| How the points work The World Rally Championship is open to Group A, Group N
and Formula 2 cars, with the quickest cars generally running in Group A.
GROUP A cars are heavily modlfied, but based on
production cars. The manufacturer must make at least 2500 examples of the road car in 12
months before it can be used in competition, and the standard version must be a four
seater - assuming the engine is larger than one litre.The rally car must be broadly
slmilar to its road counterpart. The steel bodyshell must be retained, along with major
engine components, such as the cylinder block, the cylinder head, and the turbo.
Turbochargers must be fitted with a 38 millimetre air restrictor.
All suspension parts may be changed, but they must work in
the same way as the original sus- pension: the mounting points on the bodyshell may be
moved, but only within strict limits. The transmission must be generally similar to the
standard cars: it isn't permited to turn a two- wheel drive into a four-wheel drive car.
However, manufacturers can use substitute gearboxes and differentials by specifying them
in advance. In the same way, they can replace the entire braking system.
GROUP N cars are much more standard than Group A
cars, and are sometimes known as the "showroom class". They must be made in the
same quantity as Group A cars, but they must retain all the standard seats and interior
trim. Full safety and rally equipment can be fitted, as in Group A, which includes roll
cages, fire extinguishers, sumpguards, and extra lights, but the only performance
modifications are replacement springs and shock absorbers, competition tyres, and
harder-wearing brake pads. Turbo Group N cars must also be fitted with a 36 millimetre air
restrictor.
TOUR CAR CUP cars - commonly known as "FORMULA 2"
cars - are full Group A machines, but less sophisticated and therefore cheaper than the
most competitive Group A cars. They have the same freedom in performance modifications,
but they can only be front-wheel drive, and they must have engines of a maximum of two
litres, without super or turbocharging. - |
