Wales Rally GB

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MatskiMonk

MatskiMonk

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So, I've never spectated at a rally before but am considering doing rally GB, anyone got any tips or pointers... I don't want to spend a load of money on spending three days in Wales to just see a few cars go past at high speed each day.. what's the best way to make the most of it?
 
I'm not really sure how much it is likely to set you back but I can tell you my experiences after having been to watch it many times (I lived within walking distance of the final stage for most of my life).

1. For the forest sections atleast there are no tickets, or atleast i've never been aware of nor payed for any, simply walk up the forest and get in on the action. Margam Park finishing part likely needs tickets, but is probably the worst place to actually watch the rallying, with that said you get to soak up the atmosphere and see the drivers cross the finish line.

2. Generally I usually find a spot/corner where there is a lot of action, though these places will be packed, you can move to new areas but you will have to walk along the road, so it can be very dangerous, with that said you can hear the cars coming a mile off and marshalls will blow whistles, so you can get to safety when you're on the road moving to new places. You will often see a lot of cars roughly 15-45 seconds apart, for a few hours.

3. I have no idea about the special stage in cardiff, infact the only stage i've seen is the final going into margam park.


It is worth it for the atmosphere and the sheer sound and speed of the cars, it is worth experiencing in person, but it will be cold and it will be miserable and it is dangerous, you will get bored at times and you would do better to plan it out beforehand.
 
Thanks Bazz, I think I'm going to do it, to be honest.. it's not the cost of the tickets (heck, I once paid for a F1GP ticket at Silverstone (ooooooooops)). But the costs involved in visiting and staying in Wales are the problematic ones.

I hope that if i do go i can get some decent photo's.. since that's what I'm all about. Cold, wet, miserable.. in the middle of a forest... I love that shiz! gimmie 60mph, 0°C windchill and I'm happy! :D
 
I have raced and spectatored in our greatest of rallies the RAC many years ago, So i suggest you get yourselfs away from the spectator mickey mouse stages and get into the welsh hills. Not followed it for years now but Hafren, penmachno, Sweet Lamb, Dovey forest and clochkienog forest where my favourate places.
 
No idea what our stage is called, though its near Maesteg, starting up by the golf club (ish) and ending at margam park, going through the forestry and down and around what we call the "blue pool, or the blankie" which is a long disused manmade (but beautiful) reservior.

I usually went at the corner where the cars would take a right turning going downhill on the road down to and alongside the pool, then after a good while you would see it come back up on the otherside (there are 2 roads going down to the pool, they go down one and re-emerge up the other after a few mins). Always a load of action there and seen a few cars topple, aswell as a few cars that never came back up the other side!

Eventually they end up in Margam park, I can never forget years and years ago sneaking into there as a child (easy to do from the forest) and watching a Corolla that was just about to win, choke on the final straight. If I remember right (not sure I do) it cost him the championship.

They also host the Mintex Rally, went there one year with a friend, we didnt know anything about the rally, we just happened to be riding our mountain bikes (as we did every weekend) up the forest and saw that there was a rally on! Can't fault it.

It has been a while since i've been though, maybe 2-3 years, since I moved away, but I will be attending this year.
 
Well, I decided to do it, it was all a bit last minute. I watched the ceremony at Conwy castle, and have driven down to betsw-y-coed and am going to watch the dyfi stages tomorrow, and then head home, only for money reasons.

I love what I've seen so far, but I cocked up the timing of everything, I'm definatley doing it properly next year.. I've already got stories about being lost in llandudno with a rally car behind me!
 
prisonermonkeys
Damn, Hirvonen lost four minutes after Dyfnant.
Click to expand...

Loeb can take it easy now because if he crashes (which isn't unlikely given Ogier, Sordo and Hirvonen have all done it) he'll get 0 points and Hirvonen could possibly finish 3rd (look how many Fords he has to stop for him) as well as slower cars to pass on merit.
 
Sebastien Loeb is world champion, Hirvonen has retired with engine failure caused by his crash earlier today, even if Loeb doesn't finish he'll beat Hirvonen by 8 points.

Edit: Sorry for the double post
 

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