FIA confirms changes to WRC procedure, calendar
The latest World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris resulted in a series of procedural changes being announced for next year's World Rally Championship.
First and foremost was another attempt to tinker with the start order in an effort to increase the show for fans and reduce the use of tactics. From next season, day one will be based on the provisional championship classification order for P1 and P2 drivers, with both day two and day three using the reverse provisional rally classification order for P1 and P2 drivers. Cars having retired and restarting (Rally 2) will be placed the next day after the P1 and P2 drivers group. The changes will be used for both gravel and tarmac rallies.
In order to allow greater flexibility to contract different drivers, manufacturers will no longer be required to nominate one permanent driver for the season. Instead, manufacturers will be obliged to nominate one driver for a minimum of ten championship events.
To bring consistency to events and aid the promoter, rallies must now follow a fixed format. There will be a ceremonial start on Thursday, with the last stage run on Sunday at approximately 1200 hrs for European events. The final stage is defined as the 'Power Stage', the length of which will be set at a minimum of ten kilometres.
All competitors registered in the Championships – WRC, WRC 2, WRC 3 and Junior WRC - will be obliged to use a colour-coded windscreen sticker to promote and identify the category in which they are competing and scoring points. Additionally, it was agreed to rename all classes of eligible cars in order to harmonise the numbering with the other FIA Championships. Therefore, the smaller number will define the most powerful cars, with RC1 being World Rally Cars.
Permanent competition numbers will no longer be allocated to P3 drivers competing in the support championships, although drivers wishing to request a permanent number for marketing or promotional purposes will be able to do so. The restriction on the number of servicing personnel has also been removed and testing during the three weeks preceding an event is now permitted for P3 drivers.
Finally, the date for the 2014 Rally d'Italia has been put back by a week, changing it to 8 June and making the approved calendar as follows:
2014 World Rally Championship calendar:
January 19 Rallye Monte Carlo
February 9 Rally Sweden
March 9 Rally Mexico
April 6 Rally de Portugal
May 11 Rally Argentina
June 8 Rally d'Italia
June 29 Rally Poland (multi-country event)
August 3 Rally Finland
August 24 Rallye Deutschland
September 14 Rally Australia
October 5 Rallye de France
October 26 Rally de Espana
November 16 Rally of Great Britain
The finish date given is the Sunday of the rally weekend. Itineraries are however subject to final confirmation by event organisers.
Kirk Coughlin
Woodbury, MN and River Falls, WI
Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est.
