2005 British Rally Championship

Posted: August 29, 2005 9:19 AM

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29/08/05
NEW LOOK BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR 2006
BRC bans WRCs for 2006

Britain's premier rally championship is set for a major overhaul with a newly formed Company taking the helm to deliver a totally new approach to British Rallying aimed at nurturing talent and creating future champions. UK Rally Ltd has been formed by a group of business professionals who are determined to re-establish the British rallying series to its former glory.

"The time is right for a major overhaul," said Director Mark Taylor, "UK Rally Ltd, the company charged with promoting the series has complete neutrality and a 5 year agreement with an option to extend for a further 5 years with the MSA in order to take the BRC through into a new era."

"I believe our new proposals will have a positive and beneficial effect on the sport of rallying here in the UK," continued Taylor, "In order to support the events over the past 3 years previous incumbents BRCL have tried to attract as many entries as possible. However, with such a broad brush approach the series attracted customers with differing needs which were never totally satisfied as their motivations were in direct conflict with each other. Going forward we intend to focus the BRC on just one of those groups, crews who want to develop, learn their skills and progress to become our future champions."

With a fresh approach in 2006, the British Rally Championship will provide a competition for drivers, co-drivers and teams who want to be at the very top tier of the UK rally pyramid. As the pinnacle of the pyramid, the BRC will concentrate on adopting the following 'sporting' aims and objectives:

Provide a focused arena and training ground for future rally champions.
Provide opportunities for those who wish to learn their rally craft and develop their skills while maintaining a level of sustainable competition within achievable budget levels.
Provide a spotlight and focus for the MSA British Rally Elite scheme selection.
Work with event organisers to provide a compact but challenging weekend of motor sport comprising International status rallies with differing characteristics and surfaces.
Provide an ultra competitive environment based on seeking progression and competitor and team development.
Align International events with regional bodies and identity and nurture partnerships with local authorities, development agencies and tourist organisations.
Liaise with the relevant stakeholders, partnerships, landowners, insurance and trade suppliers to provide a financially stable platform and longer term sustainable strategy.
Provide high profile presence, promotional and media activities in order to provide justification and return for sponsors and partners.
Provide route reconnaissance in order to learn the skills of pace note making and calling.
Proactively provide opportunity for sportsmanship and camaraderie
UK Rally Ltd has worked with the sport's governing body, rally teams and competitors to come up with this new set of proposals. The reason for this extensive consultation has been a desire to switch the premier level of UK rallying away from hugely expensive world rally cars, to more affordable 'standard production' based Group N machinery.
"There is still be a place for world rally cars in British rallying," said Mark Taylor, "but the new-look British championship will have more emphasis on driver and co-driver talent development."

THE 2006 BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

The radical new-look British Rally Championship will have two primary aims. First to provide competitors with attractive and affordable events and secondly to establish an easily understood and identifiable structure for those wishing to enjoy their sport at the top level and provide a base from which to go on to greater success on the world stage.

The introduction of a Group N 'production car' series will effectively 'cap' the costs of competing at the top level. The switch to Group N cars based on manufacturer's current road based models will enable the sport's organisers to more effectively police the series.

Another factor in the choice of Group N machinery is their relative simplicity compared to World Rally Cars. A Group N rally car can be built by an individual with a home workshop or a private team with better facilities, whereas WRC machines need highly specialised knowledge and equipment.

At one fell swoop interest will switch from 'chequebook competition' to one based more on driver and co-driver talent.

A UNIQUE CHALLENGE
Next year's British Rally Championship will be reduced to six events, but the BIG attraction will be the inclusion of Britain's World Rally Championship counter, Wales Rally GB.

The inclusion of this major event will therefore provide the ideal platform, for displaying British talent to a world wide audience - including top team manufacturers and sponsors. It will also provide rising British talent with a unique opportunity to experience rallying at a world championship level.

The other five events in the new-look British series will also pave the way forward for future hopefuls by providing a variety of experiences from gravel rallies to asphalt events across the four home countries of the UK. Each event offers a unique and different challenge and will give aspiring young rally crews the ideal training for future success while providing established rally competitors with a series of affordable and compulsive rally experiences.

The new 'super rally system' (allowing competitors who may have struck trouble on the first Leg to re-start the 2nd or 3rd Legs but with a time penalty) will be employed on selected events and the overall championship results will be based on counting the best 5 scores from the six events.

The 2006 British Rally Championship series will comprise:
May 13/14 Pirelli International Rally
July 7/8 Jim Clark Memorial Rally
August 3/5 Manx International Rally
September 1/2 Ulster International Rally
October 7 International Rally of Yorkshire
November Wales Rally GB

HIGHLIGHTING AND DEVELOPING FUTURE CHAMPIONS
An integral part of the new look Championship will be the organisers' intention to provide an arena where talent can be nurtured and developed, where drivers and co-drivers can learn their skills, augment their experience and increase their speed. A more level playing field will make it easier to progress and more affordable events will give young drivers coming in to the sport an easier ride.

The new British MSA Elite scheme will form part of this new process and many more initiatives will be developed and exploited as the new Championship evolves and moves into a higher gear over the coming years.

This new look championship represents a bold move on the part of UK Rally Ltd which is adopting new class designations in line with the 2007 FIA proposals. This will have the added advantage of presenting rally fans and spectators with a more easily recognisable rallying structure.

All cars will have to be homologated by the FIA. A list of eligible cars is attached.

The New BRC Class designations are:

R1 Rally 1 - Group N1, two wheel drive up to and including 1400cc
R2 Rally 2 -Group N2 two wheel drive above 1400cc, up to and including 1600cc
R3 Rally 3 -Group N3 two wheel drive above 1600cc, up to and including 2000cc, plus selected Challenge cars, Fiat Stilo, Ford Fiesta
R4 Rally 4 - Group N4 cars over 2000cc
Super 1600 Super 1600 cars and FIA homologated 1600cc Kit variant A6 cars

ACTION PACKED WEEKEND OF MOTORSPORT
UK Rally will be supporting each event in building a full weekend of motorsport for the rally fans and marshals. Joining other featured rally championships will be the increasingly popular Stars of the Future and a brand new Series called, UK Rally Masters.

THE UK RALLY MASTERS
A news series with 7 events will be aimed at this competitors who want value for money, no hassle rallying, plenty of stage miles in one day, mix of asphalt and gravel, with no recconnaisance on gravel and no rallying on a Sunday.

Benefiting from the buzz and promotional hype over a BRC weekend, this series will be for non homologated two wheel drive and four wheel drive turbocharged cars running to MSA Blue Book regulations.

Details will be announced in due course.

THE UK RALLY STARS OF THE FUTURE
Continuing on the success of 2005, the Stars of the Future series will again be profiled in 2006 for beginners and novices looking for great competition in the BRC environment.

The series next year will be aimed at 1400cc cars only. These cars do not have to be homologated, but will be restricted to drive down cost and to showcase genuine talent. The cars will run in their own rallies and ahead of the main field on selected gravel events. Again details are with the MSA and subject to approval will be announced in due course

THE 2006 BRC - IN SUMMARY
6 International rallies, each event to be FIA Observed to drive up standards
FIA Sporting Code, MSA Judicial adopting FIA Yellow Book regulations for event prescriptions
Reconnaissance on all events
FIA Homologated vehicles only, based on Gp N and Super 1600 only adopting new FIA designations, classes R1, R2, R3 & R4 formulas, as proposed by Jacques Berger (Head of FIA Technical Dept)
Best 5 events from 6 rounds count towards overall Championship
British Teams Championship - based on performance in class
Class Championships awards, Juniors (under 25), Ladies and Nations Cup
Tiered entry fees
Super Rallies on selected events allow re-entry
High Profile starts where feasibly possible
Centralised Service Areas and Rally HQs
Refuel Zones on all events
Limited number of tyres and fuel types

BOLD MOVE The 2006 British Rally Championship represents a bold move forward, but the sport in this country needed a bold move to re-establish itself as a world wide leader and a respected national championship.

Details on:
British Rally Championship

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01/08/05
BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - DRIVERS
1 Mark Higgins 80
2 Austin McHale 70
3 Rory Galligan 63
4 Sebastian Ling 48
5 Richard Gower 41
6 Paul Bird 36
7 Gareth McHale 29
8 David Higgins 29
9 Jon Ingram 16
10 Tony Davis 12

PRODUCTION RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - DRIVERS
1 Rory Galligan 80
2 Lorna Smith 76
3 Barry Clark 74
4 Robert Swann 55
5 Kate Heath 54
6 Stephen Petch 46
7 Rob Gill 36
8 David Higgins 30
9 Steve Blunt 29
10 Aaron McHale 27

BRITISH TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Mitsubishi Motors UK 98
2 Eddie Stobart - 1 80
3 Eddie Stobart - 2 79
4 Geoff Jones Motorsport 61

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16/06/05

• British Rally Championship TV Times

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03/03/05
Prime Time TV Slot for British Rally Championship
"We've done the deal and we're delighted," said BRC Manager Mark Taylor, "we have concluded a deal with Sky Sports to broadcast all rounds of this year's Kwik-Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship."

"Over the past few months we have been working on a number of options with our partner Greenlight Television to get the best deal possible, in terms of both regular coverage and best time slots, and that has been achieved with Sky Sports."

"But more to the point, it's the best deal for viewers. Rally fans and followers now know that on the Monday evening after each round of the BRC there will be a half hour report on that weekend's event. No more waiting, no more hunting round the schedules and no more wrongly set video recorders taping bits of cooking programmes in the early hours of the morning! The programmes will be consistent, relevant and newsworthy, and together with the support and investment from Sky Sports, the potential to raise the profile is very exciting and great news for British rallying."

Announcing the coverage, Sue Ashworth of Sky Sports, said: "The British Rally Championship is the breeding ground for young talent, with past winners including Colin McRae, Ari Vatanen and Richard Burns. The challenging UK courses will push drivers to their limits and produce some fascinating contests for viewers."

Each of the eight rounds of the championship will be shown in a special highlights programme broadcast in prime-time, at 7.00 pm, on the Monday following each round.

Coverage starts with a season preview, from the 'BRC Live' promotional action event at Nuneaton, on Monday 11 April and will conclude with a seasonal review shortly after the South of England Tempest Rally final event on Monday 7 November.

Coverage will be presented by the well-established rally 'double-act' of Mike Brewer and Robbie Head. Event commentary is from motoring broadcaster Richard Nichols.

The action will be captured by on-board cameras and a number of kerb cameras mounted at strategic positions throughout the stage to obtain spectacular shots from the course in addition to the usual complement of cameras on every stage.

Ian Coomber, Chairman of BRC Licensing Ltd added: "This is brilliant news for the Kwik-Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship and for all competitors, dedicated rally fans and armchair followers of the UK's top rally series. A prime time TV slot has always been our goal and to achieve it with the UK's premier sports channel is a major plus for the 2005 BRC.

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Regulations are now available for the British Rally Championship on the offical championship webiste:

• British Championship Website

• 2005 Fiat Rally Cup
• MITSUBISHI PREPARE FOR TWO-CAR ASSUALT ON BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

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31/10/04
MAJOR CHANGES ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2005 BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
Building on the successes of 2004, BRCL, the organisers of the British Rally Championship are announcing further improvements for 2005. Responding to competitor feedback, next year's BRC will have four class categories, (each matched by its own championship), delivering on BRCL's commitment to develop a comprehensive yet easy-to-understand and identifiable structure.

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The 2005 Championship structure will be:

1. Apr 23 - 24 Rally of Wales
2. May 20 - 21 Pirelli International
3. Jun 10 - 11 Scottish International
4. Jul 8 - 9 Jim Clark Memorial Rally
5. Jul 28 - 30 Manx International
6. Sep 2 - 3 Ulster International
7. Oct 8 - 9 Trackrod International
8. Nov 4 - 5 Tempest South of England

Sporting developments over recent years have resulted in the gradual merging by the FIA of the Group N and A rules. Whilst there are still differences, the gap between the categories has decreased to the point that BRCL has decided to merge these classes into one recognisable, cost effective and technically controlled starter category called Formula 2000.

Each Championship class category will be identified by a unique colour coded door panel decal, making for easy spectator identification.

The 2005 BRC will not feature classes for 1400cc or 1600cc cars. These classes will benefit from a new high profile BRCL promoted series, details of which will be announced later.

The British Rally Championship
At the pinnacle of UK rallying, the 2005 British Rally Championship will be for World Rally cars, A8 and A7 Kit Cars. Points will be awarded from first down to eighth place overall rewarding the front running cars and rally winners with the top prize.

The British Super 1600 Championship
The British Super 1600 Rally Championship will again be for Super 1600 cars and 1600cc Kit variant cars. In 2004 this category was popular with Junior drivers, but in 2005 the emphasis will be changed and promoted to drivers who are seeking a competitive alternative to a World Rally car. An exclusive customer assessment day is being organised for the beginning of December 2004, hosted by the current Super 1600 teams. The Championship will again reward a British title.

The BRC Production Rally Championship
The 2005 Production Rally Championship is for Group N4 cars. The series will provide a true test of ability in a reliable and cost effective category. With competition already confirmed from a "works" Mitsubishi car and an imminent announcement of the all new Subaru Cup, the Production Series will be a very competitive and exciting Championship.

The BRC Formula 2000 Rally Championship
Recognising that the BRC needs a true starter category, the Formula 2000 Rally Championship has been introduced for 2005. This new Championship will be for competitors who want to test and develop their skills on the first rung of the BRC ladder, but in an affordable and controlled manner. With a firm emphasis on control, the Formula 2000 series will only be open to homologated front wheel drive cars up to 2000cc running to Group N rules. A press and public launch is being planned for late November.

The British Rally Teams Championship
Building on the success of the inaugural Teams Championship in 2004, the 2005 Championship groups teams into one of the four class categories. This will allow teams to enter a maximum of two cars with the highest placed finisher in each team category scoring points. The Championship will again reward a British title.

Mark Taylor, Championship Manager comments, "I believe these changes will add considerable strength and identity to each individual class. We will continue to develop our relationship with teams and competitors and work with our partners in the organising clubs to further reduce the time and costs involved in competing."

Taylor concludes; "In 2004, massive strides were made in reducing competitor costs and attendance at the events has increased significantly as a result. The BRC represents, on a cost per stage mile basis, some of the most cost effective and enjoyable rallying in the UK. When you add to that great events, classic stages, full recces, terrestrial TV coverage and an ever growing showcase for sponsors, I'm confident that the BRC will deliver even more value for money and competitor enjoyment in 2005"

• British Championship Website