News from the FIA prize-giving at Riga

The official prize-giving for the 2011 FIA European Championship for Autocross Drivers and the 2011 FIA European Championship for Rallycross Drivers took place in Riga, the capital of Latvia. Before the ceremony the first 2012 meeting of the FIA Off-Road Commission was held and a seminar for the stewards, organisers and officials of both championship series.

The official prize-giving ceremony was held in the Hotel Maritim, close to the centre of the ‘old town’ of Riga. The organisation was in the good hands of the director and the owner, Edgars Maiselis, and the officials and volunteers of the ‘SPORTA KOMPLEKSS MŪSA’, the host of a round of the FIA European Autocross Championship. Not only prizes for the best three drivers of each class, but also for the three best countries (Nation Cup). The results of the drivers in Autocross and Rallycross count in this competition for the Nation Cup. In a fantastic atmosphere the best three ERC round organisers of Autocross and Rallycross were honoured too.

Here a brief summary of the news from Riga:

• New for this year in the European Rallycross Championship are the 8 car finals.
• The use of 1 engine (for all classes!) and maximum 2 turbocharger (Supercars).
• Warm-up with a maximum of 2 laps.
• Free Practice: Two sessions of 4 laps. Each driver is only allowed once in each session.
• Only 16 drivers to score points for the ERC.
• Colored numbers for each class, TouringCars, Super1600s and Supercars, together with the name of the class of the car.
• A car that does not make the finish-line in one of the finals (by breakdown or accident) does not need to go to the parc fermé.
• The device that is called by Sadev a ‘Rear Drive Disconnect’ is still ‘under investigation’ by the FIA Technical Delegate of the FIA Off-Road Commission, Mr. Carlos Funes. The Off-Road Commission members need more details from the FIA Technical Commission before they decide whether this device will be allowed or not for Rallycross. This device can unlock the rear wheels of a four-wheel driven Supercar by using the handbrake. First comment on this matter came from multiple European Rallycross Champion, Norwegian Sverre Isachsen: “This could open the door for the use of active differentials, by the use of hydraulics. I think the members of the FIA ORC have to take a good look into this matter before they decide what to do.”
• The prize money will be available for the top ten drivers of each class only.
• Observer and Steward reports are at some points slightly changed.

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