FIA finalise R4 Kit formula for rally cars

French company Oreca has been name as the official supplier of equipment for the FIA’s new R4 Kit rally car formula.

The R4 formula is intended to unify the wide-ranging opportunities currently offered by the regional AP4 rules. (Photo: Peter Whitten)The new R4 Kit formula is for use in regional and national championship rallying, and ends a long period of waiting for the formula to be finalised.  

The formula, first announced by the FIA in September 2015, allows specified equipment to be installed in “a large number of road cars currently available on the market”.  

The permitted equipment includes conversion to four wheel drive and the use of a 1.6 litre turbocharged engine.  

In terms of cost and performance, these cars will sit between the current R3 and R5 cars.  

“Our intention was to create another low cost option within the rally pyramid, and to offer competitors a car with a high level of safety,” FIA Technical Director, Bernard Niclot, said.  

“The important thing is that the running costs are low, and for a competitor there are no development costs.  

“At the same time, competitors will know that all R4 specification cars are identical, providing a level playing field within this new category.”  

This formula is intended to unify the wide-ranging opportunities currently offered, for example, by the regional AP4 rules in Asia Pacific and individual national rules. This has no connection with the R4 Kit regulations announced in 2001, which were intended to increase the performance of existing Group N Mitsubishis and Subarus.
 
- Martin Holmes   

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