Idea for rally formula

[Bruce D]

I thought of this idea for a new rally formula the other day and wondered what you guys thought about it.

In reality it would probably never work cos the manufacturers would find a way around it but the rules were simply:
1) The car has to have all safety features required by the FIA for rallying.
2) The car must be able to be sold to any customer, with a profit, for no more than $250 000 fully built.
3) No specification of the car may differ from that which can be bought by a customer.

So that's it, manufacturers can do absolutely anything they like, but it can't cost more than $250 000, including any profit you make so actually the car would cos less than that to build, and you can't get a situation like Peugeot with the 206 WRC where the works team had the fancy gearchange system and the customer cars had a stick-shift system.

There would be no restriction on engine sizes or configurations, transmissions, etc.

[Barreis]

+1

[Mirek]

Yes, there is a way to go around. One is to sell car for low price and overprice maintenance, spare parts and technical support. The other is to run such cars only in satelite teams for ridiculous rent prices. Both ways have been used...

But it would be nice if it works :)

[urabus-denoS2000]

Great idea , it would probably bring different types of cars , would be very interesting :)

If the FIA would listen to good ideas ...

[Livewireshock]

How about having a 'shopping' list of control common components. Do not have to be from a single supplier but could be a control specification for $X or it could have varied specifications with size 'A' being sold for $X and size 'B' sold for $Y.

The total cost of an entire vehicle would then have a ceiling price of all items added together. The cost of wheels, brakes, drivetrain etc would be known and accepted by all. This would make sure that a car is not deliberately undervalued when sold.

[Bruce D]

Common components would be a way to control the cost but the point of the formula was to give total freedom with the only limitation being the price tag.

[Mise]

Great idea , it would probably bring different types of cars , would be very interesting :)

If the FIA would listen to good ideas ...

FIA listens many great ideas and then they do
everything to spoil them. :eek: :D

[Bruce D]

True. I think the 2-litre WRC cars could have been kept if they'd controlled all those electronic rubbish on them.

[Barreis]

This is amateur sport (numbers of paid drivers can be counted on fingers of one hand).. From this perspective manufacturers raised price of s2000 cars and that's not with FIA rules.. Also from this perspective s2000 cars (without turbo) was the best formula for WRC future with old prices.. What sponsor will give 2 or 3 millions EUR for one season in WRC?! Stupid.. So rich sons are driving and the rest are only lookin'.. Didn't hear for years that some WRC driver bought yacht.. The last I remember was F.Delacour..

[urabus-denoS2000]

This is amateur sport (numbers of paid drivers can be counted on fingers of one hand)

Not true ;)

[Barreis]

Combray is better.. ;)

[urabus-denoS2000]

Combray is better.. ;)

Now that's mean ... :D

[Barreis]

:D

[OldF]

IMO there’s three sub regions which prices should be able to control someway.
The car itself. This is a quite easy one. The only thing would be to define does the price include seats, helmets, HANS etc.[/*:m:5rvjs5yb]
Spare parts. This is also a quite easy one. There’s should be a public list of what’s the max price for every single component in the car (from brakes, gearboxes and dampers down to piston rings, brake pads etc.)[/*:m:5rvjs5yb]
Services, which would include maintenance of the car, training of mechanics, all needed documents etc.[/*:m:5rvjs5yb]IMO the most difficult would be the to set a price on the third sub category. I know of some business where the equipments are sold at loss but once a customer has been bound with certain supplier’s equipment, the profit is made with the services and accessories.

[Barreis]

Don't forget that every manufacturer will make marketing profit from one more WRC car that will be seen on stages/TV..

[Mirek]

For that they don't need more than two successful cars. Besides that more than few top cars anyway don't exist for TV and media.

[Livewireshock]

Another aspect is that having more manufacturers is not good for manufacturers, from a marketing point of view. With more teams in various makes, the less chance of scoring a win and the marketing potential that creates. Also if you have a factory who produces a poor car, then there is little to be gained at all through out a season if they become the easy-beats, but in a reduced field, they can still claim winning points for some example of success. Too many cars and it is easy to be become lost in the crowd.

It is a difficult balance to master.