From Modena in Italy, where on January 31 a FIA seminar was held prior to the prize giving party for the 2012 European Rallycross and Autocross Championships on February 1, we learned about major changes to the 2013 FIA/IMG ERX series.

During the afternoon of Thursday January 31 rumours spread from the Italian town of Modena into the European Rallycross community claimed that several of the new things, that had often been assured, would eventually not happen, at least not this year. Later on that day the first serious information dropped in to allow ERC24 to announce the following major changes:

• Calendar:
• The Irish round, to be held at the Mondello Park Circuit, was removed from the calendar, bringing the 2013 series down from ten to nine events. As we understood “reasons were not given” in Italy and involved people in Ireland learned the surprising news from our ERC24 Facebook page…
• Event Format:
• We were informed that the 2013 FIA/IMG ERX series will not be run with the planned and often hailed Round Robin System. Instead all classes are going to do 4 Qualifying Heats with timing (as we had 3 heats in the past), followed by 2 Semi-Finals and the Final. The 16 best drivers after qualification get championship points. The Top 12 after those 4 heats drive the Semi-Finals while the 3 fastest of each Semi-Final can fight in the Final for the event victory and prize money of their category. (Note: This proposed new Event Format is subject to approval by the FIA WMSC.)
• Entry Fees:
• We learned that for the 2013 FIA/IMG ERX series the entry fee for the Permanent SuperCar drivers has been reduced from €17,500 (for 10 rounds = €1,750 per round) to €15,150 (for 9 rounds = €1,683 per round). A list of about one dozen ‘Benefits’ for the Permanent Drivers was set up, containing offers like three free sets of Cooper/Avon tyres, best places in the SuperCars paddock, guaranteed TV featuring, etc.
• Non-Permanent SuperCar drivers can enter as many events as they want. They need to pay an entry fee of €930 per round, but they are not eligible for the ‘Benefits’ for the Permanent Drivers.
• The entry fee for the Super1600 and TouringCar drivers has been reduced from €750 to €350 per event and from €6,200 for 10 rounds to €2,920 for all 9 rounds..
• Prize Money:
• The prize money for the SuperCar drivers is now fixed to the following system:
• Each ERX round: 1st = €700; 2nd = €580; 3rd = €465; 4th = €350; 5th = €350; 6th = €350
• Championship: 1st = €17,500; 2nd = €14,000; 3rd = €11,650; 4th = €7,000; 5th = €4,650
• 2013 ‘SuperCar Rookie of the Year’ = €5,830
• The event prize money for competitors in Super1600s and TouringCars has been reduced to €350 for the places 1 to 3 and to €230 for the places 4 to 6. (The previous Prize Money system had €745 for the 1st, €620 for the 2nd, €495 for the 3rd, €370 for the 4th, €310 for the 5th, and €250 for the 6th on offer.)
• The Prize Money for the Super1600 and TouringCar Champions has also been reduced, from the former €6,200 per series winner to €5,830. In addition both 2013 Champions will be offered a SuperCar entry for 2014 at 50% of the normal price as well as a free SuperCar test drive.
• Note: The above mentioned amounts in € are the equivalent (by 01.02.2013) to the original amounts in £, as announced by IMG.

Photo: Quo vadis, European Rallycross? © QBA/ERC24