New ERC Open category for 2022 confirmed
ByERC
Published 16/02/2022 at 05:03 GMT
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Image credit: ERC
The FIA European Rally Championship’s all-inclusive status has been further underlined with confirmation of the new ERC Open category for 2022.
Exclusively for Rally2 Kit, homologated Group N4 and RGT cars, ERC Open has been established by WRC Promoter, the ERC’s new promoter from this season.
It’s a recognition of the growing interest in the Rally2 Kit regulations, plus demand from drivers eager to compete at international level in Group N4 and RGT machinery.
ERC Open will use the same points allocation as the other ERC categories with competitors counting their best six results from eight rounds.
Iain Campbell, the ERC Manager, said: “As well as being the established launchpad for drivers aiming for the very top of the sport stepping up from national level, the ERC is a championship for all-comers and ERC Open very much reflects this. Having monitored the rise in popularity of Rally2 Kit, it was important to continue to provide an outlet for these cars and their drivers and teams to compete internationally. It’s also very clear there is still an appetite for Group N4 and RGT cars and with the FIA RGT Cup appearing on three rounds of the ERC this year, it was a logical step to include RGT cars in ERC Open.”
Perfect kit for ERC
Rally2 Kit offers lower-cost, four-wheel-drive action and encourages technical ingenuity by independent operators. Examples of Rally2 Kit cars – which come with a ‘kit’ of performance parts from official supplier ORECA – used in the ERC in 2021 included the Škoda Fabia, Suzuki Swift and Toyota Yaris. An Audi A1 quattro from Mattias Ekström’s EKS JC team in partnership with South African firm Rally Technic, has also been developed and tested by former ERC Junior champion Emil Bergkvist.
Iconic names remain on stage
In addition to Rally2 Kit cars, ERC Open will cater for some of rallying’s most iconic names through Group N4 and RGT. Group N4 is the domain of the Mitsubishi Lancer and Subaru Impreza, while the Abarth 124 rally, Alpine A110 RGT and Porsche 997 GT3 are built to RGT regulations.
Other ERC titles up for grabs
In addition to ERC Open, the following titles will be awarded in the ERC in 2022:
FIA European Championship for Drivers, Co-Drivers (Rally2 cars)
FIA ERC3 for Drivers and Co-Drivers (Rally3 cars)
FIA ERC4 for Drivers and Co-Drivers (Rally4 and Rally5 cars)
FIA ERC4 Junior for drivers aged 27 and under on January 1, 2022, competing in Rally4 or Rally5 cars on Pirelli tyres
FIA European Rally Championship for Teams (for Rally2, Rally3, Rally4, Rally5 cars)
ERC 2022 calendar
Round 1:Rally Serras de Fafe – Felgueiras – Cabreira e Boticas (Portugal, gravel), March 12-13, 2022
Round 2:Azores Rallye (Gravel), March 26-27, 2022
Round 3:Rally Islas Canarias (Asphalt), May 13-14, 2022
Round 4:Rally Poland (Gravel), June 11-12, 2022
Round 5:Rally Liepāja (Gravel), July 2-3, 2022
Round 6:Rally di Roma Capitale (Italy, asphalt), July 23-24, 2022
Round 7:Barum Czech Rally Zlín (Asphalt), August 27-28, 2022
Round 8:TBC
It’s a recognition of the growing interest in the Rally2 Kit regulations, plus demand from drivers eager to compete at international level in Group N4 and RGT machinery.
ERC Open will use the same points allocation as the other ERC categories with competitors counting their best six results from eight rounds.
Iain Campbell, the ERC Manager, said: “As well as being the established launchpad for drivers aiming for the very top of the sport stepping up from national level, the ERC is a championship for all-comers and ERC Open very much reflects this. Having monitored the rise in popularity of Rally2 Kit, it was important to continue to provide an outlet for these cars and their drivers and teams to compete internationally. It’s also very clear there is still an appetite for Group N4 and RGT cars and with the FIA RGT Cup appearing on three rounds of the ERC this year, it was a logical step to include RGT cars in ERC Open.”
Perfect kit for ERC
Rally2 Kit offers lower-cost, four-wheel-drive action and encourages technical ingenuity by independent operators. Examples of Rally2 Kit cars – which come with a ‘kit’ of performance parts from official supplier ORECA – used in the ERC in 2021 included the Škoda Fabia, Suzuki Swift and Toyota Yaris. An Audi A1 quattro from Mattias Ekström’s EKS JC team in partnership with South African firm Rally Technic, has also been developed and tested by former ERC Junior champion Emil Bergkvist.
Iconic names remain on stage
In addition to Rally2 Kit cars, ERC Open will cater for some of rallying’s most iconic names through Group N4 and RGT. Group N4 is the domain of the Mitsubishi Lancer and Subaru Impreza, while the Abarth 124 rally, Alpine A110 RGT and Porsche 997 GT3 are built to RGT regulations.
Other ERC titles up for grabs
In addition to ERC Open, the following titles will be awarded in the ERC in 2022:
FIA European Championship for Drivers, Co-Drivers (Rally2 cars)
FIA ERC3 for Drivers and Co-Drivers (Rally3 cars)
FIA ERC4 for Drivers and Co-Drivers (Rally4 and Rally5 cars)
FIA ERC4 Junior for drivers aged 27 and under on January 1, 2022, competing in Rally4 or Rally5 cars on Pirelli tyres
FIA European Rally Championship for Teams (for Rally2, Rally3, Rally4, Rally5 cars)
ERC 2022 calendar
Round 1:Rally Serras de Fafe – Felgueiras – Cabreira e Boticas (Portugal, gravel), March 12-13, 2022
Round 2:Azores Rallye (Gravel), March 26-27, 2022
Round 3:Rally Islas Canarias (Asphalt), May 13-14, 2022
Round 4:Rally Poland (Gravel), June 11-12, 2022
Round 5:Rally Liepāja (Gravel), July 2-3, 2022
Round 6:Rally di Roma Capitale (Italy, asphalt), July 23-24, 2022
Round 7:Barum Czech Rally Zlín (Asphalt), August 27-28, 2022
Round 8:TBC
The post New ERC Open category for 2022 confirmed appeared first on FIA ERC | European Rally Championship.
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