World Rally Championship vs Formula 1 :: Wessex Scene Online

World Rally Championship vs Formula 1

4th November 2006
Rob Blowers and Simon Greenwood

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The World Rally Championship (WRC) is an all-action adrenalin fuelled race against the clock, testing driver skill and bravery in one of the most demanding and challenging motor sport competitions in the world. Despite this it remains relatively unknown, drawing in around a quarter of the global television audience that Formula One will expect to; however this sport of man and machine battling against nature offers the spectator a stomach churning experience full of emotion and drama.

Like Formula One the WRC takes places across many countries and continents; yet unlike F1 it isn’t confined to a race circuit. Rally drivers take on a variety of surfaces from the vertigo-inducing mountain roads above Monaco, to the snow-bound forests of Sweden, to the rough beauty of the gravel Argentinean Andes; using specially adapted production cars that you see everyday including the Citroen Xsara and the Ford Focus. This makes the WRC a sport that is raw, easy to relate to and exhilarating to watch.

Formula One fans usually comment the most interesting element of the race is the start, because as the drivers fight out of the grid accidents happen. With stage rallying accidents can happen at any point, even when the driver is seconds away from the stage finish. A driver can miss a braking point and send their car careering into the nearest tree or ditch, or just cut a corner too much damaging the wheel and steering. In no other sport do you see spectators getting involved pushing and pulling cars out of their precarious situation. Even if the driver is flawless the harsh conditions of the stages can damage the car in such ways that brakes fail, engines overheat or gearboxes disintegrate. All giving the unluckiest drivers yet another mountain to climb just to reach the rally finish.

These accidents and crashes aren’t only just spectacular to watch for the amount of damage they cause to the cars; you also get to see them get repaired when the cars go to the service park in between the stages. Unlike the pit lane that if you blink you’ve missed it; you get to see the team’s mechanics change tyres, make adjustments to the car and replace all components on the car the driver decided would look better scattered around the local countryside. This all has to be done within 20 minutes; so the mechanics work with the accuracy of synchronised swimmers and make you question why it took your local garage half a day to change your oil.

It can be argued that British interest in the sport diminished after the departure of Colin McRae in 2003 and the passing away of Richard Burns; both previous world champions in 1997 and 2001 respectively, yet there is much more British talent already on display. Matthew Wilson has already secured himself a WRC drive with the Ford VK Stobart team, despite only being 19. Other up and coming British drivers are Kris Meeke, McRae’s protégé, and Guy Wilks; both of whom have achieved lots in the Junior World Rally Championship. Additionally the WRC has become even more accessible, as of 2007 Rally Ireland has become a round of the championship, in addition to the present round in Wales that forms Rally GB.

This article can barely cover all the aspects of the WRC that make it an amazing sport to spectate; all I can say is get your rally fix as soon as you can and it can be assured you will be hooked. Buckle up for the next round, which is in Australia on the 27th to 29th October.

Fomula 1 - It might be an overused argument within the motor sport world, but it’s no less an important one: just what is it about F1 which has attracted so many spectators and fans around the world, and why is it that other motor sports such as World Rally just have never had the same grandiose level of popularity?

So why is it so popular? To start with, F1 is a race. Although Rally can be exciting and enthralling in its own right, it still fails to draw the attention of a casual viewer because it is not a race per-se, but rather a series of time trials. This seriously detracts from the visual impact of the sport. The spectacle of the race is removed because the drivers aren’t directly battling with one another within the confines of the course, knocking boots and ripping away bodywork. This is where F1 wins.

It’s more enjoyable to be able to watch cars drive at breathtaking speeds around blind corners with only a hair’s width between them. It displays the battle between the drivers in all its glory. Rally cannot do this.

Formula 1 also boasts several other areas in which it wins the popularity mêlée over other motor sports, including Rally. F1 is the pinnacle of motor sport technology and engineering. Race cars are finely tuned and aero-refinement has become a microscopic art form. It is a technology only paralleled with Concorde, the greatest air achievement. F1 displays that its cars are the best on the road. It is also one of the most glamorous, diverse and wealthiest of all sports. The amount of money spent in the 2005 season by all 10 teams was a staggering $2’814’720’000! And where money is spent in such huge doses there is massive interest generated. Formula 1 has hosted races in almost 30 different countries since its inception and now has multi-million dollar race circuits in Shanghai, Istanbul and Malaysia. It’s not surprising therefore to see how its popularity can be so vast with the world as its oyster. We may even see races through London or Las Vegas within the next ten years, which will bring forth unprecedented crowds.

F1 has so much history and heritage and has produced some realicons such as Senna, Prost and Schumacher. Today it hosts a similar field of greats and prodigies. Its pedigree and historic significance in motor sport reserves its right at the top of the ladder. The top drivers in the world aspire to become F1 drivers, as it is the greatest of showcases.

Nevertheless, although F1 does have a fabulously colourful history it is not sentimental. The F1 community is incredibly progressive and positive. The governing body (the FIA), the teams, and promoters are constantly working to make F1 better in every possible way. Rule changes are common to find the best combination to create the best races and generate interest. The FIA also allows the public to contribute to making the sport better. Prior to the 2006 season the FIA used polls to decide on the qualifying system for the forthcoming season. Hundreds of thousands of fans responded and we now have a much more interesting and enjoyable qualifying system in which 66% of viewers believe to be more exciting.

Needless to say, a collective of reasons only reinforce pre-existing beliefs behind why Formula 1 is as popular as it is – without doubt it is a world away from the rest. Beyond all that, you’ve always got grid-girls! And I doubt you’ll find too many of them in the mud of the Welsh Rally!