross is getting, but is it really doing anything good? Do you really think those teams can sustain these budgets for years? It hasnt worked in America, where the IMG ideas sprung from, and the jury is out in WRX. The racing is still good, the standards of the cars is too. It has made a jump from some of the poorer entries from last year like Scott And Karlsson etc. But the support structure and venues worry me, that is all.

The Group B cars helped the 90's and the modified cars were ingenious, plentuful and relatively cheap, then the newer cars stopped it again and you had the days of rich amateurs like Chris Evans, Tony Bell, Carnegie, Holfeld, Moloney etc. But the racing was still great and competitive.

The trouble with charging more entrance money for a series with very few cars is that some people will not just hand over their money without question, not all of us are that easy to please and would hand over a tenner to watch a rallycross car being unloaded from a trailer like some would on here.

It has to compete with (on a bank holiday) Blancpain GT3 cars, a Brit dominated World Superbike championship that is only 18 quid on Saturday and 35 on Sunday, 50 quid all in and Historic racing at Brands which is a far nicer venue and depending on your taste perhaps more appealing.

[paul1982]

you are right about the future... but how it is now it is really not bad. And who tell you it should be good without img? There were already a lot of teams in 2012 to have problems to find a budget. National championships had a lack of entrees.....i think it was really the vest time to step in rx. the interest in rallycross is still growing. And yes that is a great achievement from img. And when they have a mix with old rx tracks and new venue's it is ok for me. (And yes i think that will chance in thr future.....)

So i think we have a lot of the same toughts but that is more for the future... As it is now it is good!and i think you are very pessimistic.
I will enjoy it as long as it is possible!

[chunder]

Maybe I am right to be a little unconfident of the future.

For me the event at Lydden is now too expensive for what is on offer and the mileage involved so will give it a miss.

I agree the racing is still good, but it now is not good enough to warrant that sort of money, and the cretinous stuff about admin fees sent me over the edge, was still hedging my bets over the weekend!

[1975DCS]

Regarding to Mettet, it has a lot of good elements, but it lacks that special buzz somehow, simply because you can't see them all. On TV it's better in that respect. We spoke to a lot of local and former Rallycross drivers and they al say: this ain't a Rallycross track, it lacks lacks gravel and they are not keen on the jump either.

[1975DCS]

Regarding the recent developments, well take a look at the "SuperCars" paddock or as my dad likes to call it: The Petter Solberg Syndrome... I am sure someone can show some photos that will tell you what he means. Sometimes I wonder what happens if the likes of Petter and Ken move to another spot like rallying, than the bubble will be gone? Also it is noticeable how many drivers now are willing to drive a car on 3 wheels for 4 laps! There is no respect for the cars, all efforts are for the points. I like the ERX and WRX finals split, but I certainly won't attend an current ERX only! And I won't visit an small field of WRX contenders either, that why we won't visit Lydden this year...

[tbtstt]

A tad late, but it's been a busy week since Mettet! Few photos...









Few more here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/229616...57651217831133

If anyone is interested!

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by USRallycross

... amazing drive by Petter to take two jokers and still come second given who was in the semi with him.

I caught up on the last two rounds yesterday and that Petter semi final drive at Mettet had my jaw on the floor. How did the car stand up to it?