European Rally Championship 2013

[BtccLee]

Surprised there isn't already a thread for this, as it seems like a really good idea. Must say slid away from the IRC this year after watching it a lot in 2011.

Wanted to get back into it for 2013 and this is perfect. A title with heritage + the organisational skills of Eurosport guaranteed for 10 years.

Looking forward to hearing about the live TV as this was a particular highlight of IRC coverage. Fingers crossed for same TV team and commentators too.

Quality has been good in the series and with manufactures building new cars 2013-2014 could be the series brightest yet.

This can be for the whole year. Covering the winter rumours and the season itself.

But first:

The Calendar:

Provisional 2013 FIA European Rally Championship calendar:

3-5 January Jännerrallye - AustriaAsphalt snow
1-3 February Rally Liepāja-Ventspils – Latvia Gravel snow
28-30 March Circuit of Ireland Rally Asphalt
25-27 April SATA Rallye Açores – Portugal Gravel
16-18 May Tour de Corse – FranceAsphalt
6-8 June Croatia RallyAsphalt *
27-29 June GEKO Ypres Rally – Belgium Asphalt
11-13 July TBAGravel **
25-27 July TBAGravel **
30 Aug-1 Sept Barum Czech Rally Zlin Asphalt
27-29 Sept Rally Poland Gravel
10-12 October Rally San Remo – Italy Asphalt ***
7-9 November Rallye International du Valais – Switzerland Asphalt


* - Subject to ASN confirmation and government approval
** - Subject to discussions with authorities in Bulgaria, Romania, San Marino and Turkey
*** - Pending confirmation of support from Regione Liguria

Reserve events
Rally Islas Canarias-El Corte Inglés
Cyprus Rally

And Now: Your thoughts...

[ArnageWRC]

Hopefully this will return the ERC to it former glory. Some good events in there, including some former WRC 'classics', Sanremo and Corsica.
Eurosport have to get the coverage right; while their live TV was good, the other highlights were a bit hit or miss. They need to rectify this.

[FIRE]

In IRC factory teams (Skoda, Peugeot) were allowed. Is still the case in the new ERC?

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by ArnageWRC

Hopefully this will return the ERC to it former glory. Some good events in there, including some former WRC 'classics', Sanremo and Corsica.
Eurosport have to get the coverage right; while their live TV was good, the other highlights were a bit hit or miss. They need to rectify this.

Possibly agree with you on the highlights although as you say the live TV was very good.

In terms of the calender the Circuit or Ireland and Rally Ypres should be excellent. Ypres was my favourite of the IRC.

Anyone know if we will see the Rally of Scotland again and whether Peugeot are entering the 208 next year?

I know Skoda will have a slightly depleted programme to prepare an R5 Fabia for 2014.

Hopefully some M-Sport involvement.

EDIT: Just seen second comment. I haven't heard manufactures were not allowed so taking it that they are...

[BtccLee]

Bit of information on 208 and R5:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/1028722

[ArnageWRC]

The IRC Rally Scotland was a fantastic event - I went in 2009 and really enjoyed it. Awesome scenery, fantastic stages. However, it wasn't supported by British Rallying - very small entries, not a round of the BRC, etc
Just compare it to Ypres, Sanremo, etc they had 15-20 S2000 cars, Scotland struggled to get double figures, even with Live TV on Eurosport.

EventsScotland backed it for 3 years, and after that required new funding - none forthcoming, and hardly a surprise. Rallying has gone from mainstream coverage to niche - who would want to sponsor events?

[BtccLee]

Any news on the entry yet. I am looking forward to seeing if we get live coverage or round 1.

Would be a super way for the partnership to star...


Found some...

Giandomenico Basso and Bryan Bouffier are looking to enter, the former in a RRC Fiesta and the latter possibly mid-way through the year in a 208 R5...

And Honda will provide support for teams, tranferring the operation from the IRC (2WD cup)

[BtccLee]

Robert Kubica possibly in with a M-Sport Fiesta RRC...

however, the circuit of Ireland is out replace by the Canarias...

[ArnageWRC]

Really disappointed by this. I thought they wanted less island events? Not good for us in UK & Ireland, no round of the ERC. So no Rally Scotland, and now no Circuit of Ireland. Could the MSA have done more?

[leonidas]

Loss of the Circuit is very sad but I guess money talks? Bottom line is there needs to be more domestic drivers out there in the ERC.

The strange thing is that although GB/Ireland is a big market there just don't seem to be many British/Irish drivers running at international level at the moment. Apart from the WRC/S2000 drivers I think the only regular was Louise Cook last year in the WRC?

Even when people over here have homologated cars and enter UK based 'international' events many seem to run in the national rally instead - not sure why that should be? (cost of entry? international licence?)

[ArnageWRC]

To me it’s quite simple. British/Irish drivers can’t get funding to run WRC/IRC/ERC programmes. They can’t get this funding as the sport is unattractive. The IRC RallyScotland was a great event, great stages – however, very few British drivers entered – and there was a shortage of S2000 cars, compared to other IRC events, which quite often had 10-15+ S2000 cars.


Why would you sponsor somebody ? What return on investment do you get? The sport is still in a bad way here in UK – until that changes, sponsorship for Rallying is going to be hard.

[nickyf1]

Ah, that's a real shame to see the Circuit off the calendar. Ireland is possibly one of the most rallying mad countries in Europe.

I'd love to see Scotland back on the international calendar, some of the stages on the Scottish IRC round are classics (Drummond Hill..). But, like you say, perhaps an existing BRC event might help out. How about the Jim Clark Rally in the borders?

[NaBUru38]

The BRC doesn't allow 4WD cars, right? Why would any British driver rent a Super 2000 or an R5?

[ArnageWRC]

http://www.fiaerc.com/

New ERC website.

http://www.fiaerc.com/news/detail/id/48

[ArnageWRC]

Some live Motorsport at last – with Round 1 of the ERC, The Internaional Jännerallye.

[FIRE]

Delecour is doing 10 rounds of ERC in a Kronos Peugeot. He has backing from Romania.

[ArnageWRC]

Well people moan about a lack of Motorsport - yet when it returns they aren't interested.

Kopecky takes a lead of 20 secs over Bouffier into the final day tomorrow. More tricky tyre choices, this event isn't over.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by ArnageWRC

Well people moan about a lack of Motorsport

There's no off season if you look hard enough

Originally Posted by ArnageWRC

Kopecky takes a lead of 20 secs over Bouffier into the final day tomorrow. More tricky tyre choices, this event isn't over.

The conditions certainly look 'interesting' don't they? One of those events where you'll always be on the wrong tyres no matter what you do!

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

There's no off season if you look hard enough



The conditions certainly look 'interesting' don't they? One of those events where you'll always be on the wrong tyres no matter what you do!

Thrilling finish with Kopeky winning by only half a second after being over ten seconds behind Bouffire going into the last stage....

Terrific rally and sets us up for an amazing year...

[FIRE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S62Mm...ature=youtu.be

The power of quattro drive!

[BertMk2]

That's a good effort!

[AndyS]

Watched the highlights last night, you can't get closer than that at the finish really! From what I saw it looks like the new ERC has left off from where the IRC finished. As usual they seem to capture that sparkle and feeling that rallying used to have and seems to be missing in the WRC.

[leonidas]

That's what happens when you finish with a 25km stage! I can never understand why WRC events so often end with a short stage.

We just need some more Brits/Irish out there - but that's not just a problem with the ERC. Not a single a British driver in the Monte this year...

[ArnageWRC]

Originally Posted by leonidas

That's what happens when you finish with a 25km stage! I can never understand why WRC events so often end with a short stage.

We just need some more Brits/Irish out there - but that's not just a problem with the ERC. Not a single a British driver in the Monte this year...

Hardly a surprise anymore. It might be the most famous, and prestigious Rally of them all - but it's in a struggling series.
If you're a British/ Irish driver looking for sponsorship, the first thing they'll ask is what TV channel and what time is it on. And the answer is........


Less than 2 weeks and nobody seems to know anything.

[AndyS]

Originally Posted by ArnageWRC

If you're a British/ Irish driver looking for sponsorship, the first thing they'll ask is what TV channel and what time is it on. And the answer is........

As it stands at the moment although the ERC is little known to the average guy in the street in the UK, it has the most accessable TV coverage in the UK. Unless there is a big annoucement in the next 2 weeks I assume WRC will be as last year and as regards the British Rally Championship, is this on TV anywhere? Its so far off the radar for most motor sport fans let alone anyone else its untrue.