Some bloke signs for Citroen

[cider_and_toast]

Just read some news that some bloke from Finland who used to drive a Ferrari has signed to race for Citreon in the World Rally Championship. He's going to compete in 12 out of the 13 races (he will miss Rally of New Zealand)



Anyway, moving on with the rest of the news.

 

[Sakari]

Intresting point besides Kimi being the bloke is the publicity this might bring to WRC. Excellent choice by Kimi.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I think for Kimi it represents the opportunity to just turn up and drive without the same level of sponsorship and PR commitments that he obviously enjoyed so much with Ferrari.

I wonder if the pay off clauses with Ferrari still come into play with a WRC contract in his hands?

As to whether he will bring more exposure to WRC I would say it's unlikely here in the UK but almost certainly it will in Finland. (correct me if I'm wrong Sakari). Here in Britain there isn't the ineterest in WRC that there once was, due to the loss of a competative British driver and the coverage being buried on obscure cable channels. I can't see how Citreon signing Kimi will do anything to change that.

 

[Sakari]

I think for Kimi it represents the opportunity to just turn up and drive without the same level of sponsorship and PR commitments that he obviously enjoyed so much with Ferrari.

I wonder if the pay off clauses with Ferrari still come into play with a WRC contract in his hands?

As to whether he will bring more exposure to WRC I would say it's unlikely here in the UK but almost certainly it will in Finland. (correct me if I'm wrong Sakari). Here in Britain there isn't the ineterest in WRC that there once was, due to the loss of a competative British driver and the coverage being buried on obscure cable channels. I can't see how Citreon signing Kimi will do anything to change that.

Might be correct, but in other countries Kimi has huge fan base which will bring more audience to WRC and I think some motor sports enthusiasts might also be curious how he's doing there. Finland has already huge rally audience so won't see major change in there.

Where has the British rally talent disappeared since McRae?

 

[Andrea_Moda_Rules]

Might be correct, but in other countries Kimi has huge fan base which will bring more audience to WRC and I think some motor sports enthusiasts might also be curious how he's doing there. Finland has already huge rally audience so won't see major change in there.

Where has the British rally talent disappeared since McRae?

Know this was posted a long time ago but if ya still want to know


The young talent is still there really In the past few years there have been guys like Chris Meeke and Guy Wilks who had quite a bit of potential, but they a ceiling which can only be passed if have a lot of financial backing behind you.

The problem is on two levels, One is that Rallying despite British success in the 90's was still quite a cult sport, it draws in the punters to the Rallies itself like WRC Uk round for example but hasn't really drawn in the TV crowds like a lot of sports (although thats also down to WRC on British TV being messed around) . People like the Higgins brothers and a lot of others therefore just cannot find the sponsors needed to fund an WRC assult because they cannot get enough exposure. Also the Colin McRae games which really put rallying in the spotlight got people interested but not by enough so people actually follow the sport like Formula 1, there basically isn't enough dedicated fans

Then there is the fact that the two big British Names dropped out the sport at almost the same time, Colin McRae being victim to the two car per team rule introduced in 03 and Burns tragic illness which eventually claimed him.
Without them two interest just died in the WRC and British fans just didn't have somebody to follow. The Higgins brothers, Gwandaf Evens who had talent couldn't find Drives in the WRC and from then British Rally drivers found it a lot harder to get full time drives without sponsors wanting to give them money.

You combine that with all the problems WRC have which has made drives at the top level sparse and the only British Driver who has a drive is somebody who's dad runs the Ford Team and supplies all the privateer Fords.

Maybe just Maybe....The new 2011 rules may give British Rally drivers a chance again.

 

[Sakari]

Might be correct, but in other countries Kimi has huge fan base which will bring more audience to WRC and I think some motor sports enthusiasts might also be curious how he's doing there. Finland has already huge rally audience so won't see major change in there.

Where has the British rally talent disappeared since McRae?

Know this was posted a long time ago but if ya still want to know


The young talent is still there really In the past few years there have been guys like Chris Meeke and Guy Wilks who had quite a bit of potential, but they a ceiling which can only be passed if have a lot of financial backing behind you.

The problem is on two levels, One is that Rallying despite British success in the 90's was still quite a cult sport, it draws in the punters to the Rallies itself like WRC Uk round for example but hasn't really drawn in the TV crowds like a lot of sports (although thats also down to WRC on British TV being messed around) . People like the Higgins brothers and a lot of others therefore just cannot find the sponsors needed to fund an WRC assult because they cannot get enough exposure. Also the Colin McRae games which really put rallying in the spotlight got people interested but not by enough so people actually follow the sport like Formula 1, there basically isn't enough dedicated fans

Then there is the fact that the two big British Names dropped out the sport at almost the same time, Colin McRae being victim to the two car per team rule introduced in 03 and Burns tragic illness which eventually claimed him.
Without them two interest just died in the WRC and British fans just didn't have somebody to follow. The Higgins brothers, Gwandaf Evens who had talent couldn't find Drives in the WRC and from then British Rally drivers found it a lot harder to get full time drives without sponsors wanting to give them money.

You combine that with all the problems WRC have which has made drives at the top level sparse and the only British Driver who has a drive is somebody who's dad runs the Ford Team and supplies all the privateer Fords.

Maybe just Maybe....The new 2011 rules may give British Rally drivers a chance again.

Nice one mate.. appreciated