What do you think of the proposed changes to the WRC event format?
The way I understand it is that all the days stages will be recced that morning, leaving the competitive "bit" for the afternoon?
And if you are unfortunate enough to retire early in the event, you will be allowed back in later once you have fixed your car!
If I have got it wrong? I do hope so! (If I have, I am sure you will point me in the right direction!)
If I understand correctly, then how do you think it will influence the WRGB?

What do you think of the proposed changes to the WRC event format?
Load of b*ll*cks. More from meddling Max unfortunately.

The way I understand it is that all the days stages will be recced that morning, leaving the competitive "bit" for the afternoon?
That's the general theory. There'd be one recce run ahead of the rally, as per usual, but the second would be held on the morning of the event, supposedly compacting the format and making up for the lack of gravel crews.

In addition, "recce cars" in the traditional sense are supposed to be outlawed, and thus either absolutely standard roadcars, running on standard road tyres, or the rally car itself, can be used. The supposed reasoning for this is saves the costs associated with making recce cars and shipping them around the world.

However, the chances of local car rental firms renting out cars that will be smashed to bits in a forest are pretty slim, not to mention that in Japan, Aus, NZ and UK where crews would theoretically be forced to rent right-hand drive cars, and so in practice the teams will either have to put double the mileage on their rallycars, ship roadcars in or buy them (on a semi-disposable basis) locally.

And if you are unfortunate enough to retire early in the event, you will be allowed back in later once you have fixed your car!
No, Mosley has floated that one as an idea for the future, but it's not in place yet (and hopefully won't ever be).

If I have got it wrong? I do hope so! (If I have, I am sure you will point me in the right direction!)
With the exception of the retirement bit, you're unfortunately all too right.

If I understand correctly, then how do you think it will influence the WRGB?
Personally, I don't think it will. Everyone, from the drivers to the teams to the TV people to the event organisers themselves seem to hate these new rules, with many feeling the stated advantages (cost savings) won't actually happen and that the disadvantages are so widespread as to make the "1000 Pistes" recce format simply too impractical to implement.

At one point apparently every rally in the championship was going to apply for a waiver to run a conventional recce then rally format, which was a real two fingers to the FIA.

Unfortunately though the FIA are sticking to their guns, so we're going to have to see everything go tits-up a few times before sanity returns, which will hopefully be before the WRGB's itinerary and route is finalised.

In any case, Claire Parker has already stated their intention to apply for a waiver to run the WRGB in to a conventional "recce then rally" format, citing the dangers of having drivers conducting a recce while marshals and spectators are trying to get safely into the forests. This is probably the reason most of the organisers would have been using however, so we'll have to wait and see...