The support class to the FIA World Rally Championship series, WRC2, is set for a major shake-up for the 2017 season.
While the class has seen a rise in popularity in recent years which has produced some fantastic battles, one of the major criticisms is that some rallies lack competition between drivers.
The current regulations specify that anyone competing in the WRC2 championship must compete in seven rallies throughout the season, this can be selected from any of the 14 on the calendar.
The issue is that essentially two drivers that are competing for the championship could in theory compete in their seven rallies, but never go head-to-head in the season.
For 2017 it has been proposed that the final three rounds of WRC2 will be fixed rallies to ensure that there is some competition between the crews.
“WRC2 has developed very well, but I have one problem with this championship – the best don’t meet,” FIA rally director Jarmo Mahonen said to Autosport.
“We were supposed to have 14 now 13 events, [but] the guys select the rallies tactically, saying ‘He’s not here, so now we go there…”
“We had to find a solution and that’s to nominate three rallies where they have to meet, this will make it more exciting.”
