“Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone, it’s with O’Leary in the grave”
The World Rally championship got underway recently with the opening round held in Monte Carlo.
Held under strict Covid-19 restrictions, the event still managed to run 14 stages over four days, taking in curfews and ensuring no spectators were in attendance.
No mean feat from the organisers considering the event covered over 300kms taking in both closed road stages and travel between them.
Criticism has been coming in from some quarters, especially as it was shortened from previous rallies and the usual fanfare, hustle and bustle associated with large crowds attending was missing.
But the overriding thought is one of delight, it happened for the crews who took part and the fans who love the sport.
It was a distraction from the usual world we find ourselves in. A level of normality that a rally; celebrating its 110th year was able to go ahead. With all levels of sport experiencing changes and cancellations it was an ideal opportunity for the World Rally championship to gain or indeed take back an audience.
An invitation to be part of a Fantasy WRC league saw this scribe drawn into the Monte for four full days.
Motorsport and rallying in particular has always 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 background, 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 six drivers based on a points system. (Those at the top end of the sport having a higher point’s value, thus limiting you to filling your selection with the best drivers, as you only had so many points available).
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 on the Whats App groups was flowing, league positions went from being top; to dropping dramatically over 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 were checked, driver information was 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, and you don’t really care for it (Unless you own it of course). Yes, they’re 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. 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 more? 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 saw 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, could be purchased and you could drive them yourself. Anyone with one now a days has the key to a dream.
Ford over the years have had their Escorts from the Mark one 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 saw 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 wellbeing, 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.
“Romantic rally cars are dead and gone, they are parked up safely in Parc Ferme”
