Some sporting changes for 2017 WRC

There are to be two major changes for the 2017 World Rally Championship, reports Martin Holmes.  

The proposed three car team points scoring concept is to be implemented in the WRC, ending the current double Manufacturers and WRC team system, so that the  two best placed cars will gain manufacturers points.  

There must be a minimum of two cars per team. Manufacturers can enter more than three cars, but additional cars will not be eligible for manufacturer points.  

Only drivers entered by Manufacturers can drive 2017 World Rally Cars, and then only with the approval of the FIA.  No details about a Super Licence or vetting system have been announced.  

The second change is that there is to be a WRC Privateers’ Cup for drivers of World Rally Cars complying with current (i.e. pre-2017) rules.  

It is known that other sporting changes are proposed for 2017 and have been announced to organisers (for example, changes to the Power Stage scoring rules), but these have not been publicly released by the WMSC.   

No mention of speculated changes to WRC running order rules or the cancellation of the WRC3 was made by the FIA, although the Junior WRC is to continue.
 
- Martin Holmes

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