2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge

[Burnsie]

The 2012 IRC calendar has been announced...

• Four all-new events in Bulgaria, Ireland, Romania and San Marino
• Five rounds in Eastern Europe
• Classics such as Rallye Sanremo and Tour de Corse remain
• Extra rounds on gravel

Round	Date	Event	Surface
1	23-25 February	Sata Rallye Açores (Portugal)	Gravel
2	15-17 March	Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés (Spain)	Asphalt
3	06-07 April	Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally	Asphalt
4	11-12 May	Tour de Corse (France)	Asphalt
5	02-03 June	Canon Mecsek Rallye (Hungary)	Asphalt
6	21-23 June	GEKO Ypres Rally (Belgium)	Asphalt
7	06-07 July	Rally San Marino	Gravel
8	20-22 July	Sibiu Rally Romania	Gravel
9	31 Aug - 2 Sep	Barum Czech Rally ZlÃ*n	Asphalt
10	15-16 September	Prime Yalta Rally (Ukraine)	Asphalt
11	29-30 September	Rally Sliven (Bulgaria)	Asphalt
12	12-13 October	Rallye Sanremo (Italy)	Asphalt
13	02-03 November	Cyprus Rally	Gravel & asphalt

[Burnsie]

Delighted to see Ireland hosting an event of this size following its two successful rounds of the World Rally Championship. As far as I know the following information is provisional, but it will give you a rough idea of what to expect...

The rally will start from Belfast on Good Friday 6th April with a Super Special Stage at the Titanic Quarter. This will coincide with the start of the centenary celebrations of the Titanic's launch. The rally then heads down the M1 for two repeated stages in the Dungannon area, the second runs of which will be in the dark.

Day two should start from Armagh and include the Lisburn Power Stage as used this year, plus five repeated stages in counties Down and Armagh. For the first time since special stages were introduced, there won't be any in Southern Ireland. The rally finishes on Saturday evening.

[leonidas]

Its a good calendar but how is it 'intercontinental'? Its become a sort of alternative European championship.

Five rounds in Eastern Europe hints at desperation. Better to have something like the Targa Florio in there and a couple of Scandinavian events that would get an audience.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by leonidas

Its a good calendar but how is it 'intercontinental'? Its become a sort of alternative European championship.

Fair point, is it a case of keeping it fairly central to keep travelling costs down? Anyway, good to see a round in Ireland (although if it's only running north of the border surely it should be listed as Northern Ireland?)

[Burnsie]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

...good to see a round in Ireland (although if it's only running north of the border surely it should be listed as Northern Ireland?)

Well the 'Circuit of Ireland' is the second oldest rally in the world, so despite this year's route only passing through northern counties, there would be justifiable uproar if anyone tried to change the name.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Burnsie

Well the 'Circuit of Ireland' is the second oldest rally in the world, so despite this year's route only passing through northern counties, there would be justifiable uproar if anyone tried to change the name.

I see your point - it's like "rally GB" just being in Wales I suppose. Either way - it's good to have a round there. Is it also a round of the Irish Tarmac Championship? That would be ideal

[Burnsie]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Is it also a round of the Irish Tarmac Championship? That would be ideal

Indeed it is (Galway, Circuit of Ireland, Killarney Rally of The Lakes, Donegal, Ulster, and Cork 20). But I digress...

To be honest I hadn't even noticed the fact that the "Intercontinental" series only visits one continent - it's a shame, but if it's a means of reducing costs in order to further secure the future of the series' then I fully support it. Obviously it would be great to see the series expand globally though. Safari Rally, anyone?

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by leonidas

Its a good calendar but how is it 'intercontinental'? Its become a sort of alternative European championship.

I agree with you: the calendar is fine (for a second-level championship), the name is wrong.

[tbtstt]

The Circuit of Ireland (and Irish Tarmac Championships in general) seem to have been doing well the last couple of years, so this is great news (I think).

Should be a hell of an event this year, perhaps this should be my motivation to finally get over to Ireland and check out a tarmac event for myself!

[rich_cooper]

Good to see Ireland in

IRC hasnt lived up to the hype of afew seasons ago in the last couple of years

[FIRE]

IRC >>> WRC

[kober]

Originally Posted by Burnsie

Well the 'Circuit of Ireland' is the second oldest rally in the world

That's not correct, the Rally of Poland has been run since 1921, with 68th edition in 2011.

In other news, this will be the last season of IRC, from 2013 it's expected to merge with ERC. Hopefully, the consolidation will bring back some of the old glory of the European Championship, and it will be even better with GT cars (FIA R-GT) on the stages

[kurski]

Solberg PS Engineering and Kristian Sohlberg have agreed that Sohlberg was driving the Ford Fiesta S2000 with San Marino and Romania rallies.

[Ouninpohja]

On-Board video of Mathieu Arzeno (Peugeot 207 S2000) in Circuit of Ireland !

Full stage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAhWZt0_HME

[Suze]

Thought I'd bump this with Sibiu this weekend - a long shot but anyone (Dani Filth?) gone / going?

[kober]

The merger of IRC with ERC is on.

Statement from Eurosport Events:

The FIA World Motor Sport Council has confirmed at its meeting in Paris today an agreement between the FIA and Eurosport Events for Eurosport Events to become the promoter of the FIA European Rally Championship from the 2013 season onwards. The agreement will mean the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which Eurosport Events created and has promoted since its inception in 2007, will not run next year in its current format across Europe.

[FIRE]

Good move.

[chunder]

Cant see the news, werent Eurosport pretty much doing this anyway!

[kober]

No, Eurosport Events had not been the promoter of ERC.
The newly-signed deal between FIA and EE is for the next ten years, which should give a lot of stability to the European Championship. Hopefully the merged calendar will contain the best rallies of both series.

[chunder]

OK then, well Eurosport has alrgely been responsible for promoting it in my eyes, they fund it in part, it is live on thier channel!

So in reality this is about as surprising as them covering Le Mans!!

[FIRE]

You are confused with IRC.

[chunder]

Not really, Eurosport have always run IRC and covered it, they have been heavily involved from the start, always have been, they are just renaming it!

[NaBUru38]

The new championships will surely have the current IRC races. The question is: what will happen with the current ERC races? I guess they could form stronger regional championships than now.