Major changes for 2006.

The following is a summary of the major changes to WRC for 2006, as provided by the FIA - the sports' governing body.

The FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers.

'Manufacturer' is understood to mean a manufacturer, a team designated by a manufacturer, or a team taking part with a single make of car.

For 2006, there are six registered Manufacturers with two-car teams eligible to score points.

Two categories of Manufacturer - Manufacturer 1 and Manufacturer 2 - may compete in the Championship:

Manufacturer 1.

- A Manufacturer 1 undertakes to take part in all the rallies of the Championship.

- A Manufacturer 1 must enter only cars corresponding to the latest homologated version of a World Rally Car in conformity with the 2006 Appendix J.

- A Manufacturer 1 must inform the FIA of the name of the first driver entered for the season at the time of registration for the Championship. No change of the first driver is authorised, except in a case of force majeure. The driver of the second car may be changed for each of the rallies in the Championship.

- In order to score points in the Championship, a Manufacturer 1 must take part with two cars of the same make in the 16 rallies of the calendar.

Manufacturer 2:

- A Manufacturer 2 undertakes to take part in 10 or more Championship rallies which it has nominated.

- A Manufacturer 2 cannot enter World Rally Cars homologated during the year 2006 and cannot use parts homologated after 2 January 2006.

- A Manufacturer 2 cannot enter a driver who has been classified among the first six in the final classification of the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers in the last five years.

- In order to score points in the Championship, a Manufacturer 2 must take part with two cars of the same make in 10 or more rallies it nominated on registering for the Championship. The Manufacturer can only score points in the events it nominated on registering.

For any one Manufacturer, the two nominated cars will continue to score the points allocated according to their relative position, ie, a competitor not registered in the Championship may not take points from a registered Manufacturer.

Any registered Manufacturer 1 or Manufacturer 2 entered in the Championship who does not take part in a Championship event it has nominated will no longer be included in the classification of the Championship, except in a case of force majeure as determined by the World Motor Sport Council.

FIA Junior World Rally Championship for Drivers.

There are nine events in the Championship with results from six nominated events counting towards the title.

In addition to Super 1600 cars, the Championship is now open to Group N cars with a corrected cylinder capacity of less than 2000 cc, and homologated Group A and Group A Kit Cars with a cylinder capacity of less than 1600 cc.

Registration for the Championship may now be in the name of a driver, in the name of a team, or in the name of an ASN designated team. Points will still be scored in the name of the driver.

Drivers taking part in their first full season with a car that is not a Super 1600 car will be known as Rookies. There will be a separate classification for the Rookies.

Each organiser of a Championship rally may nominate two drivers holding a licence issued by their ASN to take part in their rally as 'Guest Entrants'. These cars will carry numbers 59 and 60.

FIA Production Car World Rally Championship for Drivers.

There are eight events in the Championship with results from six nominated events counting towards the title.

The Championship is open to cars homologated in Group N. However Super 2000 cars cannot score points.

Registration for the Championship may now be in the name of a driver, in the name of a team, or in the name of an ASN designated team. Points will still be scored in the name of the driver.

Each organiser of a Championship rally may nominate two drivers holding a licence issued by their ASN to take part in their rally as 'Guest Entrants'. These cars will carry numbers 59 and 60.

The FIA World Rally Championship Sporting Changes

The following drivers may only drive a 2006 World Rally Car:

- Drivers entered by a Manufacturer 1.

- Drivers who have been classified in the top six of the final classification of the World Rally Championship for Drivers in the previous five years.

- If circumstances so require, the FIA may, at its own discretion, revise this list of the drivers authorised to drive only a World Rally Car 2006.

A competitor failing to finish a Thursday evening Super Special Stage will now incur a five minute penalty, in addition to the fastest time of the drivers' priority group (P1, P2, P3).

A crew retiring during Leg 3 will now incur a five minute penalty for each stage missed. A crew retiring after the last stage will incur a five minute penalty for the last special stage even if that was completed. This is in addition to the fastest time of the drivers' priority group (P1, P2, P3).

Nevertheless the competing car must be placed in the Parc Ferme before the publication of the Provisional Final Classification.

Cars entered by a Manufacturer must be equipped with the same engine for rallies which are paired. The engine will be assigned to a competitor's number.

For Manufacturer 1 the pairs are as follows:

Monte Carlo & Sweden
Mexico & Argentina
Spain & France
Italy & Greece
Germany & Finland
Japan & Great Britain
Cyprus & Turkey
Australia & New Zealand

For Manufacturer 2, the same engine must be used for two consecutive events in which the Manufacturer takes part.

For cars designed by Manufacturers: An engine failing between scrutineering and the start of a rally may be replaced without penalty on the first rally of a pair and with a 60 second penalty on the second rally of a pair.

There are further limitations on the changing of some parts, including suspension, steering, turbo-chargers and gearboxes.

Each P1 & P2 driver may have a Safety Car in each asphalt round of the Championship. The organisers will provide a Safety Car to provide information for the other entrants.