Buckrogers

Topic: It may have be done before, apologises if it has.

Just wondering what peoples opinions are on the subject.

F1 drivers may experience more “G forces”, travel a lot faster but I don’t think its anywhere near as dangerous as most of the WRC rounds.

WRC driver has to be more precise with his driving, as with many corners their lives depend on it!

F1 driver has to be precise, to achieve the best possible lap time. Run off areas have been extended, better crash barriers etc, etc all reducing the danger element.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that driving an F1 car down a straight at 220+ then stopping on a sixpence or driving “flat out” through “eau rogue” is not dangerous, just in comparison which of the two drivers, on balance, could be deemed the more “skilled”?

I think the WRC driver, but this is just my humble opinion…

Muffleman

The great Michael Schumacher (sarcasm mode off) said that he wouldn't race a WRC car - too dangerous !

Whenever they show the in-car-cam on WRC cars, I think 'these guys must have conkers that clank !'

F1 isn't a mans sport anymore. It's just a procession of 800bhp cars with MS at the front - yawn...


Matt

sillysi

I would say that the WRC driver has a better all round skill as he has to deal with ever changing on-road conditions. There again Tomi Mak' only managed one lap in the Williams F1 car before stuffing it.

SPEN555

"Tomi Mak' only managed one lap in the Williams F1 car before stuffing it."

Yeah, he fell asleep cos it was so boring following MS about and crashed.

Damian.

*Sonic*

Didnt Alexander Wurz get driven round in the Focus WRC car, and say he was pretty scared

Then he drove it, and I think he still said he was scared

I would imagine that the WRC cars take more skill (or maybe just different skills) than driving an F1 car

The risk would appear to be less in an F1 car in terms of crashing out, although still high risk, not quite as bad as in a WRC car, as there are so many more obstacles

Daz34

I think they are completely different kinds of disciplines. An F1 driver has to have alot of self control & discipline to do consistent fast laps, especially when he has got someone all over him waiting for him to make a mistake to take advantage of. Where as a WRC driver is only racing against the clock but has got varying road surfaces to deal with and is racing point to point. Although the speeds are slower in a WRC car & they are very strong shells, I would rather hit a tyre wall at 150mph than fall off a cliff at 90 mph.

SiPie

WRC by a mile (or maybe even further )

messiah

Didnt Clarkson reckon Colin Mcrae was the cleverest man in sport?

Tim-Grove

and the dullest

Muffleman

I agree - this is what I'd be like as a co-driver in a WRC car.

'TREE ! TREE ! SH*T...ROCK, TREE, PEOPLE SH******T......

In a F1 car ?

'Cooo this is fast'.

WRC all the way. Anyone that does 135mph on a loose, wet surface in a Pug 206 and just inches away from HARD scenery deserves my utmost respect.

Matt

Buckrogers

Muffleman

You’re supposed to be telling the driver of the corners ahead not looking at the scenery!! PML

J4MES

WRC driver no question.

Look at the roundy roundy boys who have tried their hand at a proper motorsport and ended up in the scenery after running out of talent.

McRae tested a Porsche GT2 car recently and was quick enough to have put the car on pole for one of the races..... Until he hit a mini that was also testing at the circuit!
I hope he stick around in motorsport when he retires from rallying because almost everything he has had a play in/on (Ascar, bikes, etc) he has been on the pace within a few laps.

Although I have to say I don't think modern WRCars are as much of a challenge to drive, or as much fun to watch, as cars without the trick diff's and electronic gizmo's from back in the days when men were men.

Scooby_Loo

Keep having this argument at work with people.

For some stupid reason they are all fascinated with F1

Richard Askew

Ok picture the scene: Hafren Forest - 18 stage miles ahead of you. Its November and its raining........hard

Focus WRC versus Ferrari F1 car... who do you think would get to SSFF first?

Or did I misread the question?

AK47

WRC...

J4MES

Depends if you were allowed to put a set of knoblies on the F1 car or not! And it is RWD so it's a proper car!

Hafren is like a race circuit anyway, lovely and smooth and wide.

I reckon McRae would have a go at that if you let him!

Be interesting to see how Rossi gets on when he goes rallying again. I think he could be quick, if not he will certainly be spectacular. Just hope he remembers his sunglasses next time! 'I was blinded by the low sun boss'. Excuse number 17 in the Penguin 'Bumper book of driver excuses'.

Tim-Grove

I think driver skill is better in WRC (e.g. putting the car sideways round corners ECT). But it's harder to make up time in F1 because there are fewer variables in racing surface and conditions (unless it rains) therefore less chances to gain massive amounts of time your opponent, and trying to defend/make a position while there are other car’s racing all around you. They are totally different sport’s so you can’t really compare them, it’s like comparing Rugby to Football they both chase after ball round a pitch but there totally different game’s. Both great sports and I love them both, but they are really chalk and cheese.

Hanslow

Just look at the incar shots when driving at Monte Carlo in the WRC. Half way up a mountain, flat out on icy roads with a one foot wall to stop you plummeting off.

I remember the start of my rally following saying I would give it a go for their wages. Saw them at Monte Carlo and said '**** that!'

Very talented and totally nuts

Dapster

J4MES - your right the good old days of rallying were the Group B monsters of the late 80's. 500 bhp, spitting flames, maniac crowds spilling onto the track and touching the cars as they went past.

My fave car was always (and still is) the Audi Quatto Sport and I almost wet myself to read that it's featured on Colin McRae 04 on the PS2. Big respect for all the others as well - 205 T16, Delta S4, RS200, 6R4 etc etc

So, I vote WRC as well.

For true motorsport heroes, don't forget the endurance racers. If you've ever seen in car footage of someone doing 220mph down the Mulsanne at night, in the rain, avoiding cars doing half that speen, on the back of a 5 hour stint at the wheel you realise what a piece of p*ss the F1 game looks.

Andy Hall

They did a challenge a number of years ago and put about 6 WRC drivers against 6 GP drivers. They drove loads of things but the best bit was when they put them all in a Fond Mundano and sent them out, I think it might have been round Silverstone. The WRC boys pi$$ed all over the GP boys, the WRC boys wern't spending all the time on the tarmac but they were a damn site faster, especialy when it started raining

So in summary - The WRC boys!!

Tiggs

lol- lots of people confusing skill with danger.

Buckrogers

Not really Tiggs, surely a driver uses their skill to avoid the danger?

Andy Hall

WRC boys get there quicker with car in one piece, sod the danger, both disciplins are dangerous, racing is about being first and managing the danger surely?

Andy

MooseRacer

Impossible to say really, on the face of it WRC looks more skillful, but it isn't - it's just different skills.

D.J.

Having sat beside a few circuit and rally drivers, I'd put my money on the rally driver everytime. Nothing can beat the feeling of doing a ton+ down a narrow tree lined stage(massive drop on passenger side) before getting a nice four wheel drift on for the approaching bend.
Also the majority of rally drivers are more approachable than there circuit counterparts.

BOB.T

Blimey, thought I was reading the Beano for a minute, quality

If I watch F1 I sometimes think, yeah, I'd give that a go but then I watch WRC and think, nah, **** that!

Rallying is soooo much more impresive first hand...I saw Nesbit in Ulster, flat out in top down a long stright and then just kept it buried round an off camber bend, over a crest then into a left hander with his foor still in, fookin amazing...it left me stunned

si325i

F1 rocks, 200 mph+ cars inches for another car doing 200mph+ thats danger and great skill. look when MS was trying to get pass sato with this brother right behind him.(RS=****) that could of been a really big crash. Rallying is dangerous too not more or less. all motor sports are dangerous. F1 driver must be better look how much they get paid. that how all things are judged now. and look how long rally teams have to do a pit stop, it's not 7seconds with fuel pumping @12Litres a second, other cars racing down the pits @ 50mph(?) 2feet away from your back. it's a bit like BMW vs Scooby. chalk and cheese. Si. imo

Tim-Grove

Like I said chalk and cheese I love em both though

I think you really have to see F1 trackside to appreciate it, this year I really got hooked I liked it before but now after seeing them close up I don’t miss a race. Gona deffo be at the GB GP next year it was the bollox this year. Sitting at the bottom of hanger strait seeing them screaming toward you at 195mph and breaking down to about 60 in a few meters while trying to steal places from each other it was just mind blowing. And before anyone say's go and watch the rally I have more than once and it was great. Just don’t see why people can't appreciate these two very different sports for what they are.

T.J

Both highly skilled in my book. Try driving at F1 speeds around Monaco for 70 odd laps. F1 is precison and speed as is WRC.