Quote Originally Posted by Rally Power View Post
Spot on. Gr.R cars are all developed by the manus or their official tuners. We know there’s usually a limited number of manus involved in rally and most of them are mainly interested on overall wins. That’s why we have almost the same number of WRC and R5 models homologated than all R1, R2 and R3 cars combined. Besides, manus built rally cars are always expensive, which makes even harder for privateers to get in.

The only way to open the sport to a wider range of brands and models is to have private tuners back, through a more liberal regulation for national and international use, just like it was done with AP4 in the FIA Asia Pacific series or Maxi Rally on FIA Codasur.

Probably that was R4 global aim, but having a single supplier for the class was a terrible idea. The FIA can still make R4 work if they end Oreca’s monopoly and allow each nation major tuners to locally build similar cars under a common R4 regulation; the same could be easily done for a new 2WD class and both would be complementary to current R5 and WRC top categories.
All they need to do is make an open group n class like it exists in so many countries. Just write a book with things that can change and things that have to remain stock. No need for tuners or official stuff, everyone can use whatever car they want as long as it complies with those rules.

Standard bodywork, either standard gearbox housing or simple basic sequential gearbox, standard suspension mounting points and wishbones, standard fuel tank, standard dashboard, no performance changing parts in the engine bay, no kevlar, titanium or other expensive materials.

Basically what group n was intended to be, but without the need for homologation by the manufacturer.