WRC revises 2011 technical rules

[Rory Phoulorie]

By David Evans Thursday, June 25th 2009, 08:57 GMT

The FIA has announced major revisions to the technical regulations for the all-new 2011 World Rally Car, with the World Motor Sport Council stating that turbocharged 1600cc engines will be used instead of two-litre naturally aspirated rules that had been agreed in March.

The reversal had been expected as manufacturers pointed to the environmentally driven trend for turbocharging smaller engines.

Beyond the engines the new World Rally Cars will run to Super 2000 regulations for the transmission and electronics. They will also run more aerodynamics.

Among the other decisions to come from Paris is the increased flexibility on offer to event organisers, with WRC rounds now permitted to run over two, three or four days, but they must finish on a Saturday or Sunday. It was also pointed out that the freedom to run a mixture of gravel and asphalt surfaces within a stage, a loop of stages, a day or an event remained.

The WRC Cup for Super 2000 cars will, as expected, be introduced next season. Teams must register and contest seven nominated rounds, at least one outside of Europe.

Next year's calendar - as revealed by AUTOSPORT last month - was also ratified.

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[Plex]

WRC to push ahead with 2011 rules

High-ranking sources within the World Rally Championship have moved to quell speculation surrounding the technical regulations for the series in 2011 and beyond.

The last World Motor Sport Council meeting confirmed that the WRC would run with turbocharged 1.6-litre engines from 2011 onwards. Since then, however, there has been talk of 2011 running to straight Super 2000 regulations, with the 1.6 turbo engine coming in from 2012. But AUTOSPORT has learned that this will not be the case.

"This on-going debate about what format of technical regulations we're running to has to stop," a WRC insider told AUTOSPORT. "It's not helping the championship at all right now. We need stability in the regulations and that's what the FIA has given to us, we're not going to have anything undermine that right now. Believe me, World Rally cars, 2011 onwards, will run with 1.6-litre turbocharged engines."

Both current WRC manufacturers Citroen and Ford had been interested in running Super 2000 engines in 2011 to delay the cost of developing and producing a new engine. Both firms insist, however, that they will build the new engine if and when a new manufacturer signs up to 1.6 turbo WRC regulations for 2011.

WRC commission president Morrie Chandler made the FIA's position clear during Rally Poland in June, underlining that commitment to a shift to 1600cc.

The debate was confused with rumours of a commitment from Skoda to the 2011 WRC, providing the regulations remained Super 2000 - which would allow the Czech Republic firm to enter with its current Fabia S2000.

The source added: "We've heard nothing from Skoda. Of course the WRC would welcome new manufacturers, but they have to acknowledge the rules which we're going to be working to - and those technical rules have been laid out quite plainly.

"We're looking at a bigger picture here, involving more manufacturers coming into the sport, but they're only going to come if the future of WRC is well-planned, clear and concise running to understandable and predictable regulations. That's absolutely the case."

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