As per usual, the end of the year is the time to announce the new FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar, and venue changes and new regulations add to the already expected transition to electric power.
Regarding the calendar, the first visible change is the exit of Barcelona after six years in a row holding the Spanish round, with Höljes taking the role of season opener. After successfully holding the season finale and title decider in 2021, Nürburgring is moved to the second slot of the calendar in late July, ending the list of single-header weekends of the season.
The awaited return of Hell RX at the Lankebanen after two cancellations in a row becomes the third round and the first double-header, replacing the second major absence in the calendar, as Lohéac turned its attentions back to the FFSA Rallycross Championship rather than the World stage. The Bikernieku Trase in Riga and the Pista Automóvel de Montalegre come right after in September, while Spa-Francorchamps will be the sole round in October, ending the European season to send cars and teams back to South Africa in November, though this final date is still open as the promoters are monitoring the health condition in Cape Town.
The event format will feature major changes too for 2022, with the most notable one being the change to award points only at the end of the round, rather than award them per phase of the round. A Superpole round with timed single laps will replace the usual grid draw held on Fridays.
The qualifying phase will be named back as Heats with five cars at maximum per race, while also featuring reduced Heat numbers, with three for single-headers and two for double-headers, which were already put in use during the 2021 season.
A Progression phase will be held with all drivers, and the best 10 from this phase will go to the Semifinals. The five car grid for the Final will be composed by the Semifinal winners and second placed finishers, as well best third placed finisher from the Semis.
These changes are also extended to the FIA Euro RX1, the FIA RX2e Championship and the FIA Euro RX3. The European championships will feature two rounds detached from the World RX calendar before the season starts, with a return to Nyirád, Hungary, for the first time since 2013 and another venue still to be confirmed for mid-June.
2022 World RX calendar:
Höljes RX - 3 July (With all support classes)
Nürburgring RX - 31 July (With RX2e and Euro RX3)
Hell RX - 13-14 August (With RX2e and Euro RX3)
Riga RX - 3-4 September (With RX2e and Euro RX1)
Montalegre RX - 17-18 September (With Euro RX1 and RX3)
Spa RX - 8-9 October (With RX2e and Euro RX1)
Cape Town RX - TBC November
Detached Euro RX events:
Nyirád - 21-22 May
TBC location - 18-19 June
PHOTO: Red Bull Content Pool
Comments
Post a Comment
Do you have an opinion? Feel free to comment.