Radical shake-up for British rallying

The first two drivers in the Super 1600 section of the heavily restructured series will be guaranteed places in the 2003 FIA World Junior Championship (the new name for the current FIA Super 1600 Cup). With only 30 places in the world championship's premier 'feeder' series available from next year, the move is likely to attract strong interest from young talent keen to break into the sport's top flight.

From next year, the British Rally Championship will incorporate four titles - a Super 1600 Cup that essentially follows this year's Formula Rally series, a Production Cup for standard Group N machinery, a World Rally Car Cup (for Group A and World Rally Cars) and a manufacturers' series that will be based on the Super 1600 category.

The British Rally Champion will be a manufacturer - drivers will win category 'Cups' instead, since pitting a 1600cc driver against a World Rally Car driver was judged impossible.

The host of changes have been introduced by the newly-formed British Rally Championship Ltd, which has signed an initial five-year deal to promote the BRC.

The new rights holders have contacted a number of prospective events as they piece together a calendar that's expected to include between eight and 10 rallies. The first and last rounds have already confirmed, so next year's British Championship will start with the Rally of Wales in March and end with the Banbury Rally in November.

Rally formats are also set to change under the new deal. Every single-surface round of the series will start on the Friday evening in a city centre, before crews go on to tackle some night stages. Competitors will then tackle a minimum of 100 miles the following day before a hosted party, designed to recreate the more social aspects of the BRC that have been missing in recent years.

Entries will be limited to 140, and all events will feature centralised servicing and a Rally Show. Each round will be shown on its own 26-minute terrestrial television broadcast.

British Rally Championship Ltd Managing Director Andy Moss said: "This is a very exciting venture for the sport in Britain. Inevitably some people will be asked to take a leap of faith but if we're going to move forward, we think this is the best way. We're out there trying to find new British talent and we think this will achieve it.

"There could be benefits from all involved - we're looking at ways of helping the rallies to rationalise their costs, taking their emphasis away from getting money purely from entry fees. That way the entry costs should come down for crews, so they get some reward too."

Peugeot has already committed to the new series, both through a two-car team in the Super 1600 category and the inclusion of a new one-make series for the 206 hatchback.

Peugeot Sport UK boss Mick Linford said: "We're delighted to be involved. We believe that this decision and package is exactly what's needed in British rallying, and we're working ourselves to create a staircase of talent.

"If someone wins our 206 Cup in his first year of competition, he'll automatically be the works Super 1600 driver in 2003. That would give him a shot at winning a place in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship within two years."

There could be teething troubles, however. Some events - such as the Ulster Rally or the Jim Clark Rally - could face difficulties with the imposed running order, which places manufacturer Super 1600 entries first, ahead of World Rally Cars. Moss said: "We've put out tender to a number of rounds and we haven't heard any negative or positive comments back yet.

"Of course some people will have to take things before their boards and discuss them - it's a big step, but it's one we feel is necessary."