The WRC racing format has been a hot topic this season, with the Hyundai driver one of the strongest pushers to improve the championship’s overall appeal. WRC drivers have criticized the current format of the competition, particularly the number of rally days and their duration, which has caused much controversy.
In response to this criticism, the WRC commission has put together a series of proposals submitted to the FIA this month.
Although the attempt to reduce the minimum race length to 250 kilometers in 2024 was rejected, the FIA has ratified a new points system with points awarded after Saturday and new points awarded on Sunday to make the final day of the rally more entertaining. Interesting. But there may be further changes to the WRC in the future.
When asked about his thoughts on the WRC format in the future, Neuville revealed that he would like to see more variety in rally lengths and the return of iconic rallies from the past.
“For me, first of all, and as I have always said, the format of the rally is too long and this is a problem because nobody follows the rally for four days,” Thierry Neuville told Motorsport.com. “However, in order not to completely change the format of the rally, I would keep Monte Carlo as a four-day event, but I would make the Safari rally longer, so that it lasts five or six days, but with longer stages to get a little further exciting than before.”
“We would like to bring back iconic rallies like Argentina and Wales, and I think both are candidates or would like to return.
“I would shorten the rest of the rallies so that they only take place on Friday and Saturday. The shakedown could take place on Friday morning, then at noon the actual rally would start, which would last until 8pm or maybe until 10-11pm. tests on asphalt, to be done in the dark, on long Saturdays, which would end the evening before a nice party in the service park and a concert.”
“On Sundays at some rallies we would do a stage twice where there would be a remote service park near the drug center so that people could come to the service park and then come back to the stage which they could see twice. Even the spectators they could meet us and talk to us a bit. Maybe the drivers of the official WRC teams could do VIP trips for the guests. This would bring the rally closer to the people.”
It should be noted that Raimonds Strokšs, director of RA Events, the organizer of Tet Rally Latvia, recently revealed to the Go4speed portal that there will be an event similar to the one mentioned by Neuvils on Sunday as part of Tet Rally Latvia.
The Power Stage of “Tet Rally Latvia” will end on the Vecpils autocross track. I can tell you that it will be a nice festival. For the moment we are talking about the fact that the Vecpils speed stage will end on the Vecpils cross-country track and there will be a nice jandālin around that place. Not only will there be two speed stages, which will be clearly visible and with nice jumps, but there will also be a clean-up area before the Power Stage stage, the finish of the Power Stage and the prize giving after the Power Stage dope. We are also planning an autograph session there. So a rather large event is expected there.”
2023-12-28 23:55:43
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