Rally fear

Sir,

Has anybody else wondered why it is that the same governing body which demanded circuit safety criteria such as those at Silverstone, where the crowd is so far away from Fl cars as to diminish any true impression of speed, can also be responsible for a series in which competitors are allowed to pass within inches of spectators toe-caps at speeds well into three figures?

I know rallying and racing are breeds apart, but surely similar safety considerations should apply, the obvious difficulty of policing rally stages notwithstanding?

The scenes on this year’s Monte gave me great cause for concern. I don’t want to see the more challenging aspects of the sport completely eroded, but like your correspondents last month I am dismayed that the long-term future of the WRC can be jeopardised by the continual inclusion of events where only luck and, let’s be honest, it is only luck has prevented a major accident in the past few years.

One hopes the authorities will react before it is too late. If the FIA doesn’t do something, it may find that its authority has been overtaken by governmental legislation. Brian P Whitcomb°,

Epsom Downs.