Quote Originally Posted by Magnus
You have some interesting inputs bt52b, although I do not completely agree with you that the safety in rallying have not developed during the last few years. Take the hans-system for one example. One shouldn´t forget either that focus(sic!) have been on protecting the public watching the rallies, since this was very bad until only a few years ago. I remeber in 2000 when we walked back from stages in sweden, on the road, just jumping in the ditch when the next car came by.
One should also remember that circuit-racing cars are more likely to have some severe damages in case of an accident due to other cars. I have no doubt that FIA is trying to implement a high level of safety, regardles of which kind of motorsport we are discussing. Tha costs from severe accidents can be very high, not only because thay may turn fatal, but because it gives our sport very bad credit, and costs a fortune.
Another problem with rally cars, where you have two persons, compared to circuit-racing, is that no matter what you only have about a decimeter to absorb the energy. In a circuit car you often have the driver in the middle; that makes energyabsorbing a whole lot easier.
Compare WRC and rallycar design to DTM, NASCAR and V8 Supercar, none is perfect, but better rallycar cockpit protection is lacking for along time.

Racing saloons need better side protection mainly because of the risk of side impact collisions from other cars. Rallycar can suffer them impacts on stage from a following competitor, plus the risk of trees and lamp post.

The basic concept of moving the seats in towrds the centre and backwards a bit has been around for some time. Few have tried to do this in rally cars. Not great for driving position, but a bit safer.

Having the problem of two seats in a rally car makes it harder to deal with, but the more they the push technology in this area, the more it should have direct impacts on road car safety, which would be good thing all round.

The really strange thing about the FIA announcement is that there is no mention of Super Touring, GT or any race cars. Similar cars, similar cages, surely it affects them too.