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http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/rally/13153/
FIA Plans Radical Overhaul of WRC Rules
Written by: RACER staff
London, UK ? 9/29/2004
FIA president Max Mosley has sent out his starkest warning yet to manufacturers in the World Rally Championship that the series will not survive unless drastic action is taken to cut costs.
In a move that mirrors his bid to cut spiraling costs in Formula 1, Mosley has contacted all the current and possible future manufacturers in the WRC outlining rule changes he plans to introduce in 2006.
The proposed regulations ? known as Super 2000 ? would be a dramatic move away from the sport?s current rules, but Mosley believes they constitute the only hope of keeping the WRC alive.
He told Autosport magazine, "On the basis of the information available at present, the only sure way of keeping the World Rally Championship alive and prosperous is to make the changes which are currently under discussion."
Under Mosley's proposed new system, two-liter engines would replace the existing turbocharged power plants, while the sophisticated electronic and transmission systems would be canned in favor of a simpler and cheaper alternative that would be made available to all the manufacturers through a single supplier.
The WRC currently has five manufacturers competing in the series. But Mitsubishi suspended its 2004 program following Rally Deutschland after a disastrous time with the Lancer, while Ford has yet to decide whether it will even take part in the championship next year.
"The way things are right now, it's almost certain one manufacturer is going to walk away," admitted a senior source within the FIA. "If that happens then we will lose one of the French teams. If that happens, then it is highly unlikely one French team will stay to fight Subaru, so they will also go ? then the world championship will collapse.
"There is a high level of interest in Super 2000. These cars would cost about a quarter of what current WRC cars cost and, if we are draconian in the way we govern the sport in the coming years, then we can avoid that collapse. The case for Super 2000 is overwhelming. The alternative is nothing. The alternative is no WRC."
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this seems pretty interesting. not sure how i feel about no turbo w/ high altitide events like argentina on the schedule. i think just getting rid of the active diffs and sway bars would be a step in the right direction. if they do away w/turbos they would be able to ditch the sequential boxes and go back to a floor mounted h pattern box/shifter. that would be cool. i would love to see more cars.
maybe spec sube isnt that dumb of an idea after all.
slow em down and get em sideways!
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/rally/13153/
FIA Plans Radical Overhaul of WRC Rules
Written by: RACER staff
London, UK ? 9/29/2004
FIA president Max Mosley has sent out his starkest warning yet to manufacturers in the World Rally Championship that the series will not survive unless drastic action is taken to cut costs.
In a move that mirrors his bid to cut spiraling costs in Formula 1, Mosley has contacted all the current and possible future manufacturers in the WRC outlining rule changes he plans to introduce in 2006.
The proposed regulations ? known as Super 2000 ? would be a dramatic move away from the sport?s current rules, but Mosley believes they constitute the only hope of keeping the WRC alive.
He told Autosport magazine, "On the basis of the information available at present, the only sure way of keeping the World Rally Championship alive and prosperous is to make the changes which are currently under discussion."
Under Mosley's proposed new system, two-liter engines would replace the existing turbocharged power plants, while the sophisticated electronic and transmission systems would be canned in favor of a simpler and cheaper alternative that would be made available to all the manufacturers through a single supplier.
The WRC currently has five manufacturers competing in the series. But Mitsubishi suspended its 2004 program following Rally Deutschland after a disastrous time with the Lancer, while Ford has yet to decide whether it will even take part in the championship next year.
"The way things are right now, it's almost certain one manufacturer is going to walk away," admitted a senior source within the FIA. "If that happens then we will lose one of the French teams. If that happens, then it is highly unlikely one French team will stay to fight Subaru, so they will also go ? then the world championship will collapse.
"There is a high level of interest in Super 2000. These cars would cost about a quarter of what current WRC cars cost and, if we are draconian in the way we govern the sport in the coming years, then we can avoid that collapse. The case for Super 2000 is overwhelming. The alternative is nothing. The alternative is no WRC."
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this seems pretty interesting. not sure how i feel about no turbo w/ high altitide events like argentina on the schedule. i think just getting rid of the active diffs and sway bars would be a step in the right direction. if they do away w/turbos they would be able to ditch the sequential boxes and go back to a floor mounted h pattern box/shifter. that would be cool. i would love to see more cars.
maybe spec sube isnt that dumb of an idea after all.
slow em down and get em sideways!