Rally Of Wales 2018

[charleselan]

From the zero response to my post last year I doubt that this will gain anything of interest, however I always had a big interest in all forms of motor sport from day one so will post something regardless.

Unbeknown to me until the transmission had started the UK TV Channel 5 broadcast live coverage of the final stages of the 2018 Rally of Wales and darn good it was too. WRC is slowly getting back to rallying as it once was with regard to having cars and drivers that one can enjoy and follow. Obviously in the dumbed down world of today we no longer have the long gruelling stages of old, and of course there are no night time stages that were so spectacular to watch from the 1960's right through to the mid 1990's.

The current generation WRC cars are very; very quick and quite spectacular to look at with enlarged wheel arches and big rear wings, and under body Venturi tunnels. They sound pretty good too, considering they are four cylinder turbo's, and praise be there isn't a hint of making the engines (yes engines folks not p/u's or whatever the trendy name for the things are in F1) road relevant.

I somehow doubt that we will ever get back to the heady days of the 1980 Group B cars, or the massive following in the Colin McRae days. On the plus side of things it is good to see a modern day series making progress after some pretty depressing times over the past 20 years.

It was an enjoyable few hours viewing this afternoon with some top quality off road driving by some very talented guys.

[robmarsh]

Thanks for this Charles. I haven't followed rallying to closely lately but was watching a programme on Wales last week and wondered whether there would be some decent rallying in that part of the world.

[chrisb]

John, I too am a fan of rallying and apologise for not picking up last years thread. 

I have been so fortunate in seeing so many rallies, we were again blessed by some fantastic times, some sad and poignant times, I had met Henri a year before his tragic accident and knew the late greats Henry Liddon, Ove Anderson, and Bjorn Waldegard, having gotten extremely drunk with them all. and that is another story, that involved waking up with a coconut tree in my bed...and of course Colin and Richard. 

I too happened upon C5's excellent coverage, and I like these cars, at last, a formula that seems to work! they are good to look at, bloody quick, spectacular and full of great drivers who are cool, on the downside I was always a fan of Kris Meeke so was upset over his losing his seat and again despair of the lack of British drivers in motor sport. Yes, we have young Evans, and he looks the real deal, but in our heyday, we had Colin and Richard, along with a myriad of others including Colin's brother and Dad, Russel Brooks, Dai and Evan's Dad, so many I am doing them a disrespect, and may well pencil in a rally for next year, as I used to go to the RAC rally for a few years, bumping into two rallying stars and getting 'the worse for wear' a few hours before the start....another story...that involved, ah best not 

The British series used to attract all the top stars and it was where they tested out their new creations, now I don't even know if it is still running, no publicity and BT screening it to a few hundred people, because they can.

[charleselan]

Many thanks for your reply Chris much appreciated.

The problem for me is the fact that I was a fan of all motor sport, both two and four wheels, and not just dedicated to F1. For me the RAC Rally, that was, was as big an occasion as the British GP. From about 1970 onwards I would make a trek into the Welsh Forests, and a Stately Home Special stage every year. It was something very special indeed. When I began doing my professional photography it was even better as the Press Pass was just fantastic for scrutineering and getting inside info on service halts etc.

With regard to the current scene, I feel that Citroën were very poor in the way they "sacked" Kris Meeke, just hope he gets a decent ride next year. It is a shame that the UK only have Elfyn at the top end now, a good lad but hard to see him up with Ogier; Tanak and Neuville.

For a time Colin and Richard were right up at thew top, but sadness clouds both of them for different reasons. For me the two outstanding British drivers were Roger Albert Clark and Tony Pond; Roger in the Escorts was right up there with the top Scandinavians and Tony was just sensational in the Metro 6R4; but I will always associate him with the Triumph TR7 V8. 

[Deleted]

Rallies between the Sixties and the beginning of the Nineties were very different from the current ones, in common they have only the designation “rally”.

Drivers of those times didn’t go faster than those of today, but it is difficult to establish whether they were better or not. What is certain is that they were different characters whom had to dispute races which were very different for difficulty and length, on cars that broke down much more frequently.

One of the main differences with respect to today’s races is that then there were many more professional drivers, often mixed in very long entry lists, with cars stunningly different among them.

Numbers don’t lie: at Monte Carlo there 299 drivers in 1982, still 207 in 1995, to crumble then to just 23 in 1997, after the absurd and incomprehensible restrictions imposed by the FIA. There were 250 drivers at the 1975 RAC, still more than 200 in 1989. Corsica too had many entries (181 in 1982) as well as Finland (200 in 1989). Rallye Sanremo, traditional Italian race of the calendar, still had 160 entries in 1998, when times were already getting harder.

Why a discipline which brought hundreds thousand people on the roads, is reduced to the current misery is quite long to explain. The choice to oblige to enter all the races in the calendar, many of which located at the four corners of the world and hence very costly, has certainly helped many manufacturers to renounce to participate. Thus, we went from an average of more than 20 official drivers per each race, with peaks of even 40, to the current misery of four or five at most contesting and, to win, two or three when we are lucky (the third usually materializes when something out of the ordinary happens). One recalls the top names fighting for the championships, but also the many local specialists whom on their roads were able to compete with the former, now alas disappeared.

There was also a great variety in the machinery – 2, 4, 6 and 8 cylinders’ engines - with different bodyworks – saloons (sedans), coupe’, spyders, even utilitarian cars. FWD, RWD, integral traction, with all sorts of tyre manufacturers competing: Pirelli, Michelin, Kleber, Dunlop, Yokohama, even retreaded tyres for the most desperate. Not to mention snow tires which were hand-built by specialist North European manufacturers with studs long like fingers.

In that world, with competitions at times almost one week long, without pauses to rest, it was inevitable that races to the limits of legend often took place, and with unexpected final results.

In many rallies there were more than 80 special stages, in others not even one, in some cases (I recall the RAC) with secret routes, without recce, but all with near impossible scheduled times and thus it was flat out from the very start. I recall seeing the Lancias and Fiats departing the Monte Carlo from Rome, I used to see them on the Salaria (old Roman road), North Rome, pushing at the fire lights of the Aeroporto dell’Urbe, flashing lights behind my car.

The few journalists who followed the races, they too had their own personal races in order to follow the proceedings. Assistance parks were usually located after each special stage, not forbidden to the spectators as today, where it was possible to see the driver coming, swearing at his sporting director and then re-starting in a hurry. All without filters, everything ended up on the race reports, contributing to the epic of the sport.

All that is gone.

[chrisb]

very true Lucio, in some respects the more 'amateur' spirit of rallying disappeared in the 80's when the manufacturers upped their games and it became a whole lot more important, I know the manufacturers were heavily involved from the word go and who can forget the manipulations of the French to prevent the mini's from winning in the 60's, the mighty BMC team of its Healeys and Mini's vs Rootes and their Imps was classic, what I also enjoyed thoroughly was the fact that women were up there and in amongst the winners, something sadly we have not seen since Louise Aitkin-Walker and Michele, but the likes of Rosemary Smith and Pat Moss were joys, although I understand Louise's daughter is supposed to be pretty quick but lacks sponsorship, shame,

I love rallying and the skills you need to compete are incredible, as for co-drivers or navigators they really are a breed apart- having sat in a car driven by a rally driver my respect for them is overwhelming- I too miss the huge numbers of starters and the fun that was the Monte - starting from Scotland or wherever and the excitement that brought can never be equaled.

Then there were the great times, the 60's the Mini's etc, the 70's the Renaults, Lancia's, Fiats, and the wonderful Escorts, loved those cars. Then the brutes of the power-mad 80's and having driven one of these monsters I can tell you, they had some power! crap brakes but oh my word the acceleration, yeehaa- explains why I like motorbikes so much. The adrenalin was so high, but of course, tragedy and spectator stupidity ended that. Another flat spot followed by the arrival of Subaru and Mitsibushi and another golden period, wonderful, wonderful and wonderful. So many great drivers and personalities, and then another lull. Sorry I digress, I like today's cars - they look good, they sound good and are spectacular. It is a crying shame we no longer have the access we once had, but it is still a whole lot better than Fortress F1.

[charleselan]

Rallying is no different from any other discipline of motor sport in current times, they are by the very nature of our PC orientated times poor representations of what we used to have. Just think of being privileged in seeing all those events of the past, and that alone makes it little wonder that some of us feel so disenfranchised and cynical of what is on offer today.

All aspects of motor sport could be infinitely better than what is served up but that will not change until the right minded people are at the very summit of the sport; something not likely to happen in my lifetime sadly.

The pleasure gained in watching the current rally cars live on Free to View UK TV last Sunday is a reflexion on the overall state of things as they stand elsewhere. The Rally of Wales isn't a patch on the RAC Rally of GB that ran in decades past, and that is pretty obvious, but it did afford some decent viewing even in its dumbed down format.

[René]

I actually did watch rallying when Eurosport started to broadcast the WRC events. Sainz, Biasion, Kankkunen, Auriol and then McRea, Burns et al. And from when I was a kid I remember the Lancia Stratos HF with Sandro Munari and FIAT 131 which I loved. But I have to admit rallying somehow went of my radar. Still many great cars and drivers and I remember Sebastian Loeb going up Pikes Peak some years back which was really cool!

[charleselan]

For those who love the Lancia Stratos, me included, I took this shot of Bjorn Waldegaard in the Alitalia sponsored car at Cirencester Park near my family home during the 1975 RAC Rally (I think it was, not certain). Bjorn had lost the rear bodywork during the mornings stages and had not had it replaced early afternoon. Great car and truly fantastic driver.

[chrisb]

oh great memories, lying on a freezing Welsh mountain so wrapped up all that was visible was basically my eyes, watching these great cars and greater drivers hurtle past at speeds I couldn't fathom, then race to the next stage which was pretty exciting hitting a humpback bridge at speeds I couldn't comment on the electrics dying on impact then thankfully returning instantly and yours truly surviving another moment.

And then there was Kielder.....

[René]

Oct 9, 2018 16:07:54 GMT charleselan said:

For those who love the Lancia Stratos...

Is there anyone who doesn't love the Stratos?

JC, that is a fantastic action shot of Waldegaard in the Alitalia (iconic) Stratos!

I made these photos of a Stratos at Spa Italia 2017. It is really stunning every time I see it in the flesh how small this car is. Surely one of Bertone's best.





And a FIAT. Also very cool in all its squareness!

[Deleted]

Great car, but my soft spot was for the Fulvia HF first - classic Munari-Mannucci, winner at Monte Carlo - and then the 131 Rally, redoubtable and mean-looking, with the great Markku Alen, Walter Roehrl,Fulvio Bacchelli (he won in New Zealand in 1977, IIRC), even Michele Mouton (she won few races, I think, in the European championship).

The Stratos obviously had a Ferrari engine, the Dino V6.

[mikael]

A great photo, JC; really unique with the clear view to that jewel of an engine.

[charleselan]

Many thanks for the kind comments about the Stratos photo, it was pretty unique with the engine cover missing and the fabulous Ferrari V6 motor showing in all its glory. The Stratos was a pretty spectacular vehicle, and as René states it is today.

With rallying the one thing it had was the fact that the cars would come past your vantage point at spaced intervals which meant that when in the forest stages you could hear them from afar as they approached, and then once past the same as they disappeared from view. The Stratos was one of those that left a lasting impression thanks to that glorious sounding motor with the sound echoing off the surrounding trees.

I saw the Lancia Stratos for the first time on the 1971 RAC Rally at the Donington Park special stage, this was before Tom Wheatcroft had completed the restored circuit. I travelled up with some friends from college in Birmingham and it was a great day out. The Stratos was then in Marlboro colour and being driven by Sandro Munari. In those days the RAC was a "blind" rally with no pace notes for those demanding forest stages, many European drivers more used to pace note tarmac rallies did not feel comfortable in that situation and I think Munari was one. The Scandinavians were of course in their element and were outstanding as were a few top line British drivers.

Bjorn Waldegaard was fantastic in the Stratos, and unlike many of the Finns & Swedes he was also outstanding on tarmac, he also did quite a lot of races. He was the absolute master of the tricky Porsche 911 and drove it like no other.

The photo incidentally was taken with my first SLR camera, the big chunky Russian Zenit "E" 35mm body and using a 135mm telephoto lens that I bought through my mothers mail order catalogue, so nothing to special. I did learn my trade with that set-up and still have it all to this day.

[chrisb]

wonderful stories, do so enjoy reading these thoughts and memories, I knew Bjorn slightly, a great bear of a man, well over 6' and the usual Scandinavian slow quiet drawl and politeness, until he celebrated and then there was nothing quiet about him or his co-driver, but his talents were awesome, as was his resignation if something broke, a fascinating perspective and a really nice bloke, we were in Portugal for the madcap rally and something had broken on the Toyota and all the mechanics were rushing around like demented dervishes, Bjorn just sat there quietly - patiently and when the car was ready slowly got in and drove off, no worries, so how he fitted into the Stratos must have been something