[WRC] News & rumours (part III)

[AndyRAC]

Regardless of the segment, I have a hard time believing that the WRC is capable of anything that radical, unless it's trying to mess up the format of rallies.

Ha ha, what are you trying to say?
The thing is, its not really radical, just a new-ish safety system, as used in DTM. Surely anything that increases safety has got to be a good thing. Obviously, a carbon fibre cell isn't going to be cheap, but can the WRC afford NOT to have improvements in safety??

[jonkka]

How does that make it safer when they would have to be something like 20cm closer to the roof because of the transmission tunnel?

Seats aren't bolted directly on the floor, you know, so effect on sitting height would be small if non-existent. But yes, sitting tandem on the centerline is a ridiculous idea.

[stefanvv]

WRC tandem, well certainly FIA are trying hard to entertain us What else, as WRC is not very appealing at the moment from media perspective.

[Zeakiwi]

Walter Rhorl's 131 at the 1978 RAC Rally had the rear seated co-driver.
http://classicrallycarsphotos.ecrate...h-1978-lombard
The next generation of cars might have electric hub rear drive, that would mean no rear shaft tunnel is necessary.
Could the DTM cell be converted for rally use?
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/a...-touring-cars/

[Mirek]

Seats aren't bolted directly on the floor, you know, so effect on sitting height would be small if non-existent. But yes, sitting tandem on the centerline is a ridiculous idea.

Even in a stock BMW the seats are mounted much lower than the top level of center tunnel. Also with that tunnel where do You put pedals?

[jonkka]

Also with that tunnel where do You put pedals?

On the either side of the tunnel. Most, if not all drivers brake with the left foot anyway. But don't worry about it, they are not going to change rally cars into tandem bikes.

[Lundefaret]

Side impact is what kills in rallying, and the safest position for the driver and codriver would be as far away from the sides as possible. The longditudal positioning would be the best solution, and could be solved by front wheel drive only, rear wheel drive with rear engine, or either one combined with the other set of wheels being driven electrically.

[Eli]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116727
it's about Toyota's young drivers

[Franky]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116727

Please don't post links without context. It isn't hard to write a sentence what the link is about.

[Mirek]

Side impact is what kills in rallying, and the safest position for the driver and codriver would be as far away from the sides as possible.

On Sunday there was a fatal accident in Czech republic with Fabia S2000 and all recent safety equipment. The car crashed sideways into the wall of a barn. The space for the crew was not deformed but the driver died on the spot and co-driver was very seriously injured as a result of the acceleration-caused internal injuries (in case of co-driver it's confirmed case of serious brain injury). Of course You are right that most of side-impacts kill by deformation due to very small space between the obstacle and the crew. I just wanted to point this weird case when the car may crash by a large area and therefore is not deformed but the bigger the resulting acceleration is. Tandem sitting would allow to design deformation zones on sides which would be of course very good for safety but it would require prototype-cars to be used. There is in my opinion no way this could be done with stock bodyshells.