AFP

If we want a WRC round in South Africa, we have to run the National series to WRC rules.

South African rallying is moving closer to the regulations of the FIA, the controlling body of motor sport - and there's an important reason for it.

The 2012 SA Rally Championship will be contested in a simplified format of only two championship classes, with the premier class remaining Super 2000 (S2000) for modified, normally-aspirated, four-wheel drive cars with engine capacity not exceeding two litres.

Rally commission president Richard Leeke explained: “The growth of S2000 locally in recent seasons and the competitive nature of our national championship makes ours one of the most respected championships in the world.

“It's no secret that we want South Africa to host a round of the World Rally Championship and, by aligning ourselves more closely with the technical regulations of the FIA, we want to make our championship even more relevant, both domestically and internationally.”

S2000 CHALLENGE

But that means some of the older, privately run S2000 cars - and the Group N production cars in class N4 (engine capacity over two litres) that run with them - will no longer be competitive, so this season will see the first S2000 Challenge for the earlier-generation S2000 and Group N4 cars, which will be scored separately from the overall championship.

Leeke added: “We have done this to recognise the privateers who make up a significant proportion of our premier class and who, together with the factory entries and the top privateers, make up the strongest S2000 class in any national rally championship in the world.”

S2000 entries averaged around 17 last season and, in all, 20 crews scored championship points during 2011.

TWO-WHEEL DRIVE CHAMPIONSHIP

The second National championship class will be Super 1600 (S1600) for modified, normally-aspirated, two-wheel drive cars with engine capacity not exceeding 1.6 litres.

Both S2000 and S1600 will compete for National title, while S1600 entrants will also compete in the Two Wheel-Drive Championship, introduced in 2011, and cars built to the 2011 Super 1400 regulations can compete in S1600 if they are upgraded to S1600 specifications.

Commission technical director Hein Lategan, a leading S2000 competitor, said; “That way, we didn't have to tinker with the well-supported S2000 Class and we expect S1600 to grow and lift the standard of competition among young, up-and-coming crews.”

The new season will open with the Total Rally in KwaZulu-Natal on March 23 and 24. There will be eight rounds with the seven best results to count towards the championship.

2012 SA RALLY CALENDAR

Total Rally - March 23/24

Sasol Rally - April 20/21

Toyota Gauteng Dealer Rally - June 8/9

Volkswagen Rally, July 13/14

Gauteng Rally - August 10/11

Toyota Dealer Cape Rally - August 30/September 1

Polokwane Rally - October 5/6

Garden Route Rally - November 2/3

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