FIA makes a number of key announcements
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
The following amendments have been made to the Sporting Regulations, applicable from January 2015:
– In order to give more of an advantage to crews contesting all the stages, a seven-minute penalty, instead of five minutes, will be applied for a missed stage. The 10-minute penalty for missing the last stage of a day remains applicable.
– A WRC Team will be permitted a one-day test for each competition it nominates.
– Current Group N4 cars will be renamed as R4, in order to integrate them into the rally pyramid. This applies to all cars in the category worldwide.
The calendar for the 2015 FIA World Rally Championship is confirmed as follows:
| 25 January | Rallye Monte Carlo * |
| 15 February | Rally Sweden |
| 08 March | Rally Mexico |
| 19 April | Rally Argentina |
| 24 May | Rally Portugal |
| 14 June | Rally Italy |
| 05 July | Rally Poland |
| 02 August | Rally Finland |
| 23 August | Rallye Germany * |
| 13 September | Rally Australia |
| 04 October | Rally France * |
| 25 October | Rally Spain |
| 15 November | Rally Great Britain |
* Subject to Event Promotion Agreement
FIA EUROPEAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
To increase the value of the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) and create an identity for each category of car, the organization of the Championship has been amended from 2015.
– The overall ERC will be reserved for R5 and S2000 rally cars, the ERC 2 Championship has been created for drivers of Group N cars (current N4 cars), and the ERC 3 Championship will be for cars in Groups R3, R2 and R1.
– Titles for teams, drivers and co-drivers will be awarded, the total number of championship competitions will be reduced from 12 to 10 and the best seven (ERC and ERC 2) and six (ERC 3) results will count towards the titles.
– Additionally, the maximum age limit for ERC Junior drivers has been increased to 27 to attract more competitors and correspond with the limitation imposed for national junior championships.
– Only drivers registered in the ERC categories will receive Priority status, adding value and an advantage to registration, and only FIA and ERC Priority drivers will take part in Free Practice and Qualifying. The total distance of special stages is set at between 200 and 230 kilometers to provide consistency throughout the Championship.
– To further decrease costs, tire quantities will be reduced. For four-wheel drive cars a maximum of 18 tires per competition is permitted, and 14 for two-wheel drive cars.
– Testing has also been reduced to one day for each rally a driver is contesting.
FIA WORLD CUP FOR CROSS COUNTRY RALLIES
– In order to reduce costs for competitors, a number of new regulations have been implemented from January 2015. FIA Priority drivers competing in Bajas will be allowed to use only eight tires per competition. If a tire is damaged during the running of the competition, it may be replaced with the agreement of the FIA Technical Delegate. However such a change will incur a 90 second time penalty for each tire changed. In timed service areas on Bajas, only two mechanics and one engineer may work on a competing vehicle, and competitors may only refuel at commercial fuel stations using fuel on sale to the public.
– In order to adjust the balance of performance, restrictor diameters will be amended in 2015 depending on the average altitude of the competition. As such, the average altitude of the total distance of selective sections must be published in the Supplementary Regulations.
– The definition of a marathon cross country rally has been amended to be a competition with at least 5000 kilometers of selective sections, previously 3000 kilometers.
– To be included in the final classification a competitor must have checked in at the first time control of each leg and have checked in at the final time control of the competition.
– To be classified a competitor must not have received a fixed penalty on more than 50% of the legs of a rally. A fixed penalty will not be applied on the final day of a competition.
– The results of all Cross-Country rallies and the best five Bajas will be taken into account for the final classification, ensuring that with one additional competition in the calendar, teams can continue to operate at current budget levels.
The calendar for the 2015 FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies is confirmed as follows:
| 13-15 February | Baja Russia – Northern Forest |
| 27 March-02 April | Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge |
| 19-24 April | Sealine Cross Country Rally |
| 10-17 May | Pharaons Rally |
| 18-21 June | Italian Baja |
| 24-26 July | Baja Espana |
| 13-16 August | Hungarian Baja |
| 27-30 August | Baja Poland |
| 03-09 October | Rallye du Maroc |
| 22-24 October | Baja Portalegre |
Tunisia Rally will run as a candidate event from 28 May to 2 June for possible inclusion in the 2016 calendar.
FIA FORMULA E CHAMPIONSHIP
After the pre-season test campaign and the first race simulation, a number of adjustments to the sporting regulations of the 2014 Formula E championship have been agreed. The full regulations are available on the FIA website.
FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Introduction of cost management measures have been agreed as from 1 January 2015 including limitations of testing and tire limitations per category. Further details will be included in the 2015 Sporting and Technical Regulations.
GT COMMISSION
A unified system of categorization for GT3 drivers, centralized by the FIA, has been agreed. The use of the Driver Categorization system for FIA championships and series is aimed at encouraging better sporting management.
A proposal to hold a 'World Cup' for GT3 cars, organized on the basis of a single competition, has been agreed. A call for expressions of interest will be opened with the aim of appointing a promoter.
HISTORIC MOTOR SPORT COMMISSION
Those cars homologated in Period J2 (1986-1990) will now be eligible to compete in the FIA Historic Sporting Rally Championship.
OFF-ROAD COMMISSION
The minimum weight of a Super Car in Rallycross will be set at 1,300kg, as of 1 January 2016 (no matter the cylinder capacity of the engine). A number of clarifications and changes to the Technical Regulations for Rallycross cars have been decided for 2015 or 2016. Further details are available on the FIA website.
The current FIA Cup for JuniorBuggy (for drivers aged 13 to 21) will be classified as the FIA European Autocross Championship for JuniorBuggy in 2015.
The 2015 FIA European Autocross Championship will adopt a Semi/Final format (as used in Rallycross since 2013). This replace the current Finals C, B, A format.
TRUCK RACING COMMISSION
As of 1 January 2015, in each race, points for all titles will now be awarded to each driver and team at each Competition according to the following scale: 1st: 20 points, 2nd: 15 points, 3rd: 12 points, 4th: 10 points, 5th: 8 points, 6th: 6 points, 7th: 4 points, 8th: 3 points, 9th: 2 points, 10th: 1 point.
As of 1 January 2015, the minimum allowed weight for Race Trucks is defined as follows: 5400 kg (down from 5500 kg), of which 3200 kg (down from 3300 kg) measured at the front wheels.
SINGLE-SEATER COMMISSION
A 2015 FIA Formula 3 Middle East Cup is planned for January 2015. Details will be confirmed in October 2014.
Formula 4 Championships for 2015, certified by the FIA, have been confirmed in Australia, China, Germany, and Japan, the UK and Northern Europe.
It was agreed to offer an 'FIA F4 Best Driver' award for each Formula 4 Championship certified by the FIA.
CIK COMMISSION
The CIK Commission has been mandated to carry out an analysis with regard to the proposal to introduce a new category below the KF-Junior category.
A "CIK-FIA South American Karting Academy Trophy" is to be introduced. The first round of the new series is to take place in early 2015.
MOTOR SPORT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
After two years of work collecting the sport clubs' data and information regarding their needs and priorities, the World Council adopted the FIA Sport Club Development plan. This a roadmap to support the development of its 138 sport clubs worldwide through the drawing up of dedicated strategies with the goal of strengthening the growth and sustainability of motor sport in each country.
This will allow the Federation to build up a strong "Global Training Program" for all of its sport clubs in conjunction with the FIA Sport- Grant program launched in August and which will close on 30th September 2014.
The FIA is now better positioned to strengthen its sport clubs, grow motor sport worldwide, including vital grassroots motor sport and encouraging young people into our sport.
FIA ACTION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT TASKFORCE
An update was given on the work of the Action for Environment Taskforce. It was established to follow up on the FIA Environmental Sustainability Strategy endorsed by the WMSC in June 2013 which has the goal of ensuring motor sport is recognized as an exemplar of best practice in environmental sustainability and will be a leader in environmental innovation, creating a positive impact on both the track and road. World Council members Garry Connelly (Australia) and General Kiryanov (Russia) were appointed as delegates of the WMSC for environmental issues.
SUPER LICENSE
A mandate has been given to the FIA Administration to review the qualification and conditions for the issuing of a super license, in consultation with all parties concerned. A proposal will be put forward for WMSC approval in December for implementation in 2016.