[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[Mirek]

Forget the WRC2 the worst aspect is the 350km maximum of stage mileage. As a cost saving!!!

There is nothing new about it. Except Monte Carlo all other events +/- fit inside 350 km already.

I hope not too, but then why have they only mentioned current spec cars use in the WRC2 privateer series? Besides, the Fabia tested in Portugal a couple of weeks ago didn’t look/sound as a current spec R5.

From the FIA PR:
“Building on the success of the R5 car, a new WRC 2 Pro Championship for Drivers, Co-Drivers and Manufacturers will be created as a platform for registered R5 manufacturers.
The same specification R5 car will continue to be used in the FIA WRC 2 Championship. This championship will be solely for private entrants, with the intention being to attract more drivers from national and regional championships.”

There is nothing implicating different rules for WRC2 Pro. You understand it wrong as pointed out by tc10a.

Hmm, but then how do you define a manufacturer entry? The Citroen R5s are run by PH Sport and the Hyundai by BRC (I think), even Katsura and Arai are not run by a works team but are they true privateers?

All cases I named are completely clear because those were entered under the manufacturer's name. There is probably no other way how to distiguish them but is that even important? The WRC2 Pro will be for sure much more prestigious and it doesn't make much sense for a manufacturer to use a hidden entry to win the privateer title.

The FIA release talks about attracting privateers and national champions, but isn’t this what ERC is for?

WRC is not ERC. If I want to take part in WRC it means I want to be in WRC. Simple as that.

A distincton between manus and privateers in WRC2 make sense but it could be done in a simple way, through a privateer cup inside WRC2 (a bit like ERC28 on the ERC).

Such cup would probably didn't attract many competitors. You need to give them something worth fighting for and the WC title is that. Some obscure cup trophy is not.