WRC Wales Rally GB - Cardiff UK

[flying finn]

WRC Wales Rally GB - Cardiff UK

Total Kms: 1612.04 km
Liaison: 1254.08 km
SS Kms: 359.44 km
Special Stages: 20

Thursday 11.11 - Friday 12.11 > 7 stages (129.96 km)
Saturday 13.11 > 9 stages (153.34 km)
Sunday 14.11 > 4 stages (76.14 km)

Home Page > http://www.walesrallygb.com/home.php
Itinerary > http://www.walesrallygb.com/document...1_for_web).pdf
Entry List > http://www.walesrallygb.com/document...A_28-10-10.pdf
Rally Guide > http://www.walesrallygb.com/document...y_for_web).pdf
Documents Link > http://www.walesrallygb.com/competit..._and_forms.php

Preview > http://www.wrc.com/calendar-and-rall...y-gb/overview/
Citroen preview > http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=393505&FS=WRC
Ford preview > http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=393502&FS=WRC
Citroen Jr preview > http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=393506&FS=WRC
Stobart preview > http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...=393504&FS=WRC

Championship Standings

1. Sebastien Loeb (FRA) > 251
2. Sebastien Ogier (FRA) > 167
3. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) > 156
4. Petter Solberg (N) > 151
5. Dani Sordo (ESP) > 140
6. Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) > 114
7. Matthew Wilson (GBR) > 68
8. Henning Solberg (N) > 37
9. Federico Villagra (ARG) > 36
10. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) > 21

[Suze]

Surprised no chatter on here at all really. We haven't gone [having done foreign rounds where it's far better VFM means we decided it wasn't worth the trek to Wales] but caught up with Day 1 on TV last night / this morning and have been following the live timing and twitter feeds during the day. Trying to follow the Nat B event too without too much success.

Look forward to tomorrow....will be interesting!

[chunder]

Why would anyone be interested in the most predictable championship in motorsport!

Over priced, over rated and in reality not a British rally at all!

Damn shame

[cmk]

Maybe because they want to see a good battle between two legit world champions? Solberg is really back on form and to be within 4 seconds of Loeb after 2 days of lead-trading is good stuff!

[chunder]

I wasnt really talking about the drivers, theya re only driving what they can? And this year it is clear that loeb has lost an edge on gravel/ Petter and Ogier are seemingly quicker, but Seb is far more consistent.

Just cant wait for 2011, a change is what is needed, and lets hope the new regs can provoke the Japanese to get invovled again.

Those years of Mitsubishi, Mazda, Toyota, Nissan, Lancia, Ford and Subaru seema a long time ago!!

[G.Walker]

Totally agree chunder. I have not gone this year ,
Citroen v ford and very few others lacks appeal.

I was hoping P Solberg would finish the season with a win but that does not look likely now

[FIRE]

Despite I have little interest in rally I always liked the RAC rally.

It's a shame they don't show cars outside top 10 or even top 5.

When BBC did live coverage of the RAC (late 90s?) they showed also the local British drivers. That's much more interesting than always showing the same 4 or 5 front runners.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Despite I have little interest in rally I always liked the RAC rally.

It's a shame they don't show cars outside top 10 or even top 5.

When BBC did live coverage of the RAC (late 90s?) they showed also the local British drivers. That's much more interesting than always showing the same 4 or 5 front runners.

Looking at the start list of day 1, section 1 shows (if I counted correctly) 61 starters for the entire event. Not too many British independent 'club' rallyists either, which is hardly surprising. 2 or 3 decades ago there would be about 200 starters and the first 20 or so had the potential to be competetive for stage and outright wins. There were estimates of 2 million spectators for the event. Of course it had more days and ran over a much greater part of Great Britain covering more road and stage distance. TV coverage was very limited.

Quite frankly I am surprised that TV is able to create a program at all from the current entry situation - but then they can do it with F1 with only 24 drivers in total on a grid and I suppose the improved reliability and shorter events means that the competitive angle will always be closer and not so reliant on some form of accident of mechanical failure to bring excitment from time gaps between competitors. That would work best, as in nearly all the other sports, if they stick to the top 5 or so for most of the coverage. Let's face it even in football the 'top five' of the moment seem to get more column inches in the papers every day than the rest do in a year.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by grantp

Looking at the start list of day 1, section 1 shows (if I counted correctly) 61 starters for the entire event. Not too many British independent 'club' rallyists either, which is hardly surprising.

Are you ignoring the "club rallyists" in the Nat B rally then? Yes it was shorter than the main event but a fair few out and putting in some good times too. At least there was an option for those wanting to do a shorter route / non-homologated cars etc.

Results are at:

http://www.walesrallygb.com/competit...al_b_event.php

[G.Walker]

Loeb worthy winner.

To win 8 out of 13 events this year is very impressive.

[flying finn]

WRC Wales Rally GB - Results

1. Sebastien Loeb (FRA) > Citroen C4 > 3:14:54.0 (+0:00.0)
2. Petter Solberg (N) > Citroen C4 > 3:15:13.1 (+0:19.1)
3. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) > Ford Focus > 3:16:29.3 (+1:35.3)
4. Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) > Ford Focus > 3:16:47.3 (+1:53.3)
5. Dani Sordo (ESP) > Citroen C4 > 3:17:06.2 (+2:12.2)
6. Henning Solberg (N) > Ford Focus > 3:21:20.5 (+6:26.5)
7. Matthew Wilson (GBR) > Ford Focus > 3:23:31.8 (+8:37.8)
8. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) > Citroen C4 > 3:25:21.9 (+10:27.9)
9. Mads Østberg (N) > Subaru Impreza > 3:27:07.7 (+12:13.7)
10. Andreas Mikkelsen (N) > Skoda Fabia > 3:28:55.2 (+14:01.2)
21. Ken Block (USA) > Ford Focus > 3:46:39.8 (+31:45.8)
DNF. Sebastien Ogier (FRA) > Citroen C4 > SS8 - off road

> another win for Loeb; good podiums for Petter Solberg and Latvala
> nice season finish for Raikkonen
> SS > Loeb 11/20; Solberg 4/20; Latvala 3/20; Ogier 1/20; Sordo 1/20
> post event FIA press conference > http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre...conf_gbr2.aspx

2010 WRC Standings - Final
http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/champ...ification.aspx
2010 Manufacturers' Championship - Final
http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/champ...ification.aspx

> 2010 wins > Loeb 8/13; Latvala 2/13; Ogier 2/13; Hirvonen 1/13
> 2011 season starts 10.02 - Sweden

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Suze

Are you ignoring the "club rallyists" in the Nat B rally then? Yes it was shorter than the main event but a fair few out and putting in some good times too. At least there was an option for those wanting to do a shorter route / non-homologated cars etc.

Results are at:

http://www.walesrallygb.com/competit...al_b_event.php

Indeed I was but mainly because there was no secondary event back in the days I was thinking of. Everyone was in the main event or not in at all.

I'm not trying to denigrate the Nat B event - far from it - but the point was made about TV coverage and only concentrating on about 5 competitors. There's no way the Nat B event could be included in the prime coverage without potentially eroding the viability of the WRC 'brand' in the minds of the wider public - or maybe in the minds of the show's producers. (Well, assuming that the wider public has a mind and cares about the WRC .... )

It's so much easier to create a program around a smaller cast list.

[rich_cooper]

Spent Friday and Saturday on the stages. Loved it, people who say the WRC is boring need to go and watch it live. The driving of the top boys is fantastic and im now looking forward to the new era of WRC in 2011.

Anyway acouple of photos of mine...................












If intrested there is a full report on: http://www.garageawesome.com/

[The Dozer]

i definetly think petter deserves a works drive for next year as he is by far twice the better driver than sordo

[rich_cooper]

I think petter should aswell, but he wont be in one

[retrognome]

We think the first running of the National was a big success, and hope next year Clerk of the Course Lyn Jenkins will allow more 'classic' ex winners to take part. How about Group B? Find report and image galleries at www.retro-speed.co.uk.

BTW watch out for Roger Albert Clark coming soon

[marcosgt]

Originally Posted by rich_cooper

I think petter should aswell, but he wont be in one

No - I can't imagine why though - Better driver, 100 times more promotable internationally (having some personality is a novelty in motorsport these days!).

Tragic waste of a supreme talent - Petter still seems to have more talent in his little finger than 90% of the rest of the WRC field...

I mean ... Malcolm Wilson, Kimi Raikonnen, that yank with the stupid beard...

M.

[leonidas]

Totally agree about Petter. He could end up making a real monkey of some of the works drivers next season- he only missed second place in the championship this year by a whisker.

The WRC needs him in a car equal to Loeb's - what a championship we would have then.

I don't know why some of the perpetual also-rans are still in major teams. If someone has shown no sign of being world class after four WRC seasons it ain't gonna happen. I guess its all about the sponsorship you can bring rather than the talent you have. Not good for the sport.

[chunder]

There seem to be a dearth of seats next year and that is understandable in a changeover period.

I think when a years cars are perhaps available this will pick up.

For next year you can only expect manufacturer entries and very rich provate entrants.

It's only the same as it was when Group B got silly. You had Lancia, Peugeot only on most rallies in 1986.