2010 WRC regulations

The FIA World Rally Championship has introduced a number of new measures for the 2010 season, which aim to reduce costs whilst raising the sporting challenge and increasing media coverage.

A Super 2000 World Rally Championship for Drivers and Co-drivers has been created. The number of qualifying rallies is 10, and at the time of registration the entrant must nominate seven rallies, including two outside Europe, in which to score points. Cars eligible to contest the Super 2000 World Rally Championship (SWRC) are those complying with the 2010 FIA Appendix J regulations for Super 2000 rally cars.

The new FIA WRC Cup is an award for registered one-car teams taking part in the qualifying rallies (the same events as the SWRC) using cars complying with the 2010 FIA Appendix J regulations for Super 2000 rally cars. As for the SWRC, the number of qualifying rallies is 10, and at the time of registration the entrant must nominate seven rallies, including two outside Europe, in which to score points. A team entered in the WRC Cup must name its driver before the close of entries for each nominated rally.

Cars eligible to contest the Production Car World Rally Championship are those complying with the 2010 FIA Appendix J regulations for Group N cars.

In the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers, ‘WRC Team’ replaces the term Manufacturer Team. A WRC Team must participate in at least eight nominated rounds, including one outside Europe, with one or two cars of any eligible class. They may enter one or two cars homologated prior to 2009, whilst a Manufacturer can only use a 2009 homologated car.

For the purpose of the WRC regulations, ‘Europe’ shall be considered to include the countries of the EU, EFTA and Turkey.

From 2010, the latest FIA 8860-2004 helmet will be mandatory for all Priority 1 and 2 drivers competing in World Rally Championship events.

Organisers may apply to the FIA for a waiver to incorporate a round of a Regional Championship within the structure of a World Rally Championship event.

The ASN of a country within an FIA region may apply to the FIA for homologation of Regional Components (Regional Variant Options) to replace originally homologated components. These components may only be used in the FIA region in which the homologation has been granted.

Championship events are encouraged to evolve their own rally characteristics and may devise their own rally programme/itinerary. Events may competitively run over 2, 3 or 4 days, including part Day starts or part Day finishes, however events must finish on a Saturday or Sunday.

Subject to satisfactory levels of safety, night stages are permitted but must not form the whole itinerary of the Day.

Throughout the rally there shall be one main service park. Organisers may however submit to the FIA promotional justification to support relocation during a rally. Remote service during a Day is permitted and there is a requirement to incorporate promotional activities in association with this.

Organisers are encouraged to work with the Championship Promoter to maximise promotional opportunities and viewing for spectators in the service park. Where possible, this shall include competitor access to their allocated service area from the back to enable the public to have access to crews and teams.

There shall be no minimum or maximum special stage distance. However, there shall be a maximum of 80 kilometres between service halts. The special stage distance of a World Rally Championship event has been broadened to between 300 kilometres and 500 kilometres (formerly 340-400 kilometres). These stages may be on mixed surfaces on either a complete Day or within a Day.

A shakedown stage will be organised as both a media and promotional opportunity, and for competitors to trial their cars. For registered Manufacturers and WRC Teams, each car entered shall complete a minimum of four passages of the shakedown stage. Shakedown may take place on part of a stage of the rally.

In the case of engine failure between scrutineering and the first time control it is permitted to replace the engine. In this case the engine must be re-sealed. Only one spare engine per rally and per Manufacturer or WRC Team is allowed.

With the aim of helping private entries to remain in the rally, the maximum permitted lateness on the target time between two time controls, at the end of each section and/or Day of the rally, has been increased to 30 minutes (previously 15 minutes).

Regrouping controls may be organised either as a holding park (where media and team personnel holding the appropriate pass are permitted) or as a parc fermé. If requested, all crews must be present for up to five minutes in an autograph zone, organised adjacent to the time control and accessible to the public.

Tyres used by private competitors may be purchased before the event from an official agent of the single tyre supplier. These tyres now remain the property of the competitor.