RULE TWEAK TO BOOST THE BRC MEN ON YPRES
Belgian event to accommodate all cars
British Rally Championship crews with non-homologated cars will be able to compete in the Ypres Rally this year, Motorsport News can reveal.
Any car which has an MSA logbook, and is BRC registered, will be eligible to take part in the June 21-23 event in Belgium, one of the most prestigious rally events in Europe.
The series visited Ypres as a whole for the first time in 2017, but teething trouble with the Belgian federation over cars that were eligible meant two BRC competitors had to hire different cars. The event has since worked with the federation to fix the issue.
“We have created a new class this year which is NGB,” said Ypres rally manager and Hyundai World Rally Championship team manager Alain Penasse. “It is for people who drive in the British Championship, in cars which are not homologated. They can now be hosted in this class. “Last year it was a grey area, we had a few cars which weren’t eligible and it was complicated. This is sorted now for this year. “We created this group for Land Rovers [Armed Forces Challenge] last year. I had the idea to ask the federation if we could have a class for non-homologated cars, but only if they are registered for the British Rally Championship.” British Rally Championship boss Iain Campbell added: “The Belgian federation and the Ypres Rally have been incredibly supportive. “Last year we had some issues with non-homologated cars, and especially sequential gearbox cars as they are a big issue in Belgium. “If it’s [a car is ] registered for the British Rally Championship and it’s got an Motor Sports Association logbook, it’s allowed, and that’s great.”
Scot Donnie Macdonald was one of the drivers who had to hire another car last year as he aimed to compete in the event in a lightweight Mitsubishi Lancer E9 with a sequential gearbox, known in the UK as a B13 Class car. Macdonald is unable to attend this year’s event because of a friend’s wedding. “They told me this [change would be made] last year and they’ve done everything they can do to get me back, fair play to them,” he said.
“It’s a sensational, spectacular motorsport event, they have everything. I don’t think there’s any harm in seeing things like B13 cars out on the stages, as long as they comply with the safety regulations in the country they are from. I think it’s great.
“I would rather have taken my own car from last year, but I understand where they were coming from and when I got there you couldn’t knock them. What a fantastic event. I will go the following year. It’s like a rallying holiday.”