Fans needed to save Australia’s future
Rally Australia is under pressure to shift away from its Coffs Harbour base and from its position as the final round on the calendar.
Despite improved spectator numbers for the New South Wales event, the teams and WRC Promoter have called for a new venue to be found for 2019.
Hyundai’s Alain Penasse told MN: “We have seen more people coming into the service park, but still it’s a long way away [from the numbers needed]. Twenty years ago Rally Australia was the best event. Garry Connelly [then rally director] brought us the first ever superspecial and so many innovations in Perth. Why can’t we go back to Perth, it’s closer to Europe and it’s a city with 1.5 million people?”
Rally Australia’s Ben Rainsford said Perth would be difficult, with the stages now judged to be too far away from the city area. “We would like to retain WRC in Australia, so I’d like to look at options,” said Rainsford. “We have a deal on the table for here next year, but a lot of what happens in the future depends on New South Wales government [funding].”
WRC Promoter’s Oliver Ciesla has nothing against Coffs Harbour and its population of 70,000, but he wants to see more people. He said: “Australia is important to the WRC and, of course, they bring another continent to the championship.”
FIA rally director Jarmo Mahonen was blunt in his assessment of Coffs Harbour, saying: “The good thing about this event is that it’s very safe – because there are no spectators! I have been against this rally being the final round of the championship. Rally Australia does a marvellous job with social media, but it’s not enough – let’s be honest we are a Europeanbased sport and we need to finish the season in that time zone.”