Just watched the WRC on Dave...

If your not sure about this they basically stopped at the end of the stage so as to guarantee not to be first on track and have to 'sweep the road' (on gravel roads)

Loeb in an interview after the stage suggested he would have probably done the same if in their position, i'm interested to hear peoples opinon about this as it is a bit of a grey area.

So what do you all think, anyone got an opinion?

I fail to see the problem? They stop, they get a longer time. They don't stop, they get a more difficult run at the next stage. Problem is?

"Don't hate the player, hate the game"

Quote from MAGGOT :

I fail to see the problem? They stop, they get a longer time. They don't stop, they get a more difficult run at the next stage. Problem is?

The ones that stop do get a longer time for that stage, but in the following stage they have a cleaner track to race, while the guys who who did a fast stage then are at a disadvantage for placing high in the previous stage by going out first on a slipy/dusty track = slower next stage. As a result we get guys nearly stopping before the end of the stage and turnig the Rally into a farce.

You may not understand what I wrote, because I'm not sure if what I said made sense

I know exactly what you wrote, makes perfect sense. I still fail to see what the problem is? It may not exactly be sportsmanlike, but it's a technicality in the rules. People have been doing things like this since rules were invented. Just look at the Catholic church, for instance.

Quote from MAGGOT :

I know exactly what you wrote, makes perfect sense. I still fail to see what the problem is? It may not exactly be sportsmanlike, but it's a technicality in the rules. People have been doing things like this since rules were invented. Just look at the Catholic church, for instance.

I think there was a big deal made out of it back in the days of Sainz, MacRae and Burns, and they did something then, if I remember correctly it was that the last go first and the first go last (:schwitz. Though I could be wrong.

As for the church

oh how I LOVE the days when everyone (Ford, Toyota, Subraru, Mitsubishi and whoever else was able to fight for victories) tried to out-slow each other at the end of the day...
now it's only Ford trying to out slow the Citroens...

to clarify the issue a little bit, the starting orders in the first day depends on the championship situation, so if u're leading u start first. The starting order on the 2nd day (Saturday) depends on the finishing order of the first day (Friday), so that is where all the out-slowing happens as Saturday is usually longest of the rally and people don't want to be first on the road.

If I remembered correctly there were times when drivers could choose their starting order, obviously the leader chose first. And then it changed to the Top 10 reversed starting order, 10th start first, first start 10th. Now the FIA decided to go back to old fashion rallying (along with the ban on run flat tyres), and that's why the tactic is appearing again...

If the clerk of the course and stewards wanted to, they could easily classify the deliberate slowing down as "unsporting action" and penalise accordingly;

FIA Rally events: General Prescriptions - 3.3.6

Any incorrect, fraudulent or unsporting action carried out by the competitor or members of the crew will be judged by the stewards, who may impose a penalty which can go as far as exclusion.

Which would of course result in drivers slowing down a bit through whole stages and then WRC becomes a test of who can figure out what average speed is best to ensure they're not first on the road (at least before the last stage!)

I say go back to selection of slot by position on the road or else there's always going to be an incentive to 'work the system' which frankly makes the whole championship look like a bit of a joke to outsiders.

I think they should go back to the reversed top 10. Makes the most sense.

on the other hand, on tarmac rallies it is better to be the first car on the road, because as the cars cut the corners, they throw out dirt on the road and it becomes more slippery.

You realise this road sweeping is getteing so bad bascially anyone can win now.

Quote from Mustafur :

You realise this road sweeping is getteing so bad bascially anyone can win now.

Well, that's not a bad thing to happen in money driven top level motorsports.

But then again, the idea of rally is to drive as fast as possible, not to win by slowing down.

so the first car down a gravel road is at a disadvantage because the surface is looser and gives less grip?

sounds like Keanu Reeves needs to be the codriver and any car that slows under 55 mph will explode due to on board bombs

The slowing farce is why the slowest driver of the previous day should go first on the next day.

Quote from Mustafur :

You realise this road sweeping is getteing so bad bascially anyone can win now.

So, basically, the fast guys are shooting themselves in the foot by utilizing this unsportsmanlike tactic.

What's the problem?

Quote from Mustafur :

You realise this road sweeping is getteing so bad bascially anyone can win now.

if that's true, why is it that only Ford and Citroen are going for the win~?

Quote from JCTK :

if that's true, why is it that only Ford and Citroen are going for the win~?

Suburu was in the hunt until the new car came(which sucks).

the other teams basically have no idea how this works and they lose out.