Fisher: more WRC drivers will switch to R5
Alistair Fisher believes the success of this year’s Irish Tarmac Championship will lead to World Rally Car drivers switching to R5s to compete at the front of the championship in 2017.
Before the start of the 2016 season, organisers declared that R5 cars would fight at the front of the championship, with World Rally Cars only eligible to fight for event wins and a WRC Cup title, and not for the Tarmac championship.
“I think we’ll get some of the guys who’ve had World Rally Cars in the past might start making the jump across,” said Fisher. “That will only increase the popularity of the championship.”
In this year’s series, four drivers went into the final stage with a chance of winning the title in Cork, which would have been five had Fisher not been cruelly caught out by a slippery section as first car on the road earlier in the event.
The battles have made the championship more entertaining to spectators, according to Fisher. “It’s been really revitalised this year and it’s had a really good following,” he added. “The events have been well followed, too. People have been keeping a good eye on it and I think the spectators have enjoyed everybody’s driving style and commitment in the R5 cars.”