Rallye Monte Carlo 05, why is rallying going downhill... Options

[saleeka]

I just got done watching round 1 of the WRC, and it seems like every year it gets more and more boring... So many great rounds have either been dropped, moved to different times, or the format has changed completely... I swear it all started when the TAP Rally of Portugal was dropped from the itenerary back in 01 I believe... Next the Safari was canned and now it seems all, and I mean ALL the rallies are either near pure tarmac (monte, san remo, corisca, germany, catalyunia) events or mostly gravel (cyprus, australia, mexico, japan, greece, finland, great britain, new zealand)... most of the manufacturers are pulling out, or already have (peugeot, citroen, ford, subaru, mitsubishi, and skoda is all thats left, with puegeot, ford, and citroen all likely to pull out after 05)... It seems that there is no more heratige or variety anymore, and now its like watching euro-nascar to me... I miss the goo good old days, back when the cars werent so tarmac specialized and the events were MUCH longer... 74-84 was prime... am I the only one who thiks rally pretty much sucks now???

[Akimbo]

Snow, mud...that's awesome stuff. I absolutely love videos of the Safari runs too. Watching rally is beautiful, great cars and drivers with awesome scenery.

[Ale_lock]

Werd, I got a history of rally video that takes place in the 80's. That video rocks my boxers off, they even talk about a female driver who was whooping ass in a Audi I think?!

[Akimbo]

Michelle Moulton i think

[mr_dude]

It is really too bad.

[saleeka]

Michelle Moulton i think
[right][snapback]237464[/snapback][/right]

correct. she was absolutely brilliant when it came to the sport... she came from very limited experence, and audi saw her tallent and hired her to drive the quattro for 81 coming from the french ladies championship... She would have won the drivers title in 82 if it werent for that her father died on the eve of the final night of the ivory coast rally that year, and the tiltle concequently went to walter rhoul... sadly for the sport she lost interst in rallying as a career and instead focused on starting a family- there is no doubt in my mind she would have been a force to be reckoned with if she stuck around...

[boosted_K2]

I enjoy watching it reguardless, i think the comentary really sucks this year, it seems bland and the commentators seem uninterested. The drivers seem to be getting less enthusiastic as well... i watched an interview with sebastian loeb after the drivers challenge a few months ago and he was all smiles and very happy and excited... then you watch him right after he climbs out of his car at monte carlo and he gives like one fist pump and doesnt seem to care... all he talked about in his interview was how everyone else will be much better in sweden and it didnt seem like he was giving himself much of a chance... god you just won freakin monte carlo for the 3rd year in a row... show a little enthusiasm!!

[Mr_E]

Werd, I got a history of rally video that takes place in the 80's. That video rocks my boxers off, they even talk about a female driver who was whooping ass in a Audi I think?!
[right][snapback]237463[/snapback][/right]

Dear God she could drive. And that group B Audi was a bit of a monster too.

[neoklis]

well, things may get better in a couple of years when toyota re-enters. And i dont think Citroen & pegeot will stay out. when they feel a vertical drop in sales they will be coming back.

[boosted_K2]

i think peugot needs to go back to the 206... that 307 looked DANGEROUS going arround the narrow cliffs of monte carlo i would not have wanted to be driving that tank of a car out there.

[saleeka]

I agree that the 307 CC was a bad idea for a basis for the rally car, but they had already exausted development on the 206... To me I think watching the Super 1600 catagory is now more interesting almost because the cars are FWD, and more fun to watch... Also, Suzuki is rumored to be developing a WRC car, which should be interesting seeing as the Swift is pretty dominant in Super 1600...

[Mr_E]

well, things may get better in a couple of years when toyota re-enters.

Do you know something I don't?

'yota have no plans to reenter the WRC. Not given the amount of cash F1 is costing them.

[boosted_K2]

well, things may get better in a couple of years when toyota re-enters.

Do you know something I don't?

'yota have no plans to reenter the WRC. Not given the amount of cash F1 is costing them.
[right][snapback]238019[/snapback][/right]

agreed, toyotas motorsports focus is soley on their development of F1, NASCAR Craftsmen truck, and their offroad trucks (which is more of a private thing but they back it.)