speedomodel

iTrader: (15)

Naturally aspirated two-litres. Yawn. Bring back Group B!

MisterSpoot

I doubt Group B will come back with the currently lax position towards allowing spectators lining the stages as they currently are.

MrSwede

As stated, these are PROPOSALS...If you follow motorsport you should know by now that there is no reason to blow a gasket every time a proposal is made by the FIA, as more of their proposals are rejected than accepted.

osunick

iTrader: (8)

There are different classes. The 1600cc (jwrc) cars are all fwd and NA. There are also several classes of cars in the wrc that range from Group N (basically a production car with safety equipment), Group A (highly modified production cars but with many similarities to stock), and WRC which is basically a free for all in terms of technology, except that the cars have to have no more than 300hp (achieved via restrictors) and no more than 2000cc of displacement. WRC is the only class that teams like citroen can really compete in because they don't have an awd car to base a group a/n car on. (those classes require that they share the same drive configuration as a production model).

The reasoning behind all of this is because the European Touring Car Championship has recently implemented Super2000 regulations which are very similar to what is being proposed for WRC. In that championship, the racing is better and more popular than ever before because of the increased competition and the size of the field competing. Super2000 might be a good idea but I really think they ought to abandon the transverse engine/transmission requirement because it would totally kill subaru, currently one of the most popular teams in WRC. FYI- they are saying that power would likely be in the 250-270 hp range initially.

The restriction on active diffs might be more interesting too because the cars will drift rally-style in the corners whereas now with the active diffs the cars follow tighter (and straighter lines). ]

I love technology in cars but I'd rather see 8 manufacturers in WRC than three, even if there aren't any turbos anymore.

UndieStainz

I dont get it,...it will put more manufac. in the mix but it still takes out the entire turbocharged, tiny motor coolness. That is why I bought an Evo and not a Civic or whatever...oh well I am sure half the props get thrown out anyway by the WRC and companies will yell (ie: scoobies).

Tanner_Hall

frankly, i'm glad to see them talking about such regulations, especially for F1. the dwindling number of teams in WRC and F1 and the TOTAL lack of competition in F1 are killing these series.

GPTourer

Maybe Super 2000 could start out as a class, rather then a requirement. And then there could perhaps still be a unlimited class for the current vehicles. I don't know much about current Group N goings on, but it was to my understanging the Mitsubishi owns it, as in allmost all the teams choose Evos and they totally dominate the series.

Perhaps if Mitsu can't compete at WRC anymore, they will turn their attention to road racing. I am glad they will run next year, but if they can't be competitive and if the rules are going to get changed anyway, its a waste of money.

hotrod2448

It doesn't matter what they do to control costs the teams with money will always find somewhere else to spend it.

I don't think they will loose the turbos. How is that going to save money? They'll just spend it on trying to get the same power out of a NA engine or on the differentials and suspension. They would cut costs better by getting rid of the electronic diffs and semi-auto gearboxes. Just my .02 cents.

BrownPoop

iTrader: (2)

agreed.

MaxR

iTrader: (3)

There is no way Subaru can meet the transverse engine rule. They don;t have an inline 4. Their symmetrical AWD won't accept an I4. Subaru is fooked.

MaxR

iTrader: (3)

Why would they have to change? Ford doesn't have a homologation for the Focus and they still compete.

dcorn

iTrader: (1)

These new changes are crap. Why would they ever take out the turbos, and throw in regulations that could hinder subaru. Turbo cars like the Evo and WRX are the only things keeping the WRC interesting and Subaru is such a huge competitor, you would thing they would be running the show.

Turbocharged engines and sequential transmissions are what makes up that sport and makes those guys so damn fast. If they wanna make it more affordable for other competition, put in a lower class with more regulations and keep the normal racers just as they are. When I watch those races, I am amazed at the driving skills and the technology of the cars, I don't care if there aren't enough competitors or enough companies in it. The WRC kicks *** like it stands now and shouldn't be changed at all.

evolved04

iTrader: (2)

i heard this stat the other day watching formula 1 qualifing. micheal shumacher, or ferrari rather spent 1 million gw's every time micheal ran ten race miles, last year. with 16 races, at 55 lap average, on a course that is 2.5 miles long, that is- well snotloads of money. ferrari doesnt even have the biggest formula 1 budget toyota does this year. this is billions of dollars we are talking about. the FIA says that the NA cars will cost 1/4 of the price. not sure how, but they are the experts. we need to keep the WRC around, racing in general is dying. it isnt so much that they need to level the playing feild either, i mean it is pretty level- and since we are talking timed events- not laps, it really doesnt matter. teams, come up and down, and so do racing series'. maybe mosely is just super parranoid that nascar is taking over the world. we have/are seeing the demise of CART/Champ, the downfall of the IRL, formula 1 is struggling, as is the WRC. i would rather watch anything than nascar, but the fans are headed that way- and it blows for those of us who dont even begin to like it.

ezhangin

This is, quite possibly, the worst news I have ever heard I hope this creates a new class instead of a new sport. I think this is completely unfair to Subaru, even if you guys don't like them they are our main competitors and the biggest reason the Evo "Evolves;" in order to get an edge on Subaru! Well, they better just start televising more group N races then, because I would rather have no WRC then have it degraded so.

speedomodel

iTrader: (15)

What next? Carburetors and restrictor plates? I guess we can blame the popularity of NASCAR for the dumbing down of motorsports.