Real Rally Championship (TM) – RWD S2000 cars and GTs too
Now there’s a concept for a proper rally championship, or Real Rally Championship according to the man behind the idea, Martin Haven, the voice behind so many motorsport event broadcasts on both radio and TV. While it remains to be seen just how serious Mr Haven was about this concept, I thought I’d share some of the key elements he is proposing under the catchy hashtag #RRCnotWRC.
First of all, cars. Real Rally Championship would be all about driver skills – no gimmicks, just rear wheel drive machines built around or close to S2000 specifications. And under no circumstances would cars ever be allowed to fit in turbos. Ever. If public outcries would be too loud RRC (not to be mistaken for existing Regional Rally Cars) vehicles could get additional system of pouring some fuel into exhaust pipes just so there is some fire after all. Or an explosion. NASCAR recently trialed concept of adding jet fuel and fire into their races and it did wonders for their TV figures.
However, despite being pretty well defined, this concept of RWD S2000 cars is not the ultimate solution for Real Rally Championship needs. For some even that might not be challenging and entertaining enough. If you are Francois Delecour, for example, you just could have some fun behind the wheel of such car – but if you really are Francois Delecour you will push for the cars like Porsche 911 GT3s and similar purebred RWD racing machinery to make their way on to the rally stages.
Does that lead us to two different classes, one for modern day drivers and one for… well, Francois Delecour? I hope not, multiple classes are not what Real Rally Championship needs. Perhaps additional thinking should be put into whether final version of the car should be more like proper GT RWD machine and not S2000. Just keep in mind – no turbos!
Why no turbos? “A lot of the Turbo WRCars sound like ‘strangled farts’. N/A is the way to go”, said Ydna Elttil of the RRC Twitter Commission.
Next up are events which would form the Real Rally Championship calendar. But that’s another topic and will be discussed after the next meeting of RRC Twitter commission.
In the meantime, you can join the ongoing “debate” by following Mr Haven or sticking around the #RRCnotWRC and #realrallychampionship hashtags. All ideas are welcome, as long as you don’t claim ownership of the series or wish to introduce turbos to it.
Funny thing,such cars have already existed… in the 70s and early 80s.Anyone remembers Group 4 Escort,Ascona 400,Sunbeam Lotus or 131 Abarth?
And in later times,I have fond memories of E30 M3s and the absolutely great AE86 Corolla GT.
Some progress wanting to go back,eh?
It seems a original idea but woul be an world championship,european,?very questions for answer yet.
aficionalmotor.blogspot.com
Sounds new…. but horrible in my humble opinion. 2WD? 2L NA? In NO circumstances should the TOP motorsport class be slower than most stock production cars are. Personally I find even IRC boring due to lack or torque, which just puts me off, specially on dry tarmac events. This idea is unacceptable to me as if somebody would suggest e-cars in WRC with 5.1 surround speakers pointing outside to reproduce internal combustion engine noise for the spectators to stay awake.
There’s no chance of no torque helping in any way…
And for the end, I just gotta LOL at Ydna Elttil for saying NA is the way to go cos turbo’s sound like farts… Someones been watching too much Fast and Furious movies.
Good points, especially regarding speed – it would be sort of weird of WRC would end up with whiny little cars, struggling to get themselves out of the hairpins and corners.
On the other hand, you will remember the cars such as Lancia Stratos, it had NA engine, RWD and less than 300 HP but it worked impressively (for that time). Would simple concept such as this work these days is anyone’s guess. But it’s quite obvious current system of ultraexpensive WRC machines isn’t that popular either.
Main issue with this “serious project” of RWD WRC cars in my opinion is the engine – 2-litre is not enough without turbo, especially if you want proper noise and proper torque to keep the tail happy.
And finally, get yourself on Twitter and bring these topics to Martin, although I bet he already forgot all about it. It was just that serious topic, you know! :)
“…current system of ultraexpensive WRC machines isn’t that popular either…”
You’re right manufacturer-wise, but from the spectator point of view – it is. Faster the cars are, more people will follow the event/sport which brings more money and sponsors in the game, which makes new manufacturers join the championship. As for the Stratos, you’re right again, it was bloody fast for the time, but today’s much heavier 2wd cars simply can’t keep up with 4wd (which also wave their tails if you make them happy enough).
One more thought about the money and power.
We need MORE power to make racing more spectacular, to bring hundreds of thousands of fans to the stages and few more million in front of their screens (free live broadcast here in mind). We got enough safety technology to avoid 80s tragic events. After the neo-group B avalanche would start, I bet we’d have lot of new manufacturers joining on monthly basis backed up by serious sponsors.
Let me just ask you, which newspaper /internet portal headlines would you bring more of your attention “1.6l rally cars back in action” or “1200HP monsters shooting flames 20m behind”
We live in wild times, and need even wilder cars to make a stand!
Ha! Would love to see 1200 HP cars on stages such as Corsica, who would be driving such a thing! ;)
I totally agree on the need to have more flamespitting and loud cars to make everything more spectacular, but… Would manufacturers be ready to pay for it? Even the 2 litre RWD is questionable due to no such cars being available as road car so no real incentive for manuf. to develop dedicated rally machine. Sure if there already was a successful championship featuring 5 or 6 manufacturers, then most likely more would join, but seeing what we have now…
My hope is FIA finally makes few good moves and bring long-term stability into WRC, and then few more manufacturers to provide seats for emerging talents – sure there are wild and outrageous solutions and ideas out there, but let’s just stop the bleeding and stich our wounds first and then we can worry about putting make-up. :)
Of course manufacturers would be ready to pay for it, because it would bring much more in the end than it would now if they joined with “cheaper” cars. It’s the matter of sell and ratings, and the ratings would just skyrocket. Better to spend 10mil and get 20mil back than spend 1mil and get 1.5mil back, if even that much.
here’s my point, compare the crowd numbers
1978
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89RKDIGrpNY
1986
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZmX6eSdQJ8&feature=related
I love the creativity of group B drivers when faced with hairpin corners LOL
Friends,I had a dream.GT cars,kept at Group N spec,as a support class in selected WRC events ,say,only tarmac for a start.Like the 911s in French and Belgian championships,plus M3 and 1M Coupe BMWs,370Z,the Rally-Lotus shown at Geneva some months earlier…the new Toyota mentioned elsewhere ,with a more powerfull engine,maybe.
Strictly for private entries,standard engines,only loud exhausts allowed.They will never beat the WRC works cars,but what fun for spectators and drivers alike-much better than the boring PWRC class and possibly cheaper.But then,if they get too popular,who knows?
Just a midsummer daydream.