FIA unveils plans for GT Cup in major rallies
The FIA has announced plans to make GT cars a more permanent fixture in rallies with the new-for-next-year R-GT Cup
The five-round series, which starts with January's Monte Carlo Rally, will also include the German round of the World Rally Championship along with three European Rally Championship counters (Ypres, Valais and Corsica) in an all-asphalt calendar.
Marc Duez was the first driver to compete in the WRC driving an R-GT car when he drove a Porsche 911 on this year's Monte Carlo.
Britain's Richard Tuthill became the first driver to finish a WRC round in an R-GT car when he took a Rally Germany class win with his 911 GT3 in August.
FIA rally director Jarmo Mahonen said: "We have been working closely with our technical department for some time to see how we can correctly include this class of car into our rally pyramid.
"To have achieved this now is great news for all the rally fans that have been waiting to see these cars out on the world stage.
"Each R-GT car is very individual and has to be treated as such, so there will always be work in progress, but we have had good collaboration with some tuners who have helped us establish the best way forward with the Passports.
"The creation of the R-GT Cup was a natural progression and we really hope to see more cars out in competition in the future; certainly from the reaction we have seen so far, the fans love the sight and sound of these iconic cars."
The Tuthill Porsche returns to WRC action in France this week, with Francois Delecour replacing Richard Tuthill.
The four-time world rally winner will face factory Porsche World Endurance Championship driver Romain Dumas - also in a 911 - on the Rally of France.
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