The President of the FIA World Rally Commission
The 2006 regulations of the World Rally Championship are noticeably different from the previous years. Jacques Régis, the President of the World Rally Championship Commission, talks about the new face of WRC for next season and beyond.
The entry list for the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship is now closed. What are your first impressions?
“When you understand how the term ‘manufacturer` is defined in the FIA World Rally Championship regulations, you will find that six manufacturers have entered a team in the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship. This demonstrates that there are as many teams entering for 2006 as in last season. From this perspective the entry list is therefore very positive.

“Five automobile companies, Citroën, Ford, Subaru, Peugeot and Skoda will be represented in 2006 entering two factory cars via a competition structure that represents their company throughout the season. We would have preferred Mitsubishi not to have decided at such a late hour to take a temporary break from the Championship but save this exception, the line up is almost the same as in 2005.

“Another important factor is that even though the drivers` line up is not yet complete, you find Sébastien Loeb, Marcus Grönholm and Petter Solberg on the list. The same three drivers who shared all of the 2005 victories between them. This elite group of three will be joined by others at the start of the 2006 season in Monte-Carlo. This upcoming 2006 FIA World Rally Championship promises to be as exciting and passionate as last season.”

Will the notion of ‘Manufacturer 1` and ‘Manufacturer 2` change the attribution of the Manufacturers` title?
“No, what is important to understand is what unites the two. Whether they be categorised 1 or 2, the teams are fighting for the same title and defend the manufacturer colours for which they compete. In Formula 1 it does not surprise anyone that a mark like Ferrari or Toyota for example supply several teams entered in the same Championship who are all vying to achieve the same objective: the Manufacturers title. Why in rallying can`t companies like Ford or Subaru represent several teams with the same objective?”

What plans have you defined for the future of the FIA World Rally Championship?
“We are continuing down the path that we have chosen. Our main objective is to make the championship more accessible and to increase the media coverage. A number of things have already changed, so that from 2006, costs will be reduced and the championship will be open to a greater number of teams and drivers, and that the media impact, a project which we are working on in collaboration with the ISC, can be more increased throughout the world. Concerning the regulations, it is important that the rules remain stable. Lastly, we hope that thanks to our efforts, other new manufacturers will accompany Citroën on their return in 2007.”


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