World Rally Championship
Event: Wales Rally GB Venue: Cardiff Date: 4-7 December
Coverage: Daily reports on BBC Sport website  The Scandinavians are hoping to take the manufacturers' championship |
When a man from Finland says the conditions were the worst he'd ever seen, it comes as no surprise that the weather has affected Wales Rally GB. After testing the 3.67 km first stage on Friday morning Federation Internationale de L'Automobile (FIA) officials came to the conclusion the course was unsafe for the drivers - with both Hafren stages eventually cancelled because of too much ice. Whilst common sense prevailed it's certainly a blow for the thousands of fans who'd got up at the crack of dawn to welcome the rally back to mid Wales. The move back to Ceredigion highlights the main attraction of Wales Rally GB according to Chief Executive Andrew Coe. From the high-class hotels of Cardiff and Swansea bays to the sandwich shop in Llanidloes it's true that not many sporting events can reach such a large proportion of the country. Coe also stresses that Wales will remain the home of the rally, although there is no certainty that the GB rally will remain on the World Rally Championship (WRC) circuit as organisers develop a biannual calendar. Apart from the cancelled stages, the main talking point in rally HQ in Cardiff on Friday was Honda's decision to quit Formula One and the implications for the rally world.  | 606: DEBATE |
The feeling amongst hacks, officials and drivers is one of cautious optimism. Whilst rallying is certainly not immune to the current economic landscape an argument could be made that the sport will play an even greater role within the struggling automotive industry. Unlike Formula One, the cars used by the drivers over the weekend are modified versions of those for sale in your local forecourt. And an annual budget of �5-10m per team is a significantly cheaper investment than that needed for an F1 season. On Wednesday Ford announced they would continue their involvement in the WRC and we've heard further assurances from the Citroen camp for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. So no real panic - for now.
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