WRC Vision 2012

[Sulland]

The FIA working group lead by Morrie Chandler called Vision 2012, will meet on Tuesday 15 May 2007 to discuss how the WRC will look like in the future. By the end of this meeting we can expect a statement.

In Autosport 10 May they summed up what has leaked so far.

1. No revolution, WRC cars will still be 4wd and turbocharged. So the S2000 concept will not be top notch as speculated in.

2. All WRC cars will have to be based on a homologated Gr N or S2000 car. This to hopefully increase the number of car types in Gr N, and those two will be the recruitment classes, as is.

3. They are also concidering that kits to upgrade a Gr N or S2000 to a WRC, and back again. This to give drivers and teams more flexibility. This is still being staffed to come up with how this is to happen. But are they able to swing it it sounds like a very good idea.

4. Engine volume; They are looking at reducing todays 2000 ccm to 1800 or even 1600 ccm to reduce torque and the need to have a drag-race strong drive line. They are looking at continuing with restrictors, and maybe pop-off valves to easier control and govern the max output rule (300 bhp)

5. Sound; They are looking to get more racecar like sound in the forrest. This both from a safety and spectator point of view. The group thinks that the lower ccm volume will mean that gear changes have to happen higher in the register, and that this will help.

6. They are concidering to implement standard transmission ala S2000 to keep cost down. Another option is to specify materials, ratios, dimentions and number of gears allowed. But they see transmission as an area to save cost. And a more COTS (commercial of the shelf) would make sense.

7. Business plans; They see a need to improve the business plans. This would apply to Manufacturers, teams, the TV/ promotion part and also the rally arrangers. The aim is to get more long term planning.

8. Fuel; Diesel is out and Bio Fuel is in. Reason: Diesel is typical European thing. To get the Americans on board Rally, E85 or even E100 is a better direction to move in.

9. Service; They are also rethinking the way service is done. Maybe go back to how it used to be, with service locations after each leg, or even service after each SS in remote locations.

10. Timeline: The group is called Vision 2012, and are working towards how WRC should look like from that year on, but some or all elements can be implemented a lot sooner, but in a controlled fashion and with long term stability in mind.
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That was the plan in short - in my opinion most of them will move WRC in the right direction.

What do you think ?

[milly]

S2000 will convert to 1.8 turbo; WRC class will be S2000 cars with an additional performance kit on top. That means any S2000 car can upgrade to WRC spec.

Point 2: For a car to be WRC it has to be homologated via S2000 or GpN route. So WRC will be S2000 based.

[Jarek Z]

Thank you for the information guys, but WRC Vision 2012? Will WRC still be alive in that year?

[GigiGalliNo1]

I hope it will be but i don't want no WRC cars with 1.6 or 1.8 ltrs! Love the sounds don't restrict the volume..

a wrc car has to be homoligated from a S2000 or grp. N car which means what sorry?

[shurik]

Imo this 2012 plan is bull****, pardon my french. This proposal is more like immitation of thinking than real deal

[Sulland]

Imo this 2012 plan is bull****, pardon my french. This proposal is more like immitation of thinking than real deal

So what is the real deal according to Shurik ?
It is always easy to critisice, but harder to come up with something better....

Your proposals for the future pls ?

[raybak]

If WRC's survive to 2012, it's still quite a few years away with S2000 on the rise in many countries. I wreckon that S2000 will win out just on the amount of manufacturers involved.

Ray

[pino]

I say change almost as much as you want, but make sure we have more manufactures competing, because I am sick and tired of seeing only 3 Teams involved in the WRC

[shurik]

So what is the real deal according to Shurik ?
It is always easy to critisice, but harder to come up with something better....

Your proposals for the future pls ?

In brief:
1) 2l turbocharged engine or 3.5 na engine
2) No HP restriction
3) No ABS, TC or LC, i.e. no electronic aid
4) 20 cars homologation rule, no base on N or S2000 class
5) Cars or car parts can be homologated by non-manufacturers
6) car may be based on non four wheel drive car
7) engine block may be not original but should be built by the same maufacturer
8) Free engine and transmission placement
9) Free suspension geometry
10) Free wheelbase
11) obligatory crashtest for homologation

[Glee]

4. [...0] They are looking at continuing with restrictors, and maybe pop-off valves to easier control and govern the max output rule (300 bhp)

What is a pop-off valve?