World Rally Cars Go Atmospheric

Turbocharged World Rally Cars will no longer be eligible to score world championship points in the Manufacturers' championship after the end of the 2010 season. After then, only normally aspirated cars based on the current Super 2000 rules can score points. During 2010, teams entering current specification Super 2000 cars can score manufacturers' points, alongside teams with World Rally Cars under current rules. From the start of 2011 teams must run normally aspirated Super 2000 cars with modifications to the bodywork which allow aerodynamical changes. "The plan is that existing turbocharged World Rally Cars cannot be used at all on world championship rallies after the end of 2010, so drivers cannot score drivers' championship points using these cars, either", President of the World Rally Championship Commission Morrie Chandler explained. The WMSC has declared that turbocharged World Rally Cars will again be allowed from the start of 2013, with "cost-effective" 1600cc engines, details of which are subject to review at this time. Turbocharged cars have been gaining world championship points in rallying since the Swedish Rally in 1979, which was won by Stig Blomqvist in a Saab.

Regarding the future calendar of the World Rally Championship, the 12-round 2010 calendar as published by the FIA on 7th December 2007 still holds good, except for the FIA's recommendations that the events planned for Indonesia and Russia that year should be deferred. Chandler added "the WMSC is waiting for advice from the ISC about what changes should be made to the 2010 calendar, whether to keep the series at 12 events a year and also on wider issues such as preference to have a winter based championship, considering the complications a changeover would entail".

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