[WRC] Central European Rally 17-20.10.2024

[Backa]

44 entries in 3 coutries with so much rally history can't be good. Say what you want. It is bad, very bad. WRC is dying.

Is it possible small amount of entries is done on purpose? Poland and Latvia had quite decent amount of entries in ERC in 2023 and much smaller in WRC in 2024. Maybe WRC wants to avoid organizational issues and push their entry fee higher to limit it.

WRC events brings more spectators and many of them are interested only in Rally1 and Rally2.

[EstWRC]

I don't think this entry list is a reflection on the WRC - and I think that's a harsh comparison. The entry list for WRC2 and WRC3 throughout the season is at a record high (or close to). The elite level is doing well.

I think this entry list is a clear reflection on this event and the complexity, cost and ballache that it creates. It's a nightmare to move constantly for recce, then for the event too.

Competitors have clearly voted with their feet and decided this event is just not worth it. It's a failed experiment in format. I'd be surprised if it continues - or is allowed to continue....

And I agree.

Ditch this one and bring back Croatia.

Was a nice experiment indeed

[mknight]

And I agree.

Ditch this one and bring back Croatia.

Was a nice experiment indeed

As I wrote a page ago Poland had 42 entries Latvia 38.

So if you want to start ditching for sub 50 entries in Europe you have quite a few rallies to ditch.

[rallyfiend]

As I wrote a page ago Poland had 42 entries Latvia 38.

So if you want to start ditching for sub 50 entries in Europe you have quite a few rallies to ditch.

Entry numbers should not be the entire basis for determining the success of a rally.

In the case of CER, it's clear that it's just not working as a concept.

[wyler]

44 entries in 3 coutries with so much rally history can't be good. Say what you want. It is bad, very bad. WRC is dying.

In Saudi Arabia we will have 9 cars and 2 camels?

rally1 rally2 and rally3 entrys tell the opposite. i think people here are too stuck in the past and into that kind of mentality that is "it's always been like this, so has to be good". time are changing and the needs for those who finance the sport too. i ll not be surprised if this kind of entry list will become somewhat the standard (ignore it or not, we had already a lot of rounds like this in recent times, from Mexico to Latvia, maybe even with lesser quality).
And somehow is not so strange or even a bad thing that a wrc round is too complex for sunday drivers... think at montecarlo - the most historical estate in wrc - for them is normal to ditch the bottom of the classification for the last day...

another little thing about return of interest in wrc event promotion (but also apply to erc): most of the drivers in the long list are quite invisible on social media, and I'm talking about fan footage, not official reportage. this has to be taken into account. interest is in top 20 - maybe less - cars.

[mknight]

Entry numbers should not be the entire basis for determining the success of a rally.

In the case of CER, it's clear that it's just not working as a concept.

If it is not entry numbers I don't get what is "clear". Especially after it was only run once.

From my side the part which is stupid is starting in Prague and the location of the service park in relation to the stages.
The locations of the (normal) stages, the stages themselves and the idea of rally in 3 countries next to each other I see no "clear" problems with.

[denkimi]

If there are not enough entries that only means it is too expensive for most.

[wyler]

If there are not enough entries that only means it is too expensive for most.

true, but world-level sport events (including wrc rallies) are not aiming at them.

[Jarek Z]

mate, why don't you focus on the arguments instead of making cheap irony...

Mate, I didn't want to offend you. Don't take it personally, please

there's a lot people here complaining that the sport is dying but never gets where the return of interest everybody seeks is.

i don't think short=poor.

So what do you think? That short = good? How come? Everyone complains about decreasing number of entries in WRC, but you say it is a good trend? When I started watching rallies an event with entry list below 60 crews was considered a flop. This rally has 44 entries and you consider it a good quality event? 44 entries in the middle of Europe, the hotbed of rally sport?

You say that "short is good", but even Rally1 manufacturers want more entries:

"it’s clear that we need more brands, we need more cars, we need more drivers, we need more show" - Cyril Abiteboul from Hyundai

"As a Toyota car manufacturer, I hope that this would give some sort of message to other car manufacturers to take part in WRC" - Jari-Matti Latvala from Toyota

[mknight]

There is a difference between what types of extra entries.

2 top category cars are infinitely more important than 20 extra Rally 3/4 cars.