[WRC] News & rumours (part IV) 2016

[EightGear]

No they really do need to have a car entered for manufacturers. There was talk about D-Mack not being able to register as a team if M-Sport didn't register as a manufacturer.

I have no idea where in the regulations that can be found.

[MikeD]

No they really do need to have a car entered for manufacturers. There was talk about D-Mack not being able to register as a team if M-Sport didn't register as a manufacturer.

I have no idea where in the regulations that can be found.

I don't think that is true. Bozian did an M2/MT team in 2006 with two Peugeot 307 (Stohl & HSolberg) without Peugeot being entered as a manufacturer.

[EightGear]

Well ok but that was 10 years ago.

[MikeD]

Well ok but that was 10 years ago.

But the rules haven't changed as far as I know. And furthermore two MINI teams ran as private M2 teams some 3-4 ago before BMW stopped the whole Prodrive MINI project. (I think it was Araujo and that Brazilian nutcase).

[Barreis]

Also RedBull škoda in 2006 with Panizzi/Aigner/Rovanpera...

[MikeD]

Also RedBull škoda in 2006 with Panizzi/Aigner/Rovanpera...

Yep, and that BBR running that team as an MT/M2 entry for Manu points.

[samWRC]

From FIA Regulations:

7.3 PARTICIPATION – WRC TEAM
A WRC Team:
7.3.1 Will be eligible to score Manufacturers’ points only if cars of the same homologation number (homologation extension 100/01 KSR and its WR extension or homologation extension 200/01 WRC or homologation extension 300/01 WRC) are used as those of a Manufacturer under Art. 7.2 or as a new Manufacturer under Art. 4.1.2.

[dodge33cymru]

What is the purpose of this rule, anyway? Why would a team need a manufacturer to register?

I suspect the current circumstances don't quite justify it, but the rule probably exists to force the manufacturers to pay in order to sell customer cars.

IMSA (sportscar racing in the US) now requires the manufacturer to pay the series to allow entrants of their cars, seeing as they can sell more customer cars if they are eligible.

Bit of a horrible rule, up there with the 'not all R5s score for WRC2' horror, but it's the way of the world these days.

[dodge33cymru]

found this from autosport forum

Esa-Pekka Lappi said Savon-Sanomat morning broadsheet newspaper that his Skoda contract ends season end and welcome the fact that Toyota is interested in him.

For once, it's a good year as a rally drivers to have your contract ending at the end of it. Potentially a lot of top seats and not much experienced talent to go around. For the first time in a while there'll actually be competition for drivers, I imagine.

[MikeD]

From FIA Regulations:

7.3 PARTICIPATION – WRC TEAM
A WRC Team:
7.3.1 Will be eligible to score Manufacturers’ points only if cars of the same homologation number (homologation extension 100/01 KSR and its WR extension or homologation extension 200/01 WRC or homologation extension 300/01 WRC) are used as those of a Manufacturer under Art. 7.2 or as a new Manufacturer under Art. 4.1.2.

And yet they let Motorsport Italia enter as an MT/M2 team with Kosciuszko in 2013 despite MINI and Prodrive was out of the WRC the year before. I remember we had that same debate back then, and I think FIA are more in favour of more M2/MT teams than this rule. Or maybe the rule is supposed to be understood a bit different, like that you can enter as an MT/M2 team with a car that has been entered as a Manufacturer (but not nessesary in the same year). That could be why the Lotos Mini was allowed to enter as an M2/MT team 2 season ago.