Throughout the course of 2013, the FIA approved a number of regulation changes for the 2014 World Rally Cha❀mpionship season which aim to help reduce costs whilst raising the sporting challenge and increasing media coverage.

The major changes to the Championship r𓃲egulations are listed below:

The fo🗹llowing list summarises the classes and groups of cars, an꧙d details the renamed classes of eligible cars. The renaming of car classes harmonises the numbering with the other FIA Championships with the smaller number defining the most powerful cars (RC denoting Rally Car).

Classes groups:

RC1
World Rally Cars: 1.6 T engine

RC2
S2000-Rally: 1.6T engine with a 30mm restrictor
S2000-Rally: 2.0 Atmospheric
Group R5 (VR5)
Group R4 (VR4)
Group N over 2000cc (current N4)

RGT
RGT cars

RC3
Group A over 1600cc and up to 2000cc
Super 1600
R2 (over 1600cc and up to 2000cc - VR2C)
R3 (atmo / over 1600cc and up to 2000cc - VR3C)
R3 (turbo / up to 1620cc / nominal - VR3T)
R3 (diesel / up to 2000cc / nominal - VR3D)

RC4
Group A up to 1600cc
R2 (over 1390cc and up to 1600cc - VR2B)
Kit-car up to 1600cc
Group N over 1600cc and up to 2000cc

RC5
Group N up to 1600cc
R1 (up to 1600cc -VR1A/VR1B)

To bring consistency to events and thereby aid the Promoter, rallies are now requested to follow a fixed format. There will be a ceremonial start on Thursday, with the last stage run on Sunday at approximately 12:00 hrs for European events. The final stage is defined as the Power🐼 Stage, the length of which will be set at a minimum of 10 kilometres.

As a general rule, organisers of WR🐻C events must ensure a minimum of 25 per cent competitive special stage distance in relation to the overall distance of the event.

The st♕art order for both gravel and tarmac rallies has been amended as follows, in order to increase the show for fans and reduce the use of tactics:

Day 1: Provisional Championship classification order for P1 and P2 drivers
Day 2: Reverse provisional rally classification order for P1 and P2 drivers
Day 3: Reverse provisional rally classification order for P⛎1 and P2 drivers

There is therefore no more Free Practice and Qualifying. Cars having retired and restarting (Rally 2ꦓ) will be placed the next day after the P1 and P2 drivers group.

In order to allow greater flexibility to contract different drivers, Manufacturers will no longer be required to 𓃲nominate one permanent driver for the season. Instead, Manufacturers will be obliged to nominate one driver for a minimum of 10 Championship events.

Manufacturer and WRC Team cars from the s💯ame entrant will be permitt🐈ed to enter Flexi-Service at the same time, having their service times counted independently.

൲Due to ca💛lendar updates, the number of links has changed to 2 links of 2 rallies per car and 1 link of 4 rallies per seasonally allocated car number for a Manufacturer or a WRC Team which has nominated all Championship rallies.

In order to give more fleꦚxibility, WRC Teams will no longer be obliged to nominate a tyre manufacturer for the season.

WRC Team and WRC 2 entrants using S2000 cars are not oblige🍌d to use the latest 'joker' parts when🐻 competing in WRC events.

All competitors registered in the Championships - WRC, WRC 2, WRC 3 and Junior WRC - will be obliged to us⛎e a colour-coded windscreen sticker to promote and identify the category in which they are competing and🌸 scoring points. In addition, a similar Championship identification sticker will be applied to the front doors.

Permanent competition numbers will no longer be allocated to P3 drivers competing in the support championships. Drivers wishing to request a permanent number for marketing or promotional purposes will howe🙈ver be able to do so. The restriction on the number of servicing personnel has also been removed and testing during the three weeks preceding an event is now permitted for P3 drivers.

To create a more level playing field for the support cha🌟mpionship contenders, a two minute interval has been given between P🐻3 drivers.

In 🙈order to promote the entry of R-GT cars in FIA rallies, tuners will be permitted to develop cars, in accordance with the criteria defining eligible cars. The FIA will issue a technical passport, allowing the car to be eligible for events accepting R-GT cars.

The minimum weight of R5 cars has been increased from 1200 to 1230 kg to avoid the use 😼of expensive options and keep the cost of the complete car within the stated limit.

Regulatio🧸ns for R4 cars will not be continued after 201🧸4. From 1 January 2015, R4 cars will be eligible in the events of non-European FIA regional championships only. Cars with National R4 homologation will also be eligible in these events.

To help attract more manufacturers into the sport, the series engine of R1, R2 and Rﷺ3 cars may be replaced with another series engi🥂ne.

Information provided by the FIA