Manufacturer 1 and 2 in WRC

[wayno]

Seems there could be more than one manufacturers championship in WRC next year. Sounds like a good idea to me, and very similar to the on-selling of chassis, etc rule that is going to be introduced in F1 for 2007.
Anything that gets more WRC cars into the forrest for the fans is a good idea by me. I just wish they would relax the rules about drivers who can compete in these cars.

Any manufacturer wishing to score points in the Championship must register its entry in the Championship with the FIA before Thursday, 15 December 2005.

On that date, the name of the manufacturers and their number one drivers will be announced. Just like in 2005, the number one driver cannot be changed during the entire season.

Manufacturer 1 teams must enter only cars corresponding to the very latest homologated version of a World Rally Car and the entry fee is set at 212,000 €. Manufacturer 1 entries must compete in all 16 rounds of the championship.

The new element for 2006 is the creation of a new category: Manufacturer 2. The teams that want to register in this class must also do so before 15 December 2005. The entry fee is set at 25,000 € and must include the name of the car manufacturer.



Not for the top drivers
Manufacturer 2 teams cannot enter World Rally Cars homologated during the year 2006 and cannot use parts homologated after 2 January 2006.

As for the drivers, Manufacturer 2 teams cannot enter a driver who has been classified among the first 6 in the final classification of the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers in the last 5 years.

Manufacturer 2 teams undertake to take part in 10 or more Championship rallies, which they must nominate. Any registered Manufacturer 1 or Manufacturer 2 entered in the Championship who does not take part in a Championship event it has nominated will be fined the sum of 225,000 € per event missed and will no longer be included in the classification of the Championship.

The list of drivers that finished in the top 6 in the last five years of the World Rally Championship, that cannot participate in the Manufacturer 2 category:

François Duval
Toni Gardemeister
Marcus Grönholm
Sébastien Loeb
Tommi Mäkinen
Markko Märtin
Colin McRae
Gilles Panizzi
Harri Rovanperä
Carlos Sainz
Petter Solberg

[tumbo]

This is a fantastic move by the FIA. FInally they have realised that to increase the number of entrants they need to provide an incentive. Hopefully this will prove to be successful and work in practice

[wayno]

I just hope any Man 2 teams decide to nominate for Australia! ;D

[Rallying83]

Definatly wouln't be a bad idea. We need something to keep rallying alive.