There’s a default setting among some motorsport fans who claim everything ‘was better back then’. In rallying, the halcyon 1980s are rightly lauded for the Group B monsters that kicked up the dust in a frenzy that created legends in metal – and made heroes of those who had the mettle to drive them.
But such rich heritage can become something of an albatross: if we only ever look back, there’s a chance we’ll miss what’s happening right in front of us. And in terms of the World Rally Championship, what’s happening right now is too good to overlook.
The modern breed might be based on humble hatchbacks – Toyota’s Toyota Yaris, Ford’s Ford Fiesta, Hyundai’s i20 Coupe and Citroën’s C3 – but the production link is as loose as the gravel on which they slide. These are true thoroughbreds that have to be seen – in the metal, if possible – to be believed.
As for the drivers, yes, charisma can sometimes be hard to spot… but the job still requires other-worldly skill. Look hard enough and you’ll find genuine characters.
The 2019 WRC season kicks off this weekend with the Monte-Carlo Rally, still the jewel in the rallying crown. If you have kept the faith, you won’t need telling. But if you’ve either lost the thread or never really found it, we strongly recommend you check it out. This at-a-glance guide is a good start.
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FTA TV coverage....
There's plenty of Live coverage, if you wish to pay; WRC+ All Live (which is having serious issues), if you are a BT Sport subscriber. Red Bull TV have 30 min nightly highlights plus 1 Saturday stage live - which is free.
At the moment, there is no Free To Air terrestrial highlights, as there has been on Channel5 for the last few years. This is a major problem, as rallying has fallen off the radar in the last 10-20 years.
Rallying is brilliant live....
....and crap on TV.
There is so little rallying in the U.K. now that it’s no wonder the interest in rallying has diminished.
Rallying has not been the
Rallying has not been the same since they stopped night stages on the Lombard RAC.
@ Bob Cholmondeley
....How true Bob. It was TV put a stop to that...it was too difficult to film and so they turned Tallying into a series of 'Rallysprints' run over the same stages. Pathetic.
I also lament the differing characters of cars...they all sound the same now (like some dimented wasp in a can). They may be faster tha Group 4 cars or eben Group B, but they are characterless in that they have this 'cloned' feel to them.
In my day you knew what was approaching you in the Forest (in the dark), by the engine sound. All were distinctive in note (not least the Stratos). That was exciting!
Group B was amazing but so wild that it was never going to be allowed to survive. The costs were also crippling, both monetary and human.