The World Rally championship gets underway today (Thursday -20th) with the Monte Carlo rally. There is an added buzz to proceedings this year, as a level of normality returns to the sport after the pandemic years. Craig Breen and Paul Nagle are first choice drives with Ford, thus ensuring a massive Irish interest and the new Hybrid Rally cars will be unleashed onto the stages in proper competitive action for the first time. The love of the sport remains strong but just reflecting back on a piece from 12 months ago the romance is not there.
An invitation to be part of a Fantasy WRC league seen this scribe drawn into the Monte for 4 full days. Motorsport and rallying in particular has also been to the forefront of my sporting interests, but the focus was always on the local and national scene, while keeping an eye on Irish competitors when they left these shores. The World Rally championship would be there in the back ground, a working knowledge of cars and crews would be to hand if needed, but a missed stage, day or indeed a weekend of an event was no big concern. That changed when I was tasked with picking up to 6 drivers based on a points system. (Those at the top end of the sport having a higher points value, thus limiting you to filling your selection with the best drivers, as you only had so many points available to you). So drivers were picked with the focus on who may possibly win while backed up with a gamble as to who might pick up some valuable points.
A team name, a league table and the Fantasy of having a WRC team got real with the first stage of Monte getting underway. What followed was a weekend of Twitter and website updates. Taking in live timing and working out splits on stages. The banter was good on the Whats App groups, league positions went from been top off it to dropping dramatically on the last few stages as my chosen top driver floundered with a number of punctures. Through it all however the buzz was back, car specifications was been checked, driver information was been gleamed, spins and half spins, gravel notes and black ice were all the talk.
The love of the sport was rekindled after a short break, BUT the romance wasn’t there.
Romance is to have a feeling of care or affection to someone or possibly something.
In this case the Car.
Stay with me here for a few lines.
The Modern Rally car doesn’t excite, it draws no affection,you do not really care for it (Unless you own it off course). Yes, they are a lot faster and more importantly safer but they look unnatural, all spoilers and wings and added on bits to make them more aerodynamic. It takes away from their showroom look,it takes away from the dream of actually saying you could own a car that looks like that. Toyota currently dominate the World Rally championship in their Yaris. It is a car you normally associate with the more mature members of the population. Ford have the Fiesta, my granny drives one of those. Hyundai the I20, need I say anymore. These cars have been incredible developments of the wish to go faster over closed roads, no one can dispute that, but that is all they do. No one is rushing to the nearest showroom to buy one on the back of what they have seen on the start line of a World rally. Subaru announced themselves on the world stage with the Legacy followed by the Impreza. These fire breathing, thundering burbles of noise were the car of dreams. More importantly they were a dream that could be a reality. Road versions of these cars, special editions of them could be purchased and you could drive them. Anyone with one now a days has the key to a dream. Ford over the years have had their Escorts from the Mark 1 up to the Cosworth, Mitsubishi had the Evo, Toyota the Celica, Audi the Quatro. All Icons, all cars that would turn your head and make your heart beat faster if you seen them in their road going guise. See how much your bank balance will suffer if you look to purchase one of them now a days
Yaris/Fiesta/I20 they just don’t have that same effect. In fairness you probably make an effort to pass them out if it is safe to do so and not give them a second glance. Any sort of damage or trouble with a rally car of yester year was and still remains painful to see. You have concern for its well being, will it recover, can it look as good again,will it be Ok. The same cannot be said for the modern version. The love of the sport is still strong and will remain so. The opening round of the World rally championship ran with little or no hiccups, so it should arguer well for the remaining rounds. Changes will be made to the Fantasy WRC league team. Hard calls to be made on who goes and who comes in. A renewed interest in following the action will ensure all remaining rounds are now marked in a diary with reminders to be sure your chosen drivers are set to start. But that is it, a fantasy league of WRC drivers is the attraction.
The Cars are faster and safer
but the romance is gone.
