2019 Rally Monte Carlo SS 3 post

Taisiya Lavi 8:48 PM
Inadequate situation

Friday's morning stage one of the most popular Rallye Monte-Carlo was canceled. The reason is a large number of people. Sure, that may be a problem, but why that was so for fans?

What did drivers say?

 "Coming into the last couple of kilometers there must have been 5000 fans in open fields, it would be really hard to control the spectators in that scenario - it was definitely the right decision this morning."- Kris Meeke, Toyota driver

But is it a reason to cancel the stage? It seemed to be a very inadequate situation for the first time, I thought it's uncontrolled: people jumping out on the road and safety rules were forgotten.

 However, there wasn't the same. Everything that I got by social messages was looking peacefully quiet.
Yes, I agree with  Kris Meeke about dangerous for and of the large crowd people; any unforeseen circumstances are possible.
Yes, I agree, but isn't the first and the main organizer's responsibility? The safety ensuring and proper conducting of sports races. Isn't?

Sure, we can assume the Monte Carlo rally organization wasn't ready to take many people. But fans were missing so much for motorsports races. Especially when they are always been informed by the media and social media too; when advertising was launched with large cash flows.

Same time a huge number of drivers always been advertising by PR - managers. Don't you want to get close to them when you see all those press conferences?

Don't you want to be closer? 
Rally Monte Carlo SS5 "It was the organisers fault for allowing all of the spectators and [their] cars into the stage in the first place and then it's unfair that [FIA safety delegate] Michele [Mouton] is coming to the stage 15 minutes before the cars and saying we can't run," - Tommi Makinen, Toyota World Rally Championship team principal  for "Autosport"

What else could we do? Let's be logical! 

We could take at least 30 minutes for a break first of all.  It would be possible to work with people during this time: to inform fans about the danger. I'm sure it was. But I'm talking about the serious warning. There were a lot of working personnel in Monte Carlo; there were helicopters; there were cars in Monte Carlo. But, we decided to cancel the stage.


Secondly: it would be possible to let the safety car with the same personnel. We like rally races because of driving conditions. We could set something like yellow flags speed limits. Could we ask drivers to slow down for 10 seconds? We can't let the race to be a staged show where everything is going by the scenario in advance.
"It doesn't matter in Sweden if they cancel one stage - everybody will be with the same tyres anyway." -  Tommi Makinen, Toyota World Rally Championship team principal 



What we have in the end? 
On the one hand, we see persons advertised by media which one is pushing the situation. The organization that hired the media and trying to fight with this popularity by the other side!

In this regard, I have a question: Dear Motorsports organisers! Maybe we should be focusing on the races at first? Maybe we need more time to devote not to press conferences with drivers, but the organization of security and fans comfort with safety?

Agree? Why yes, why not?

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