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The Barbados Rally Club (BRC) has confirmed the revised vehicle regulations under which its events will run during the next three-year cycle from 2013 to 2015. Among the key changes are the abandonment of the lower-capacity production classes and the division of World Rally Cars into two classes; this reflects the performance gap between cars of different periods and allows the inclusion of the most recent World Cars, such as the Ford Fiesta and MINI.
The BRC Vehicle Regulations 2013-2015, which includes the new Restricted Fuels List, will be available as a PDF download by clicking on the Competitors tab on the BRC web site, www.barbadosrallyclub.com [2].
The BRC reviews its regulations every three years, taking into account trends in competitor support levels, as well as changes on the International stage, an important consideration in light of the continuing high levels of support from overseas for the Club’s blue riband event, Sol Rally Barbados.
The Club’s Vehicle Classification Officer, Adrian Linton, explained: “There has been a steady decline in support for Production 1, 2 & 3, with just a handful of competitors across the three classes, so these have been phased out. The Clubman class, which allows a few more freedoms in terms of preparation and specification than production, offers an alternative for those competitors. Both 1600cc and 2-litre cars are allowed, with the 1600s running at a lower weight, and the early feedback suggests that this class will start to grow . . . and it will be open to overseas competitors as well.”
At the other end of the scale, there will now be four classes catering for four-wheel-drive cars. While the former Modified 8-A and Production 4 classes will continue with only minor changes, M8-WRC has been split into WRC1 and WRC2, with cars built up to the end of 2003 now separated from those built in the following years. In addition, WRC2 will cater for an increasing number of cars that no longer fit into existing regulations for other classes.
The rules for the core classifications of the BRC, the Modified and SuperModified classes, which cater for more than two-thirds of the regular competitors, remain much the same. The minimum weight limits in the Modified classes have been increased by 20kgs, while the top class in SuperModified has now be split into two, with a new division at two litres, creating an additional class.
There will be two classes catering for historic cars, both for 2wd production cars marketed before December 31, 1981: International Historic is for cars which carry either a UK MSA Historic Rally Vehicle Identity Form (HRVIF) or FIA Historic Technical Passport (HTP); Historic will run to local rules, in which parity between competitors is the priority.
Finally, Group B, which has traditionally been a ‘catch-all’ class for those competitors whose cars do not comply with the minimum weight limits for SuperModified for Sol Rally Barbados, will now feature in events throughout the season.
The new Restricted Fuels List is significantly shorter than previously, for good reason, asserts Linton: “Allowing a simple choice of pump fuel, VP C9 and VP Motorsport 109 gives competitors all the options they need. Our previous list included a number of more ‘exotic’ fuels, in part to cater for overseas competitors, but almost no-one used them.”
BRC Vehicle Regulations 2013-2105 – a brief summary
WRC1 - for World Rally Cars built from 2004 to the present day
WRC2 - for World Rally Cars built up to and including 2003, also includes cars that do not conform to Group N, Group A or WRC (eg B13 in the UK)
Group A - formerly Modified 8-A, also includes R4 and S2000 cars
Group N - formerly Production 4
SuperModified 9, 10, 11 & 12 – as the previous SM9, SM10 & SM11, but with SM11 now split into two classes: SM11 (2001-2500cc) and SM12 (2501cc and over)
Modified 5, 6 & 7 – as the previous M5, M6 & M7, except that all minimum weights have been increased by 20kgs
International Historic – for 2wd cars marketed before the end of 1981, carrying either UK MSA or FIA documentation
Historic – for 2wd cars marketed before the end of 1981, and running to local rules, in which parity between competitors is the priority
Clubman – for lightly-modified 2wd cars, with either 1600cc or 2-litre engines, competing as a single class, with the 1600cc cars running at a lower weight
Group B - for pre-1987 cars built to SuperModified regulations, but which do not meet the minimum weight requirements. Eligible only for class awards, not overall
For further media information: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com [3]
web sites: www.barbadosrallyclub.com [2]
