New Side Impact Protection Systems for WRC
Cars entered by Citroen Total WRT and BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT appeared at Rally Ireland with the latest side impact protection systems. This entailed filling the area inside the door which formerly housed the window winding mechanisms with FIA approved high efficiency energy absorbing material. This demanded alternative window opening systems. Citroen cars were fitted with Group B-type transparent polycarbonate sliding windows. The Ford tried such a system but found the curvature which had to be built into the window meant these devises could not be kept in place at speed. For this event they used detachable windows held in place by velcro straps. The objective of the FIA Institute is to make the occupants of rally cars safe from side impacts of 100g.

Not the Smallest Yet
A revised entry list for Rally Ireland was issued the day before the ceremonial start, listing 37 competitors planning to compete on the event. This list means that Corona Rally Mexico, a rally with 39 starters in 2006 and 38 in 2005, has been surpassed. Still the smallest orthodox world championship rally has been Rallye Monte-Carlo, which in 2006 sported 34 starters. In 1997 there was an exceptional arrangement at Monte-Carlo in which only 23 drivers started the WRC category of the rally. but many more contested every stage except the final stage. 84 cars started Rally Ireland the last time it was run, in 2007. Rallye Monte- Carlo also holds the record of the biggest entry in the WRC, 278 in 1973

Disappearing Hopes for More WRC Teams
M-Sport chief Malcolm Wilson confirmed in Sligo that hopes of a third official Ford team in the world rally championship are disappearing. While it seems clear that Federico Villagra will proceed with his planned eight-round programme, there is no assurance that there will be an available second driver able to compete in the proposed Munchi's team on every event. Without that assurance, a team cannot be registered at the FIA. "Six weeks ago", Wilson explained "it really seemed probable that Munchi's would be registered (for the 2009 WRC), but since then so much has changed in this business. I feel it is now very unlikely we will have a third team (after BP and Stobart)". Meanwhile hopes that Subaru will be officially present are also ebbing away. The Norwegian team Adapta are planning an eight round season with Mads Ostberg as number one driver, but they also need to be assured they would be able to run on second car on each of their chosen events. "We are continuing to explore every opportunity, sometimes using a celebrity second driver, other times a local driver, but we cannot make the necessary longer-term plans at this time. We have not stopped dreaming, however", said Adapta chief Morten Ostberg. Currently just four teams have registered for the WRC, which means that team drivers only need to finish a world chamionship points before the team is guaranteed at least one world championship point.

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