Wrc Rally China 2016

[jbmarcus21]

16 Stages on tarmac ... 315.59kms ... Here the road program of Rally Wrc China 2016 ➡ http://goo.gl/kcCx9D

[Mirek]

Is it really a tarmac event?

[AL14]

Is it really a tarmac event?

Yes it was known. :)

[Mirek]

I believe. It's just that I found it only today :)

[AL14]

The power stage is called "Great Wall".
It should be a wonderful scenery.
Let's hope the whole rally will be a success, WRC needs China and China needs WRC. Happy this is finally in the calendar.

[N.O.T]

The power stage is called "Great Wall".
It should be a wonderful scenery.
Let's hope the whole rally will be a success, WRC needs China and China needs WRC. Happy this is finally in the calendar.

China does not need the WRC, but the WRC needs China.

[AL14]

China does not need the WRC, but the WRC needs China.

WRC needs China more than the contrary without doubts, but I'm sure it will be good for chinese people to discover the best motorsport in the world.

[EightGear]

I'm very curious how this will turn out.

But somehow all I can imagine in my head is a rally on boring concrete roads with no spectators and 20 entries under one big cloud of smog without seeing any blue sky or sun.

[N.O.T]

but I'm sure it will be good for chinese people to discover the best motorsport in the world.

They do not care.

[AL14]

They do not care.

If no one will care then also WRC do not need China. ;)

[N.O.T]

If no one will care then also WRC do not need China. ;)

They do not care about motorsport not the cars, i would not be surprised if they tell the people that the cars competing are the ones you can actually buy.

[Jack4688`]

If no one will care then also WRC do not need China. ;)

Does it really matter? It seems like China is just a country that international motorsport has to be seen paying a visit. How many spectators does the Chinese Grand Prix get? For some events that would mean no paying visitors to provide the organisers with funds to contribute to the GP going on year after year as FOM squeezes as much money as they can from an event but in China that doesn't seem to matter. I'm sure Volkswagen et al would be less concerned with going to China with barely any spectators than not going to China at all.

[AL14]

They do not care about motorsport not the cars, i would not be surprised if they tell the people that the cars competing are the ones you can actually buy.

Do you think chinese people are dumb?

[N.O.T]

Do you think chinese people are dumb?

lets not go there.

[Barreis]

Dog days are over... :D

[itix]

Considering that China has a growing middle class, this is important.

Our sport is free to spectate unlike F1 where you have to give your credit card and pin number to the white haired dwarf... And god forbid should anyone who's poor enough not to afford a Rolex spectate it, that would be disaster.

Also, you can't just go and buy a red bull racing car... And the Mercedes and Ferraris and McLarens you find in the shops look nothing like the F1s on the track.

A sport that has some real world connection in a country with a growing middle class where not much free things happen sound like a very marketing tool.

I hope it will show the Chinese what real motorsport look like.

[CWJ]

lets not go there.

Lets instead of NOT go there :)


Rallyguide 1 is online

http://www.rally-china.com/documents.html

[GigiGalliNo1]

Have any of you watched the APRC Rally China Rounds? I think last years or the years before were on Tarmac and video footage was nice! Should be an interesting round. Will let you know what its really like!

[Mirek]

APRC event is mixed one. They run on gravel setups and tyres but some roads are asphalt ones. Anyway it's different event.

[Livewireshock]

APRC event is mixed one. They run on gravel setups and tyres but some roads are asphalt ones. Anyway it's different event.

APRC in China for 2016 will be in a new venue. All gravel desert event at altitude in Zhangye, Gansu. A lot better and more spectacular than the previous Longyou venue which was always wet and miserable and was becoming more concrete than gravel running.

I have signed on to be a volunteer official at Rally China. I will find out in a few weeks what they want me to do. The volunteers are being organised by the LeTV sponsor. Email jinlifan@le.com for enquiries, they will welcome most people. Naturally they would like some Chinese language skills from people attending, however motorsport skills and experience will be rated higher.

[Livewireshock]

Here are videos on Youtube typical of the Beijing stages from 2009 with Jussi Valimaki. As per the rally guide map, stages G and H in either direction and sometimes F were used in previous Chinese Rally Championship events, with the service park at Baoshan where Remote Fuel will be in 2016. The other stages are new for 2016. Although Heilongtan has been used in the former Tour of Beijing ProTour Cycling, so there is online footage about that event if anyone is keen to check out that road.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XzjMpKr2GU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XzjMpKr2GU)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9wHSyWvAgA

983

[Lousada]

Here are videos on Youtube typical of the Beijing stages from 2009 with Jussi Valimaki. As per the rally guide map, stages G and H in either direction and sometimes F were used in previous Chinese Rally Championship events, with the service park at Baoshan where Remote Fuel will be in 2016. The other stages are new for 2016. Although Heilongtan has been used in the former Tour of Beijing ProTour Cycling, so there is online footage about that event if anyone is keen to check out that road.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XzjMpKr2GU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XzjMpKr2GU)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9wHSyWvAgA

983

That does not look like how I imagined a rally in China, if that makes any sense? Very wide and smooth roads, it will be hard for a driver to make a difference here... Ogier will probably win with half an hour lead lol.

[Livewireshock]

That does not look like how I imagined a rally in China, if that makes any sense? Very wide and smooth roads, it will be hard for a driver to make a difference here... Ogier will probably win with half an hour lead lol.

As a solely CRC event, it was basically two stages, marked G and H, on the maps for this years WRC. Stage G is tight, twisty and winds up and over a range, while stage H is more open and runs down a valley. Also the map is typical of Chinese maps, not very detailed with all the actual turns and corners.

Some of the stages are still the same as those used in 1999 however being close to the capital, rapid development has seen the roads improved immensely. Martin Holmes has just done a great interview with Adrian Stafford, former Clerk of Course for Rally Australia, who is assisting with the Chinese organisers. He states that the roads are 90% tarmac and 10% concrete surface for the event.
http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/wrc/10464-feature-adrian-stafford-talks-rally-china-2016

[shaitan]

http://sports.le.com/match/1005955003.html#live/1020160603172008

live stream for pre-press conference of Rally China after absence 17 years.

[shaitan]

SS 16 is power stage beside Great Wall

[jbmarcus21]

Which stages ? Which landscape ? ... here full gallery photos of the stages of 2016 Wrc China edition
==> http://goo.gl/M8FIfK

[shaitan]

Which stages ? Which landscape ? ... here full gallery photos of the stages of 2016 Wrc China edition
==> http://goo.gl/M8FIfK

Sorry I cannot access google map.

They said ss16 was the 7th(last) road sector, and total 8.44km.

As they said considering China rally promoting factor to use this road sector as power stage.

Good thing:

China largest network TV platform LeTV will broadcast whole rally but not sure how many stages.

There are no need to argue about who care about this rally because LeTV will definitely try their best to make a good show along their products.

Cons:

The president of automobile LeTV is the man who was in charge of media promotion of China Rally back in 1999 =_=

[AL14]

Which stages ? Which landscape ? ... here full gallery photos of the stages of 2016 Wrc China edition
==> http://goo.gl/M8FIfK

Judging from this gallery it will be an easy VW 1-2-3 (if nobody have problems of course)

[KiwiWRCfan]

Ma Qing Hua the Chinese driver who was WTCC team mate to Seb Loeb in 2014 & 2015 will compete in Rally China. Unclear at this stage in what car he will use or who his codriver will be.
To have one of China's most successful circuit drivers entering the event will mean significant increase in interest & coverage from mainstream Chinese media which can only be good for raising WRC's profile

https://twitter.com/maqinghuaF1/status/740128493225136129
https://twitter.com/Yves_Matton/status/740129802410168320

[N.O.T]

Cons:

The president of automobile LeTV is the man who was in charge of media promotion of China Rally back in 1999 =_=

The china of 99 and the china of today are different countries almost.

[AL14]

Ma Qing Hua the Chinese driver who was WTCC team mate to Seb Loeb in 2014 & 2015 will compete in Rally China. Unclear at this stage in what car he will use or who his codriver will be.
To have one of China's most successful circuit drivers entering the event will mean significant increase in interest & coverage from mainstream Chinese media which can only be good for raising WRC's profile

https://twitter.com/maqinghuaF1/status/740128493225136129
https://twitter.com/Yves_Matton/status/740129802410168320

The weird counting of the promoter about people who watched WRC coverage at least once will outnumber the world population. lol

[jbmarcus21]

Sorry I cannot access google map.

They said ss16 was the 7th(last) road sector, and total 8.44km.

As they said considering China rally promoting factor to use this road sector as power stage.

Good thing:

China largest network TV platform LeTV will broadcast whole rally but not sure how many stages.

There are no need to argue about who care about this rally because LeTV will definitely try their best to make a good show along their products.

Cons:

The president of automobile LeTV is the man who was in charge of media promotion of China Rally back in 1999 =_=


no need Google Map.. only gallery photo for the moment ;)

[Livewireshock]

The china of 99 and the china of today are different countries almost.
Like L.B. Hartley's famous line, "The past is another country, they do things differently there." It could not be more apt than for describing a rapidly developing China. That is because you can not compare China from 1999 to the China of today. Even though some of the exact same roads will be used, the conditions and nature will be entirely different.


The weird counting of the promoter about people who watched WRC coverage at least once will outnumber the world population. lol

That is typical public relations spin and hype, a viewer is counted by they number of times they watch the media, tickets over several days or view a web page. So one person is actually counted multiple times if they bought tickets to an event, checked out the website whilst there for results, refreshing the page many times and then watched the replayed highlights later on TV, another person might be counted once as they read a newspaper or on regular tv sports news.

[Livewireshock]

Some advice for anyone trying to look at Google maps and then comparing between the map and satellite views, it will not work effectively. It is all to do with the datum that the Chinese government uses for their mapping and how it is offset from what Google uses, so it will never be properly aligned with the regular http://maps.google.com and so you should use http://www.google.cn/maps so they maps and satellite pictures will align correctly using the Chinese datum. Searches still work in English on this site.

[pantealex]

Meeke will start with DS 3 WRC, confirmed by Citroen Sport.
No other names mentioned

[Livewireshock]

Meeke will start with DS 3 WRC, confirmed by Citroen Sport.
No other names mentioned

Citroen were big pushers for having China in the WRC so it is not surprising to see them compete on this fly-away rally.

Locally there will be two Chinese Citroen teams too, one with two R5 DS3 with Manfred Stohl as their lead driver together with team principal Wang Hua in the second car. The other is a R3 DS3 team with Australian Eli Evans driving the lead car for that team. As one of the few FIA homologated teams from China, I would expect to see them located very closely together in the WRC Service Park and not in the national CRC Service Park.

[GigiGalliNo1]

Media guide is being done this week/wkend as well as SIT are on the ground now reecing stages.

[Livewireshock]

For anybody intending to compete, volunteer or spectate at WRC Rally China Beijing, the organisers have requested that all visitors install the WeChat application on your mobile devices. This is a local equivalent of Facebook (which we all know is blocked in China). They have set up a local group account for foreigners to be updated on the latest information and advice. It will begin with the upcoming APRC China Rally Zhangye in August and will continue for the WRC and beyond.

Once you have installed the app, you can scan the QR code I have added down below with the app and your device's camera. This will allow you to join the China Rally 2016 Foreigners Group.

Android version is here : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tencent.mm
Apple iOS : https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/wechat/id414478124?mt=8

1024

[GigiGalliNo1]

Event guide has been published. Nothing special, just info for organisers, villages, importing cars, ports, airports, location of HQ etc.

[RS]

Works Skoda Motorsport team are going to China. Presumably Kopecký + 1.

[Andre Oliveira]

Pedder and Ptaszek too

[Livewireshock]

Local Chinese Citroen DS3 R5 team will likely enter for WRC2 to enhance their position and separate themselves from the CRC S6 class, with Manfred Stohl as lead driver of a two car effort.

[Rally Hokkaido]

I am getting unconfirmed reports that this year's event has been cancelled. Apparently, heavy rain has caused mudslides and heavy damage to many of the concrete/tarmac roads that make up the stages.

[Rally Hokkaido]

More news: most sponsorship for the event is from local governments, which don't have the budget to effect repairs in time. There is still some hope that the national government may step in to assist....

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Colin Clark today:

I've heard the rally will definitely go ahead - but there may be issues with "misappropriation" of sponsors money! https://t.co/KOmlqiy6w5

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Colin Clark ‏@voiceofrally 5m5 minutes ago

Latest I'm hearing from Rally China is that there are issues, but it WILL go ahead.

[dimviii]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplDh9iWEAgVlxG.jpg

Colin Clark ‏@voiceofrally

Interesting pics and info from a Rally China web group. Seems there may be more to this story. Clarification needed!



https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cplbmg7UIAEiy8F.jpg
Tommy Fei ‏@feichao1

After contacting the @OfficialWRC officer, the reply is http://auto.ifeng.com/sport/lali/20160811/1061408.shtml … looking forward the new date.


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplDh94WEAAiT78.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplDh-KW8AEeF12.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cpjgo3rUsAACboj.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cpjgo40UIAALzZK.jpg

[Toyoda]

Not surprising as the roads in china are badly built and rough, even new roads, weather damage is inevitable

[shaitan]

Not surprising as the roads in china are badly built and rough, even new roads, weather damage is inevitable
You certainly have not seen the mega flood in China this year.
Some damage not just related with the poor road quality, I would rather believe they will not repair it in time.

[Mintexmemory]

Personally I hope it doesn't take place as I have a really bad foreboding about parachuting a WRC event into a country without the necessary acquired experience to safely run it...and yes I know it has run once before.
Marketing Citroens and Hyundais may seem like motivation enough for the FIA but the sport needs NZ (or even Turkey, Greece or Jordan) if there is a genuine gap in the calendar!

[Toyoda]

Personally I hope it doesn't take place as I have a really bad foreboding about parachuting a WRC event into a country without the necessary acquired experience to safely run it...and yes I now it has run once before.
Marketing Citroens and Hyundais may seem like motivation enough for the FIA but the sport needs NZ (or even Turkey, Greece or Jordan) if there is a genuine gap in the calendar!

If you have been to China it is VW that dominates their markets. Its rumored NZ 2018 in Tauranga is a tentative go.

[WUff1]

Stages are shortened from 313 km to 250 km (similar like ERC-distance):

http://www.rallye-magazin.de/wm/nachrichten/artikel/d/2016/08/11/heftige-probleme-in-china/

[AndyRAC]

Personally I hope it doesn't take place as I have a really bad foreboding about parachuting a WRC event into a country without the necessary acquired experience to safely run it...and yes I now it has run once before.
Marketing Citroens and Hyundais may seem like motivation enough for the FIA but the sport needs NZ (or even Turkey, Greece or Jordan) if there is a genuine gap in the calendar!

Sums up everything wrong with the WRC, and modern motorsport.

NZ has the best gravel roads in the world - and should be in the WRC! So, it is the other side of the world, and a small population. So what? Will they drop Finland because it's only about 5million population?
Yet, they're desperate to go to China, the other side of the world - for what now seems like 250km of stages (156 miles). You couldn't make it up...

[GigiGalliNo1]

Selling cars and making money is what the WRC needs to do. And China is that market.

If you think about it, in Australia VW sells but no one gives a crap about Rally... Citroen/Skoda sell in small numbers... Fiesta's are hair dressers cars too the i20 and Polo...

Guys here buy a Golf R or better. Polo GTI yes.

i20 not.

NZ has a big grey import market but the car companies support the rally series in NZ. Check the NZ series and you'll see car companies sponsor the events and have heard they want the WRC back too!

So China is a key market and if M-Sport want to see cars there, rally wise; they will.

[CWJ]

Personally I hope it doesn't take place

Personally I hope it will take place since I booked my flights and hotels fix :)

[Mintexmemory]

If you have been to China it is VW that dominates their markets. Its rumored NZ 2018 in Tauranga is a tentative go.

I was just throwing up names - doesn't matter whose marketing benefits, the point is there is no good sporting reason to go to China.

[Mintexmemory]

Personally I hope it will take place since I booked my flights and hotels fix :)

Hope your movements aren't unnecessarily restricted for following the event. Good luck. Out of interest, have you been to the People's Democratic Republic before?

[AndyRAC]

I was just throwing up names - doesn't matter whose marketing benefits, the point is there is no good sporting reason to go to China.

Which should be the No1 reason to go. All the other reasons are a bonus. Something I remember Mark James saying in the Absolute Rally podcast before Christmas; they have their priorities all wrong.

[GigiGalliNo1]

We'll be able to move freely in China, easy. As they did doing the media guide. No problems at all.

[Mirek]

Which should be the No1 reason to go. All the other reasons are a bonus. Something I remember Mark James saying in the Absolute Rally podcast before Christmas; they have their priorities all wrong.

The first and foremost reason for manufacturers to even take part in WRC is marketing. Simply it's like that even though we may not like it.

[Simmi]

Yeah I struggle to see why people are having such a hard time with the WRC going to China. You can say what you want about the country but the car market is undeniable. Mirek is absolutely right it's about marketing. The teams aren't running as a charity.

It's for the same reason I can't understand (as much as I love the event), how anyone can say the WRC 'needs' New Zealand. I'd take 15 works WRC cars and a couple of questionable events over a calendar of classics with no competition any day.

Anyway here's an Autosport article on the China situation: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/125712/wrc-officials-fighting-to-save-rally-china


The only thing I would add against this year's event is that it does seem this rally has probably been rushed in due to press from the likes of Citroen. And that may well have led to some of these funding issues.

[Mintexmemory]

Marketing used to be about pointing to the 'success' of the brand in competition WHEREVER that was in the world. Is the presence of 3 VW Polos in China going to amount to anything substantial in terms of raising the awareness of 1Bn people?
Is it about the acceptability of the Chinese regime in international sporting links? Who is paying for all this really and given that like Platini, the FIA administrators are French are there personal motivations, other than committment to spreading the WRC word, at play here?

[EstWRC]

you are in a motorsport forum and you dont want a rally? what is wrong with you? :p

[Rally Power]

Is it about the acceptability of the Chinese regime in international sporting links? Who is paying for all this really and given that like Platini, the FIA administrators are French are there personal motivations, other than committment to spreading the WRC word, at play here?

Maybe with other sports there were political or financial unclear motivations to get into China, but IMO that’s not the case in WRC.

A WRC event in China’s huge market it’s important for the manus marketing but above all it’s vital for the WRC marketing itself and the whole rallysport development. We can’t expect to grow WRC visibility if it remains only in Europe and in one or two overseas countries with already established rally tradition. We need WRC to get worldwide recognition, because that’s the only way our sport can raise in a global society.

The Chinese rally championship seems to have been doing some fine progress over the last years, with several European, Japanese and Chinese brands involved. It looks like it’s the right time to go there and raise the local media interest into rally. Maybe the tarmac route choice wasn’t the ideal one and probably the floods damages will affect the organizers job, but there’s little question about the growing potential that China’s Rally brings to WRC and the rallysport.

[Mirek]

Is it about the acceptability of the Chinese regime in international sporting links? Who is paying for all this really and given that like Platini, the FIA administrators are French are there personal motivations, other than committment to spreading the WRC word, at play here?

Are we really going to start discussing morals in geopolitics and global business? Bah, there are worse regimes our governments and businessmen hapily shake hands with.

[Mintexmemory]

Are we really going to start discussing morals in geopolitics and global business? Bah, there are worse regimes our governments and businessmen hapily shake hands with.

Oh well that's ok then! Homer Simpson's equation in action- '2 wrongs make a right, Lisa'

[Mirek]

No, I am saying that there are better places to discuss moral and politic stuff than motorsportforums. In the end it's pretty hypocritical to talk about morals in sport which happily enjoys money from Saudi Arabia or Qatar.

[SubaruNorway]

I have yet to see a cool section of road from this rally, anyone?

[JAM]

And that may well have led to some of these funding issues.

The funding issues is because someone, or a group of people, desired the WRC in China more than the chinese themself.

Then, is easy to imagine. Let's find the funding to the rally. How? Trying to convince some important people to sponsor the rally, but that costs a lot of money in comissions.

As a friend of mine said: It would not be a surprise if the money from sponsors would had burned in comissions before any penny had arrived to the organizers pocket.

China is a complex country, not like what we are used to see.

Did anyone tried to understand why Ma Qing Hua spent so many time before announced the car to China rally? The guy has money, no? Maybe not...

[MartijnS]

So, again rumours about a cancellation.
https://translate.google.nl/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rallye-magazin.de%2Fwm%2Fnachrichten%2Fartikel%2Fd%2F2016 %2F08%2F16%2Frallye-china-scheint-abgesagt%2F&edit-text=&act=url

[AndyRAC]

So,the teams, the FiA, Promoter all want an event in China. But the local council doesn't want to repair the roads....has anybody asked whether China really wants a WRC round??

[N.O.T]

has anybody asked whether China really wants a WRC round??

You think we should have a referendum between 1.3 billion about a sporting event ? or the FIA should write a letter to the secretary of the peoples republic of china asking him about his opinion ?

[AndyRAC]

Are you being deliberately obtuse? Read what I wrote……

You’d think the local council would be busting a gut to repair roads in advance of a big motorsport series turning up.

As I’ve already said, the Manufacturers, the promoter, etc all want China – who else? Are we going to see a large number of spectators, local media coverage??

[N.O.T]

Are you being deliberately obtuse? Read what I wrote……

You’d think the local council would be busting a gut to repair roads in advance of a big motorsport series turning up.

As I’ve already said, the Manufacturers, the promoter, etc all want China – who else? Are we going to see a large number of spectators, local media coverage??

So you are suggesting that WRC imposed an event on a global superpower without its will ?

And the answer is NO you are not going to see a lot of spectators or national media coverage on a country that does not know what motorsports is, but that is the point of it, to start and get things moving on a 1.3 billion market.

[dimviii]

Serious doubts over China WRC round

Written by Martin Holmes on 16 August 2016.

The national Chinese Rally Championship event due to have been run as a supporting event for the WRC Rally China (planned for 9-11 September) was cancelled last night, European time, as posted on the official FASC website.

WRC teams are awaiting a similar notice regarding the world championship event today.

- Martin Holmes

http://www.rallysportmag.com.au/home/wrc/10677-serious-doubts-over-china-wrc-round

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The local official probably hasnt received his tickles...

Thats how things work over there.

[Mirek]

How much business in China have You made?

[GigiGalliNo1]

Sorry to rain on each parade

The governing body of Motorsport in China have stated that the WRC Beijing Rally is cancelled.

"Due to technical issues the Beijing Rally is cancelled".

"The 3rd round of the CRC will be in Chenzhou Hunan at the end of September".

Awaiting FIA/Promoter details

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/cd3791a56eed3da3c67e8d1fdbc333fc.jpg

[Fast Eddie WRC]

How much business in China have You made?

Their own President has carried out a sweeping anti-corruption campaign with thousands of arrests. It has been a way of life there for centuries. You are very niave if you didnt know this and thought business was like in the West.

As for cancelling the rally for 'technical reasons'...

[Doon]

Shame, as the WRC is about changing landscapes with varying backdrops, which China could provide.

So all that work to get China included on the calendar, after numerous people agreed that the organisers weren't ready for a WRC, and it's cancelled. Will the promoter try again with the organisers in 2017, or will they give it to someone who will run a rally? Will they strike them off the list and go to NZ, or anywhere else that fans and drivers want the WRC to go.

[GigiGalliNo1]

Take into consideration this was comments from the Chinese Motorsport Body stating cancellation of the Beijing Rally as a Whole!

But again, wait for the FIA...

[GigiGalliNo1]

WRC Rally China officially Cancelled

Press Release

WRC Rally China 2016 cancelled due to weather damage

Munich, August 16 2016 – The FIA and WRC Promoter have received a formal request to cancel next month’s Rally China (8 - 11 September), round 10 of the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship.

The Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of China (CAMF) and event organiser Le Sports cited heavy damage to the route caused by torrential storms and flooding last month in the region around Huairou, near Beijing, where the rally was to be staged.

Despite a last minute visit to China last week by representatives from the FIA and WRC Promoter, and the best efforts by all concerned, it was said to be impossible to affect the necessary repairs for the event to run safely.

According to CAMF and Le Sports the adverse weather left sections of the route to be used as special stages requiring major repair work which the region’s Road Administration Authority confirmed could not be completed before reconnaissance for the rally was due to start.

Some of the worst floods in China for many years forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes in the north of the country, prompting authorities to introduce emergency measures in the region, which continue.

The rally will not be replaced in this year’s FIA World Rally Championship, which will now comprise 13 rounds.

ends

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160816/18f9aadb8153ded15894af703ea2fb5c.jpg

[EstWRC]

its all mintexmemory's fault!:p

[GigiGalliNo1]

Mintexmemory! Hope you booked refundable hotels and car rental etc!

Tip to all.

Most credit card companies have insurance so please contact them!

Airlines will hold the amount you paid for your ticket as 'Credit' to use on another trip.

Possibly hotel booking agent websites too!

[Rally Power]

It’s a shame, and we shouldn’t be speculating about the Chinese lack of interest on WRC or making dubious suggestions for the rally cancelation. Those floods were a real calamity. It’s quite understandable that repairing rally roads isn’t the main priority for local authorities. Best wishes for all the affected people by the floods. Hope to see China back on next year calendar.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2016/07/floods-china-kill-dozens-displace-tens-thousands-160723091831354.html

[GigiGalliNo1]

Thank you for the Al Jazeera story. I didn't know to that effect!

Also to note, Chinese media have posted more details on why the WRC round was cancelled compared to what the FIA released and Autosport have written!

Could be a first with media in China, telling more to the story then normal! Or at all!

[AL14]

Their own President has carried out a sweeping anti-corruption campaign with thousands of arrests. It has been a way of life there for centuries. You are very niave if you didnt know this and thought business was like in the West.

You clearly don't have a clue of what you are talking about.

[GigiGalliNo1]

AL14

It's true what Fast Eddie has said!

[N.O.T]

The two underaged kids agree with each other AL so i guess you are wrong this time.

[Mintexmemory]

Mintexmemory! Hope you booked refundable hotels and car rental etc!

Tip to all.

Most credit card companies have insurance so please contact them!

Airlines will hold the amount you paid for your ticket as 'Credit' to use on another trip.

Possibly hotel booking agent websites too!
Why would I as I wasn't going anyway? # do try to follow the debate!

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Educate yourselves.

Even the floods that damaged the roads in China can be traced back to corruption...

http://qz.com/725468/chinas-devastating-floods-can-be-traced-back-to-corruption-and-overbuilding/

[Rally Power]

Educate yourselves.
Even the floods that damaged the roads in China can be traced back to corruption...
http://qz.com/725468/chinas-devastating-floods-can-be-traced-back-to-corruption-and-overbuilding/

I bet if you keep digging you’ll find out that monsoon rains are also due to the Chinese corrupted society...

Honestly Eddie, it takes a lot of nerve to call the others what we are! Maybe you didn’t realized yet, but it was ‘us’, the good old and civilized westerns, that through history took human’s corrupted nature into a never ending highest level (currently under the form of savage capitalism), and managed to export it to the rest of the world, even when it wasn’t asked!

So, please stop offending the Chinese people, especially those who, like us, gladly share this forum because of a common passion: the rallysport.

[N.O.T]

Educate yourselves.

Even the floods that damaged the roads in China can be traced back to corruption...

http://qz.com/725468/chinas-devastating-floods-can-be-traced-back-to-corruption-and-overbuilding/

Things become far better when you are through with puberty, so be patient.

[stefanvv]

Don't forget to blame human population growth exhaling all the CO2 helping the global warming.

[Mk2 RS2000]

Educate yourselves.

Even the floods that damaged the roads in China can be traced back to corruption...

http://qz.com/725468/chinas-devastating-floods-can-be-traced-back-to-corruption-and-overbuilding/

So why do thy have the flooding in England that we see on TV on a regular basis?

[N.O.T]

So why do thy have the flooding in England that we see on TV on a regular basis?

corruption.

[N.O.T]

I bet if you keep digging you’ll find out that monsoon rains are also due to the Chinese corrupted society...

Honestly Eddie, it takes a lot of nerve to call the others what we are! Maybe you didn’t realized yet, but it was ‘us’, the good old and civilized westerns, that through history took human’s corrupted nature into a never ending highest level (currently under the form of savage capitalism), and managed to export it to the rest of the world, even when it wasn’t asked!

So, please stop offending the Chinese people, especially those who, like us, gladly share this forum because of a common passion: the rallysport.

but they eat dogs.

[AL14]

but they eat dogs.

Korean eat dogs. Chinese eat children. Get your facts straight.

[N.O.T]

Korean eat dogs. Chinese eat children. Get your facts straight.

Chinese eat dogs as well as kittens, i do not care about children.

http://i.imgur.com/GmxS8IZ.jpg

[AL14]

poor kittens, eaten because of corruption... it's not fair.

[GigiGalliNo1]

Personally I hope it will take place since I booked my flights and hotels fix :)

Sorry, I thought this was Mintexmemory but he was just quoting you in the post.

Did you get your refund CWJ?

[moto99]

So out of 3 times China was in WRC it got canceled 2 times...
(in 2000 China was replaced by Cyprus)

[Eli]

So out of 3 times China was in WRC it got canceled 2 times...
(in 2000 China was replaced by Cyprus)

if only the ERC could contribute Cyprus to the WRC...and make it ready in time...

[CWJ]

Sorry, I thought this was Mintexmemory but he was just quoting you in the post.
Did you get your refund CWJ?

No. Nothing. But since all is paid even the visa I think about going now for sightseeing and some stage recce.

[Livewireshock]

Okay, excuse the delay as the rally cancellation caused a big disruption to my travel plans and I was offline for a while. I am actually in China and I was supposed to begin constructing the service park today with the Chinese officials.

While there is a lot of China bashing going on here and that the Chinese do not give a damn, that is not true. For the local competitors, they have been building up to this for a long time and were keen to put on a great show for the world. The CAMF, the organising body is also under incredible pressure to perform well from the local competitors. Who by the way are not just the average man in the street but more likely wealthy business people which powerful influence within China.

As such, the local media has savaged the Rally China organisers just as much as the international media has. There have been TV interviews, print and web articles all being critical of the way this matter was handled.

Now to play devil's advocate too, the FIA and the WRC Promoter has to shoulder some of the blame too. The Chinese proposed the event to be held in Zhangye, Gansu but the FIA/WRC refused and insisted on it being held in Beijing. This effectively tied one hand behind the back of the local officials, because of the lack of gravel roads forcing it to be a fly-away tarmac event, lack of support from the local government who were not enthusiastic about the demands needed for hosting the event and even lack of support from local competitors who did not like it as a Chinese Rally Championship round. Imagine if all the European rounds of the WRC had to be hosted in their national capital, it does not take a genius to understand that would not make for a great event, thus we have Rally Poland in a tiny village hours away from Warsaw, despite the marketing disadvantage. China was never given this luxury.

Add to all of this, the weather and road damage, which also forced the cancellation of several European football teams to cancel pre-season tours in China too. My train from the APRC in Zhangye was affected by the rain damage, being rerouted and rescheduled, despite being on the opposite side of the country and the damage being already a month old.

Now, I am about to head back to Hong Kong and fly back to Australia, two weeks earlier than scheduled but that is how life goes. For those still intending to head to China despite the cancellation, the De An Motorsport team will be hosting a mid-season test day on September 11 instead of Rally Beijing, with the Prodrive built S6 VW Golf.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Rally China is unlikely to make the WRC calendar in 2017.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/126820

Seems the 'damaged roads' wasnt the reason for 2016's cancellation, but an excuse as I suspected.

[bowler]

The manufacturers, french especially, wanted an event in China more than the Chinese did. It was lucky the weather provided an excuse that allowed a saving of face.

[Mintexmemory]

Rally China is unlikely to make the WRC calendar in 2017.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/126820

Seems the 'damaged roads' wasnt the reason for 2016's cancellation, but an excuse as I suspected.

Phew!! So Rally Oz can go back to September and NZ (or Turkey) could take the previous Rally France weekend, vacated by th move to April

[GigiGalliNo1]

No VW no China