ERC's future

[FIRE]

So far these entries are confirmed (at least those I could find on the internet):

Supercars
Alexander Hvaal – Citroën C4
Davy Jeanney – Citroën C4
Guttorm Lindefjell – Skoda Fabia Mk1
Jochen Coox – Volkswagen Scirocco (part season)
Michael de Keersmaecker – Ford Focus Mk2
Peter Hedström – Skoda Fabia Mk2
Timur Timerzyanov – Citroen DS3

Touringcars
Anton Marklund – Ford Fiesta Mk7
David Nordgård – Ford Focus Mk2
Koen Pauwels – Ford Fiesta Mk7
Pedro Bonnet – Volvo C30
Roman Častoral – Opel Astra

Super1600
Andreas Bakkerud – Renault Twingo
Christian Petrakovits – Volkswagen Polo
Hal Ridge – Renault Twingo (part season)
Jussi-Petteri Leppihalme – Renault Clio
Krzysztof Skorupski – Volkswagen Polo
Mandie August – Skoda Fabia Mk2
René Münnich – Skoda Fabia Mk2
Timur Shigabutdinov – Renault Clio
Werner Panhauser – Citroen C2 (part season)

[mivec]

Where did you find the ERC plans from Coox? Don't think he will do much more then Belgium and Holland.

[FIRE]

That's what I meant with part season.

[rs 200]

Originally Posted by chasing cars

Totally agree on this, the old style drivers parades use to be a highlight (I believe they are banned now,good old H&S)Driving them all around the circuit in a double decker bus is not a drivers parade!Banning dunuts is just stupid and having a proper website should be a basic though I have to say the Global website isnt exactly brimming with news, just 4 items all year (all press releases), 1 of those is now very much out of date and absolutely no news on this years championship!

I wouldnt say many drivers leaving as yet, only Doran and Heikenen would be considered as top drivers. Scott had the odd good performance and I doubt many outside this country will lose alot of sleep over Binks going. Isachsen would be a loss (no decision yet as far as I know)but as said before hes done it all so a new challenge would be understandable.Of course others may go but with a limited entry allowed for the GRC and Im sure sponsors prefering local drivers I doubt theres going to be a huge exodus.

With Hedstrom and Lindefjell confirmed to be doing a full ERC and the Swedish round boosted with quality local entries plus a strong super 1600 class I think the 2012 ERC will be as good as ever, just need some marketing men to improve the show futher!

If more go to GRC the ERC will have to do some changes like get rid of the FIA as all they have done for sport is take the spectacle out of it and add there politics and paper work ,the safety has to be a good thing but they have taken it a bit to far now .if its F1 ,touring cars, rallying ,trucks they have all gone the same way boring .
i think the reason i got into rallycross was drivers did things to cars that most thought was not possible and maybe the odd driver doing donuts or hanging out the door on a lap . we need more power less grip

[paul1982]

I Gues coox Only drive in belgium And Holland.
Walfridsson confirmed lydden And Scandinavian rounds.
Hunsbedt is already confirmed already in 2011 for 2012.

[paul1982]

Walfridsson Maybe Full erc but not confirmed.
Heikinen finnish erc And some more ( not known which )

[D Smeets]

Originally Posted by paul1982

I Gues coox Only drive in belgium And Holland.

Depends on how good the car is from the first metres. Car will be ready in July. If it's as good as expected, then Jochen probably will drive Belgium, Holland and Germany.

[FIRE]

Slighty off-topic:
http://rallycross.free.fr/page-infos-d1.htm

Paillier buiding a new car? Peugeot 208 maybe?

EDIT: No updated 207


Also a Mégane III supercar in French championship coming season.

[M.Lowe]

I like this

[FIRE]

No Hunsbedt:

After two disastrous seasons with Nomaco Racing Team, Ludvig Hunsbedt pulls out of the ERC for the coming season.

“The results have been far below expectations during the last two years. Because of that, we have struggled to sponsor the team and do not have enough funds to run this season. It's a shame because we had finally found out the problems with the Volvo. The problems had been insufficient compression of the engine and thus poor performance. I was running with about 100 bhp less performance in the engine than my competitors and I feel thoroughly cheated by the engine builder,” says Hunsbedt exclusive to ERC24.
...

http://www.erc24.com/?Show=News&ID=2142

[rs 200]

And for sale here and says JG done his engine ?
http://www.rallycross.com/

[FIRE]

Godfrey engine indeed.

[chunder]

If you read his press release, he none too complimentary abnout said engine too" If it was the JG one he was talking about of course, reckoning it was 100hp down on others.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by chunder

If you read his press release, he none too complimentary abnout said engine too" If it was the JG one he was talking about of course, reckoning it was 100hp down on others.

He's not pulling any punches is he? "cheated" by the engine builder - that's pretty strong stuff to put into the public domain. Godfrey has branched out from the Ford engines now - Volvo, Mitsubishi and Citroen too. Spreading himself too thinly maybe?

[schanche]

Originally Posted by chunder

If you read his press release, he none too complimentary abnout said engine too" If it was the JG one he was talking about of course, reckoning it was 100hp down on others.

Yeah thought this was going to get all messy with the Press release but JG has responded on RXWORLD.http://www.rallycrossworld.com/2012/...o-more-nomaco/
Sverre had problems at the start of the season also but that was resolved. Shame the big Viking is out! I know your not a fan chunder But jeez he could extract the most out of his cars in what ever he was in, and at Essay Hunsbedt flying threw the compression is/was a sight to see

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Spreading himself too thinly maybe?

This thought had crossed my mind as well. Without meaning to jump to conclusions the engines in Steve Hill's car haven't exactly been known for reliability thus far, have they?

If thats the case then 2012 could be a challenge as there are JGE projects on both sides of the Atlantic.

[StockHatch782]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Without meaning to jump to conclusions the engines in Steve Hill's car haven't exactly been known for reliability thus far, have they?

The phrase 'reinventing the wheel' springs to mind with that car. Not really a fair comment, I don't think.

[chunder]

THe engine is only part of the story really with these cars. You have to expect issues with cars like the Volvo and Mitsubishi as theya re one offs. And unless you hit the sweet sport instantly you have to expect problems.

Holtes team seem to have got their car right, as have the Citroen teams. But remebee the Schanche Astra's. never fully realised their potential. The Opland Lancer was quick, yet the Eklund Saabs were right on the pace for years an still are, as are hte Clio's.

I think it depends on the whole package, and as for Ludvig. I dont doubt his talent, certinaly one of the quickest drivers ever to race in ERC and a proper legend.

I jst dont like the way he gets those results sometimes, same as Eriksson, too aggressive and forceful. But that is the way ERC drivers sometimes drive.

[205munchkin]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

This thought had crossed my mind as well. Without meaning to jump to conclusions the engines in Steve Hill's car haven't exactly been known for reliability thus far, have they?

If thats the case then 2012 could be a challenge as there are JGE projects on both sides of the Atlantic.

What?? Steve Hills issues have been transmission related, not engine!

[AndyS]

Reading both sets of comments sounds like there is very much two sides to this arguement. I don't think we'll ever know who is truely to blame really.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by chunder

You have to expect issues with cars like the Volvo and Mitsubishi as theya re one offs.

Yeah, thats a fair comment. There have been many YB engines built so, at this stage, a lot of experience must have been gleaned on them. As you say though, the Volvo and Mitsubishi builds have occured in limited numbers, so I guess its still a learning curve.

Originally Posted by 205munchkin

What?? Steve Hills issues have been transmission related, not engine!

I will happily stand corrected, but I'm certain that the Evo X (and Evo IX that preceeded it) have suffered from both engine and transmission problems. I can recall at least major one engine incident last year (engine dropping a cylinder at Croft for the GP) and I'm sure I recall Hill being greatly slowed by an engine issue when I saw him at Lydden last year.

Perhaps I have the wrong impression though, so feel free to correct me!

[rx-guru]

Hunsbedt is deffo one of the fastest drivers the ERC has ever seen, despite being never the Twiggy type. When Schanche quit Hansen was not afraid of anyone more than Hunsbedt I remember well. However, one cannot expect that a C30 with a 560+bhp engine by Godfrey is immediately as fast as a Focus with 560+bhp engine by Godfrey, even if they both based on the same platform. Not to forget that this Focus had something last year (perhaps already in 2010?) that made him heavier but nevertheless faster, and that will be illegal from 2012 on.

[chunder]

Now now Ed, you cant say things liike that without quaLIFYING IT!

wE HAVE ALL HEARD RUMOURS!

[rx-guru]

What's the prob? So far it was a legal advantage!

See "3.2.5)" on page 7 for new rules: http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public...9%20(2012).pdf

[tbtstt]

Whats the implication? Fully flat floor on the bottom of the car for better aero?...