World Rally '2004-style' takes shape.

The World Motor Sport Council met in Paris today [Wednesday] and approved further changes for next years FIA World Rally Championship.

As proposed back in June, and agreed upon in September, the 'Mille Pistes' concept - the integration of the reconnaissance and the rally - will go ahead, although some events maybe given a waiver to run an alternative itinerary, something that has now been outlined [see below].

Currently crews recce on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before a rally, and in a bid to reduced the number of days a rally runs, and thus cut costs, the 'Mille Pistes' has been given the go-ahead.

The 'Mille Pistes' concept will apply as follows:

- Wednesday: first reconnaissance of complete route;
- Thursday: completion of reconnaissance first passage, scrutineering, shakedown, ceremonial start;
- Friday: second reconnaissance passage of day's stages, followed by stages, use of flexi service;
- Saturday: second reconnaissance passage of day's stages, followed by stages, use of flexi service;
- Sunday: second reconnaissance passage of day's stages, followed by stages, use of flexi service, ceremonial finish.

The alternative itinerary, if an organiser is granted this by the FIA, will be:

- Wednesday: reconnaissance of complete route;
- Thursday: completion of reconnaissance, scrutineering, shakedown, ceremonial start;
- Friday: stages, organiser route inspection of stages and notes distributed to all crews at previous service park, use of flexi service;
- Saturday: stages, organiser route inspection of stages and notes distributed to all crews at previous service park, use of flexi service;
- Sunday: stages, organiser route inspection of stages and notes distributed to all crews at previous service park, use of flexi service, ceremonial finish.

A number of other cost-cutting measures were also approved.

For the reconnaissance, "competitors must now use either their own rally car or a standard car. For rallies out of Europe, standard cars must be registered permanently in the country in which the rally takes place, except when granted a waiver by the FIA."

New restrictions on testing were also introduced, and for teams registered in the championship in the current year, testing is prohibited:

- outside Europe;
- in the country of a rally from the Saturday preceding the rally until the end of the rally;
- on any road, which is or might be used as a special stage of any current Championship rally;
- and throughout the months of August and November.

Limits were also set on the amount of tyres that can be used.

The FIA commented: "For first priority drivers entered by a Manufacturer and for second priority drivers supported by a Manufacturer, a maximum number of tyres equal to ten times the number of tyre change zones will be allocated per driver."

The move to two-car teams was also again rubber-stamped: "From 2004 manufacturer points will be scored by two-car teams with both results counting."

One other change now remains to be agreed upon in December, when the WMSC will meet again, namely 'flexi-servicing', which requires cars in a multi-car team to serviced in sequence rather than at the same time, thus requiring less personnel and in theory saving costs.