CAPITO AGAINST WRC POINTS CHANGE
World points scoring change plan draws criticism
Volkswagen’s Jost Capito has criticised plans for proposed changes to next year’s World Rally Championship scoring system, saying it will kill the opportunity for teams to develop young drivers.
Last week’s WRC Commission meeting discussed the potential for teams to run three cars, with the top two classified finishers from the team scoring points. MN’S understanding is that none of the drivers would need to be nominated at the start of the season.
This opens up the potential for teams to bring more experienced drivers rather than young talent, while also selecting specialist drivers for specific surfaces – in the way Peugeot did with a team running Harri Rovanpera on gravel and Gilles Panizzi on asphalt between 2001-03. Peugeot won the title from 2000-2002 and when Citroen won the 2003 title with its superteam of Sebastien Loeb, Colin Mcrae and Carlos Sainz, the rule was changed. Only two nominated drivers could score points for a manufacturer from 2004 onwards.
Despite it being discussed at Commission, Capito doubts it will see the light of day in competition.
“I don’t think it will come,” he told MN. “There were reasons why this was taken away and there is nothing wrong now. I told Jarmo [Mahonen, FIA rally director], you will never get a young driver coming through with this rule. You will need consistency from your three good drivers and you will need your specialists. The old guys will come out of nowhere.”
Hyundai’s Michel Nandan had the polar opposite view, saying: “I think it’s a good idea. It will make all of the manufacturers run three cars. That’s a good thing. It’s a bigger show and a bigger show needs more drivers.”
Mahonen said the rule would return more out of administrative convenience and as an effort to make the sport clearer for the public.