GT Class

[Sulland]

Was it the Lotus or the rules that were wrong?
Or just lack of developmemt money?

[wildboar]

From today's World Motor Sport Council:

The WMSC has mandated relevant FIA commissions for concrete proposals to empower the presence of GT cars in rallies as soon as possible.

World Motor Sport Council | Federation Internationale de l'Automobile

Well, hopefully we will soon see those GT cars!

[Mirek]

The other point is also very interesting - since 1st January 2014 it is allowed for R1-R3 cars to use engine from another stock car (from the same manufacturer's portfolio I suppose). That means for example to build Fabia R3D using engine 2.0 TDI CR from Octavia RS (just a random example).

[wildboar]

From the latest WMSC meeting:

In order to promote the entry of R-GT cars in FIA rallies, with immediate effect tuners will be permitted to develop cars, in accordance with the criteria defining eligible cars. The FIA will issue a technical passport, allowing the car to be eligible for events accepting R-GT cars.

World Motor Sport Council | Federation Internationale de l'Automobile

Whatever this means now...

[OldF]

I interpret this that the cars don’t have to be homologated in the traditional way by the manufacturer. Maybe this will help to have more R-GT cars in rallies?

[vino_93]

I hope this is the beginning of new way of homologation for all small classes, from R4 to R1

[Prisoner Monkeys]

I'm guessing it's intended as a way of getting these cars into rallies as quickly as possible. The R-GT rules will likely be pretty broad in what they are willing to accept, and will be based on other GT racing series around the world. Provided a car fits the rules of another series, it would be eligible to take part in rallies under the R-GT class. That's what the "technical passport" would be.

[Maui J.]

If this means what I think it does, it is a great move.
It hopefully means the start of some real exotica in rallying. Without the homologation process with manufacturer consent, we may now see some 'supercars' taking to the stages, especially on the tarmac rally.
The old R-GT rules obviously weren't working with only Lotus having a go at making an eligible car.
Can't wait. Thank you FIA for a good decision.

[Sulland]

The GT class is meant for gentlemen drivers that does this for fun, and not to have them in a WRcar.

This might be the trick to get the class moving.

maybe the same could be done for R4 to get a 4wd class for private tuning firms to be creative within a set of sensible rules?

[Prisoner Monkeys]

maybe the same could be done for R4 to get a 4wd class for private tuning firms to be creative within a set of sensible rules?

When it comes to motorsport, "creative" and "sensible" are rarely the same thing.