Protocawl 2,971 Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 (edited) There's been basically no talk about WRC within XDBX, but are there any other rally fans here who follow the action every year or at least this year? If no, then you probably should (especially if you're following the boring and quite predictable F1 this year ). Here's why... After many years since the early '00s of not really actively following WRC, I caught up with it again in 2017, just after the over-dominant Volkswagen factory team had pulled out of the competition after absolutely dominating 4 years in a row in the motorsport and each year has been more and more exciting since, with 2019 being regarded as one of the most epic seasons of all time. Long story short: this year there is a great 3-way battle for the WRC title between Ott Tänak (EST) [Toyota], Sebastien Ogier (FRA) [Citroen] and Thierry Neuville (BEL) [Hyundai], with the Estonian leading the championship having amassed 150 pts, followed very closely by the Frenchman with 146 pts and the Belgian in 3rd with 143 pts. Yup. The 3 title contenders are separated by 7 points after having completed 8 out of the 14 rally events of the season, when in the past seasons the difference between the 1st and the rest has continuously been between a few dozen to 100+ points. Prior to the last event it was 10 points and it has not been greater than about 30-40 pts at any time this season. (Max pts obtainable from a single event is 25+5) The manufacturers championship is also quite an open one, with the difference between 1st and last (4th) just 90 points. Just to name a few more exciting things about this season: The top 4 drivers of the championship are all from different teams and from different countries. Rally legend and 9-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb (FRA) is participating in half the events this season after having been away from WRC since 2012. The 15-year reign of the Frenchmen Sebastiens could come to an end with Tänak and Neuville threatening to take the throne. A lot of spectacular crashes have happened already and plenty of drama on EVERY event so far. Despite the bad results for many drivers, all of them have shown top quality and fighting spirit over the season. It's almost impossible to say for sure who will win the title at this point! As I said, the 2019 season is just past the half-way point with 8 out of 14 rally events completed and the teams & drivers have been enjoying their summer break since mid-June. The season itself will continue on the 1st of August with Rally Finland, but there is a big promotional rally event before that in Estonia from July 12-14, which is basically a warm-up for Finland, but also an effort to get Rally Estonia on the actual WRC calendar in the future. Official WRC site with all the news, stats, calendar, footage and other info about WRC: https://www.wrc.com/en/ If you're not familiar with the sport, "What is WRC?": https://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/about-wrc/what-is-wrc/page/673---672-.html Specifically the season calendar and event results: https://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/calendar/calendar/page/671-29772-16--.html Championship standings: https://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/results/championship-standings/drivers/page/4774----.html Official WRC YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5G6kTnHXDz0WIBC2VGBOqg As far as where you could watch either live action or reviews? Well, either WRC live from the links above, some of your national sports channels maybe or Red Bull TV on either your PS4 or on the web here: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/tv/channel/Rally & the 'live events' tab on that site is where you can follow some stages live (which are normally also on your local TV). A selection of great rally crashes from this season: Some crashes from this season's Rally Portugal (first 4 mins are rally crashes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJxt8QKiWoQ Rally Argentina 2019 Elfyn Evans (WAL) crash + some small highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf_SrXTYzME Some Rally Sweden 2019 highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ1Wp1K2eZ8 Rally Chile 2019 Thierry Neuville epic crash: Rally Portugal 2019 Gus Greensmith (ENG) crash: Rally Italia Sardegna 2019 crash compilation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0BNfVDuJUw + a bonus video from last year of increasingly more brutal crashes from basically all different possible rally classes, including a few WRC & WRC2 crashes, but also many many amateur ones and anything in between: I recommend following this great motorsport this year and for the next few years to come at least. Edited July 12, 2019 by Protocawl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beez 5,091 Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 Ott Tänak is such a badass name. ? Great post Proto. I have not followed WRC for many years mostly because I’m lazy. It’s my favorite form of car racing but it’s not served up to me on one of the cable sports channels I get so I never see it. I catch American Rallycross sometimes but it’s not the same. Are the rallies on the WRC yt channel after the events? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted July 12, 2019 Author Share Posted July 12, 2019 1 hour ago, Beez said: Ott Tänak is such a badass name. ? Great post Proto. I have not followed WRC for many years mostly because I’m lazy. It’s my favorite form of car racing but it’s not served up to me on one of the cable sports channels I get so I never see it. I catch American Rallycross sometimes but it’s not the same. Are the rallies on the WRC yt channel after the events? They post some really short recaps of each day of the event there and highlight videos after the rally has finished, but no major coverage on YT unfortunately. I'm not sure if the Red Bull TV I mentioned is available for the US, but if it is, that's the place where you can watch all of the usual TV-coverage stages of each rally for free. It's available via web browsers and also there's the official app on PS4 that you can download (if it's available outside of UK & EU). The website link: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/tv/channel/Rally Otherwise the last option that remains is the WRC+ live coverage of the entire events for a monthly or annual fee. That even covers the Rally Estonia (starting tonight/tomorrow) to the same extent as the local TV over here. Thankfully over here the entire WRC season is covered on local TV channels and the same stages can be watched live on Red Bull TV as well, so I really hope RBTV is available across the pond, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted August 1, 2019 Author Share Posted August 1, 2019 Rally Finland starts tonight! Looks like RBTV will only show the Special Stage live, but there will be 30min-1hr recaps of each day's stages there as well. Here's the schedule: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THADW1W11 I highly recommend checking the above link and watching those streams over the weekend when they go live (if possible) - it's free! You can also download the Red Bull TV app on your PS4 if you wish and watch the streams on the console. Finland is always spectacular with it's high speed dirt roads full of massive jumps. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted August 3, 2019 Author Share Posted August 3, 2019 Re-watch the summary of Day 1 rally action from Rally FInland 2019 + the lead-up to the rally here: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THADW1W11/live/AP-1XUTV4UED2111 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted August 4, 2019 Author Share Posted August 4, 2019 Check out the highlights of Day 2 rally action from Saturday of Rally Finland 2019 here: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THADW1W11/live/AP-1XUTV4TDH2111 Recap of the final day and the entire rally will be live tonight at 7pm UTC (an hour before the Weekend Wrap-up PL) once again, the link to which I'll post in the shoutbox and later here as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beez 5,091 Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 I watched day 2 highlights on my lunch break but only got halfway through. I may become addicted to Red Bull TV. The moto stuff they have is really good too but I always forget to watch it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted August 4, 2019 Author Share Posted August 4, 2019 36 minutes ago, Beez said: I watched day 2 highlights on my lunch break but only got halfway through. I may become addicted to Red Bull TV. The moto stuff they have is really good too but I always forget to watch it. Yeah, there's plenty of good motorsports stuff to watch, that's for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted August 4, 2019 Author Share Posted August 4, 2019 Last day and rally summary re-watchable here: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THADW1W11/live/AP-1XUTV4RTN2111 That's Rally Finland wrapped up for this year, next up on the WRC calendar this season is Rally Germany (August 22-25)! It will be the first of 2 remaining tarmac events of the season. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted August 21, 2019 Author Share Posted August 21, 2019 (edited) Rally Germany starts tomorrow evening (local), with the free coverage on Red Bull TV starting on Friday. If you missed the last event, Rally Finland a few weeks ago, then here's the 1hr summary/recap/highlights/behind the scenes/extras video: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/recap-videos/AP-212J1N5DD2111 to catch up. There's some fun extras for the first 10mins or so, I recommend checking it out! As for Germany, here are some fast facts: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/videos/rally-germany-2019-fast-facts & what to expect: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/videos/rally-germany-2019-preview. Red Bull TV live coverage schedule for Rally Germany 2019 (https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THBBW1W11): Friday 23rd Friday highlights - 20:00 (8pm) UTC Saturday 24th Super Stage live - 12:50 (pm) UTC Saturday highlights - 20:00 (8pm) UTC Sunday 25th Sunday highlights (including extended coverage of the final stage/power stage of the rally) - 20:00 (8pm) UTC Full Rally Review - 21:30 (9:30pm) UTC Ott Tänak won in Finland and extended his championship lead to 22pts. Last year he also won in Finland and then went on to win in Germany and Turkey, making it 3 wins in a row. Will he pull off the same feat this year? Edited August 21, 2019 by Protocawl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted August 23, 2019 Author Share Posted August 23, 2019 Rally Germany day 1 recap + extras replay: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THBBW1W11/live/AP-1XUTWR68D2111 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted August 26, 2019 Author Share Posted August 26, 2019 (edited) Final day highlights: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THBBW1W11/live/AP-1XUTWR4ZW2111 Rally Germany full review: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THBBW1W11/live/rally-germany-highlights-analysis-video Edited September 15, 2019 by Protocawl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted September 15, 2019 Author Share Posted September 15, 2019 (edited) Rally Turkey has been going on all this weekend and it's about to conclude today. Friday highlights: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THC811W11/live/AP-1XUTZ5GB52111 Saturday special stage: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THC811W11/live/AP-1XUTZ5EB92111 Saturday highlights: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THC811W11/live/AP-1XUTZ5H112111 Rally Turkey review: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THC811W11/live/AP-1XUTZ5HJD2111 Edited September 16, 2019 by Protocawl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted October 1, 2019 Author Share Posted October 1, 2019 Rally Turkey, the most unpredictable and arguably most difficult rally of every season didn't disappoint - Tänak's 40-point lead at the top of the championship standings was cut down to just 17 points with just 3 rallies left this season. Top 3 title contenders are still within just 30 points of each other, so this year's title fight is far from over. Next up is Rally GB in Wales this weekend, October 3-6. As always, there will be plenty of live and review footage available for free on Red Bull TV here: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THD9D1W11. Remaining rallies after Wales this season: Catalunya Rally de España (Catalunya, Spain) - October 25-27 Rally Australia - November 14-17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted October 7, 2019 Author Share Posted October 7, 2019 Wales Rally GB has finished, here are the available replays of the event: Friday highlights: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THD9D1W11/live/AP-1XUU6KJV92111 Saturday Super Stage live coverage: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THD9D1W11/live/AP-1XUU6KG5W2111 Saturday highlights: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THD9D1W11/live/AP-1XUU6KMZH2111 Sunday highlights/rally review: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THD9D1W11/live/AP-1XUU6KPZD2111 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protocawl 2,971 Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 This weekend sees the last tarmac rally and the penultimate event of the season take place in Spain. Ott Tänak (EST) has won half the rallies of the season so far, but is leading by only 28 points. He could be crowned the new WRC champion by the end of this weekend if he manages to beat his closest rivals by 3 points. However, if he could not finish the rally far enough ahead of the rivals, it would be all to play for in Australia next month. Tänak is determined to beat the current reigning WRC king Ogier before the Frenchman quits the sport at the end of next season, but he won't give up the crown without a fight! All the viewable action will be available on Red Bull TV when it goes live: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/AP-1XV2THEBD1W11 Schedule: Friday Highlights - Fri, Oct 25th @ 8pm UTC Live Stage Coverage - Sat, Oct 26th @ 1:20pm UTC Saturday Highlights - Sat, Oct 26th @ 8pm UTC Rally Review - Sun, Oct 27th @ 8pm UTC Since next year there won't be a Rally Spain or Rally Australia anymore (replaced by Rally Japan & Rally New Zealand), it will be the last chance for a long time to see the wonderful Spanish tarmac roads and Australia's treacherous outback dirt tracks in action. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beez 5,091 Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 I’m cheering for your guy Ott. I hope to watch some of the next two rallies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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