Following a highly productive meeting of the World Rally Championship Commission in London recently, the FIA – motorsport's governing body – has hinted that fundamental and sweeping changes could be made to the 2005 World Rally Championship. Any changes introduced would be designed entirely to reduce the cost of competing and improve the 'show' for spectators and television viewers.
Some of the changes said to be under consideration are the introduction of the 'Superally' system used in the Asia-Pacific and Australian Rally Championships, which awards world championship points after each day. Cars that have retired on a given day will be permitted to rejoin for the following day's stages.
Restrictions on the number of tyres used by crews have also been proposed. Factory teams may be forced to use a control tyre from 2005. Other technical restrictions are on the table in a bid to make the current generation of World Rally Cars cheaper to design, build and maintain.
The Mille Pistes system of practising for an event, which has come under scrutiny in the run-up to its introduction for 2004, is thought to now be out of favour with the FIA. Event organisers may be allowed a waiver for their 2004 events before a full-scale return in 2005 to the more conventional format of practising the day before an event begins.
Finally, the world rally championship calendar may be finalised up to three years in advance to avoid any clashes with Formula 1 grands prix, something that is guaranteed for 2004 thanks to date re-jigging before Christmas.
The World Council's next meeting is on March 24th, when further plans will be discussed and possibly rubber-stamped.
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