I totally agreed with the comments about the media tend to feature more on the drivers (super-star hype) than the race itself.

I often hear comments from our WRC customers, their main objection is the media coverage, it tends to focus on the front runnings and barely shows any footage on the trailing teams. Because of these, the manufacturer who does not have a competitive team receive no media exposures even they pay out just as much to run these WRC cars.

WRC is not naturally made for media (TV) coverage compared to oval racing and F1, it lacks continuation. The TV coverage (mass viewing) have done as best they could but "only if" they can include a few more seconds on the lesser team, there will not be so many teams pulling out.

At the start of the WRC competition in 1995, there were quite a few teams pulled out, some returned and some never did.

I think the solution is not cutting the construction cost but give lesser team more media coverage aso that they are seeing some return on their investment.

I agree
 

I agree entirely. That is the lesson that NASCAR got right. They learned long ago, and understand at an organizational level, that exposure and coverage of all the cars and their sponsors is what pays the bills.

The WRC should do some documentary style coverage of the lesser teams. I would like to see the old classic, follow the team throught an entire event, warts and all type coverage. That would give the advertisers the exposure and I find that sort of coverage very interesting. I'd love to see a 30 min program that followed a team from the day they unloaded the car until they break, finish or withdraw.

Some of the highest drama in racing, is the team that thrashes against all odds around the clock to keep in the show.

It is sometimes more interesting to see a competitor struggle through problems than it is to watch a dominant team make a wire to wire first place run.

Larry

It appeared that banning WI and and few other low cost bits on the WRC didn't convince the men in grey suits to pull the plug on their works WRC teams participating this year's WRC championship.

I believe only two works teams are competing this year, Ford and Subaru. The rest are privateers. :sad: :sad:

bump and update
 

Richard:

Just a bump for a interesting article, and curious about the current state of affairs for WI in major racing organizations.

Have there been any interesting rumors, or rules changes you've heard about recently?

Larry

Re: bump and update
 

I am afraid no sign of FIA changing their mind. Now none of the FIA gonvered motorsport category can use water injection, for the first time in history. Water injection's effectiveness to enable clean emission has been quashed by a bunched of ill-informed rule makers for no good reasons.

I have attended a few meetings entitle "green motorsport" etc, but it was only a public relationship exercise, lot of hot air and no action.
The meeting was just a marketing tool for car makers to show-boating their engine technology.

When I put my hand up during the debate, commenting about water injection's effectiveness, asked if FIA will ever lift the ban. I got the impression that I was wasting everyone time on this old and run-down technology. Ignorance is bliss.

I stopped attending those venues. It appeared that politics overrule common sense.