I’d had heard all sorts of rumours about the 2020 WRC calendar; which events were back, which were canned…
Well, now we all know. The FIA really is bringing back the Safari while canning Australia, Corsica and – unbelievably – Catalunya. At the same time they’re leaving what is to me the worst event, Rallye Deutschland, untouched! There are big questions here. First, why bring back the Safari as a shadow of what it once was? The last but one, in 2001 was, to be honest, the only time I went; a minus point I’ve always regretted. It was, however, a real eye-opener. Can you imagine 13 “stages” only five of which saw winning averages of less than 120km/h; one 112.45km test reeled off by Carlos Sainz in 48m 40sec!
That latter section – Orien 1 – was where I was almost killed by a rally car. We were 30 km into the bush, where the rally route swept across the top of our road. Of course, it had to be Colin McRae who nearly saw me off! First, his spotter chopper arrived and noisily hovered above us. Next moment McRae appeared at about 130 mph. I just had time to gasp at the speed and then he was on us, not slowing dramatically.
Everyone realised he’d lost his brakes. We ran, hard. I lost my footing and fell into the path of the Focus. I rolled sideways and the car slid past, bellowing… missing me by six inches. It was a moment that has never left me. All I got was a skinned knee but as a lesson in how easy it is to die while spectating. It was invaluable!
Which leads me to one of my big objections to reviving this great event. In the past more than a few locals have been killed in Africa. Which is why the Safari as it was could never happen again. As I understand it a revived event will be entirely within the gigantic Delamere Estate, near Naivasha, north of Nairobi. This estate is, incidentally, infamous as being where some of Britain’s “aristocrat” expats allowed their sex lives free rein, memorably in the film White Mischief, starring Greta Scaachi and Joss Ackland.
But that’s by and by. The point is that reviving the Safari will surely take in no-one. It’s not going to be the crazed 5,000-mile race it was. Instead it will be just another stage rally in a fenced-off estate. What I’m saying is let’s not bring back a watered-down version just to pander to the FIA’s vision of an expanded championship…
And now for something completely different… the dropping of Catalunya. Yes, it is out for only one year and is then back for two. But rotation has never worked. A year out makes it much harder to keep together the organising team and damages the event’s profile.
Here’s a little story: Back in 1996 and still at the Daily Mail, I walked past the sport’s editor’s office one day. He called out: “Here Jezza, what’s happened to the Monte and RAC rallies. Have they forgotten to put them on the calendar?” “Er, no, they’ve been rotated out…” I replied. “What? You mean they were good enough last year but not this one?” “Not really,” I replied, “it’s just the FIA getting as many events as possible into the championship.” He looked at me like I’d taken leave of my senses. “Are you mad? Are they mad? Don’t bother me again with this stuff,” he said. That’s the risk you run.
But what I really don’t understand is Catalunya being dropped to keep in Germany. I can’t imagine anything more stupid. Oh, yes, I can understand Germany is vital to the European car industry, while Spain isn’t… Seat excepted. I believe Germany was included at the request of the FIA. And has anyone given any thought to the events themselves? Rallye Deutschland is a mess. Now that Trier has booted it out it’s based at Bostalsee, a boating lake 60km south. There’s nothing at Bostalsee; it’s just for locals to don lederhosen and pursue their obsession with clean living and the outdoors.
At least Trier had history, 30 or so reasonable hotels and many places to eat. The Messepark was a good service area and media centre. At Bostalsee the meeja are hidden away behind trees, hundreds of yards from anywhere. Also, this is Germany, with that state’s obsession with rules and regulations. Yes, yes, I do respect safety (see above). But you see I started watching rallying back in those far-off days of the 1970s and it’s difficult to be ordered about by a teenager in a tabard!
As for the present stages, who wants to drive the Panzerplatte’s 40km+, with a square bend every half kilometre, chunks fenced-off on military roads and its dreaded hinkelstein tank traps? Personally, I don’t much like the vineyard tests either. Some of them are like driving down storm drains. I get the feeling too that locals by and large don’t give a toss about the rally.
Against that, you always feel welcome in Spain. It’s quite well organised, the stages are interesting; it’s also the only WRC event with an asphalt/gravel mix. In addition, there are numerous cheap, decent hotels and it is near the sea. So, what’s not to like? There are times when I think our sport’s rulers take collective leave of their senses…
Oh yes, one more little thing. I see that some teams are reported as being surprised at the low spectator turn-out for Rally Turkey… Really? I went there from 2003 to 2008 and not once did I see anything like a significant spectator presence. Often, on easy-to-reach stages close to the old base at Kemer we were the only people present! Surprised at that? I wasn’t and here’s why: The average per capita income in Turkey was just $3,604 in 2017. By comparison, in Britain it was $39,980!
Quod Erat Demonstrandum, as they say. Sometimes I do wonder about the people at the top of our sport!
Jerry Williams
Rallies Editor
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