Any other nutters preparing to go out and stand in the cold and wet watching equally mad crews drive through the depth of Welsh forests?

After watching for many, many years I’ll be co-driving this year We will be trundling round right at the back of the WRC field but should still be good fun hopefully!

Give us a wave/cheer/push as we go past 😆 8)

Have done in the past but not a fan of the new format.

Good luck and have a safe event.

I’m going to Chirk castle. Brave sitting in the seat with no steering wheel

I used to follow it when it covered the UK, even entered it in 1994 but was excluded after the first day. When they changed the format I lost interest. Is it on terrestrial tv?

Nah, cripes I remember it going through an estate near Wolverhampton BITD when Carlos Seinz was in it..

Lost contact when Leob left, what’s with the new format???

Never taken much interest since it ‘wasn’t’ the RAC rally.

Kids will be making me sleep(?) in the van for the friday night in a Welsh forest somewhere whilst various “fans” blow fireworks, make noise and generally get drunk all night. Will be up at dawn to to wave at you – which car / number?

Will just be doing one stage and then back to free service park at Deeside which is ace. Tip for anyone going is to forget buying day passes and trying to get to multiple stages – it is a heap of hassle and almost impossible to get value for money.

The walk back to the car in the forests always saddens me – MOUNTAINS of rubbish, spent barbecues, firework remains, beer cans, broken tents, puke etc. Makes a few post bike race gel wrappers and tubes look totally insignificant.

Haven’t been for years – McRae and Burns era – but hope to go this year to help my fathe celebrate his birthday. My parents live in West Wales, so they ought to get there for the first day. I’m going to head to one of the more northern days and Deeside.

@j4mie – who am I waving at?

I am in no 106 – a Renault Twingo R1. Entry list is here

Interesting McRae & Burns is mentioned, there is Kris Meeke and Elfyn Evans (son of Gwyndaf) in top cars for the past couple of years and am sure that will continue for longer, as well as Seb Marshall co-driving for Kevin Abbring in a Hyundai.

Of course it’s not like the old days, it never will be again sadly, but the cost in organising and taking part is already massive, and would be a heck of a lot more if it was to move around the country every day.

It could be argued that it is just as tough as it was back then due to no servicing being allowed outside the service area, and especially the guys at the top are pushing the limits. Whereas back in the day they would have chase cars following them after (most) stages.

Day 1 of the rally there is no service until the end of the day, only a short tyre change area in Newtown after the first loop.

Woody21 – there is usually evening highlights on Motors TV which is on Freeview these days I think?
BT Sport might show something as well, but I don’t have access.

And totally agree mick_r, it’s a sad reflection of the way things are these days that a lot of people don’t clean up after themselves 🙁 As if most organisers aren’t already up against it with most people not wanting to be disturbed by noisy cars being driven past (one day a year), I’ve seen some total idiots at events and as it’s the biggest it generally attracts the worst of them. I’m sure there will be lots of Poles this year to cheer on Robert Kubica, so imagine the vodka levels will still be quite high….

But whatever you do, try to stand somewhere sensible, but above all, enjoy!

I watch the recorded hour highlights via Redbull TV. Used to do the week-in-a-van-with-mates, would like to maybe go to Deeside. Where else could you catch service or closeup action for free? Builth Wells?

Doesn’t go anywhere near Builth, Jim!

Thursday evening, ceremonial start in Llandudno, starts at 18:30 but all cars have to be there by 17:30 latest.
Friday – regroup in Newtown starting 11:56, followed by a tyre change zone just round the corner at 12:16
Service at Deeside at end of day, at 17:58.

Saturday, regroup at Corris (west of Dyfi) for 30 mins starting 8:41
Service at Deeside starting 15:42
End of day service starting 21:17

Sunday, regroup in Llandudno starting at 10:31 (just after doing the Great Orme).
Final service starts 13:41, followed by the podium.

The event is much improved now they are based in North Wales with the Deeside Service park where you can wander right through all the service areas. We went down to the final South Wales event (when they ran it late summer) and it was a total dead / non event in Cardiff with all the non WRC teams totally fenced off from the public.

One year we stumbled on crowded layby somewhere near Welshpool – the top cars were all parked up prior to the next stage swapping their tyres around. That would be the no.1 spot if you could guess where it might be.

Hi all
I was looking for information on Thursday shakedown in Clocaenog, no info on media.
J4mie any times, stage start from your road book
cheers
looking foreward to national rally