Prize money added to Rally Class
Subaru's motorsport division has announced that it will run a new Subaru Challenge Award to reward the two top Subaru Group N cars in each round of the WRC with prize money.
The new deal means that all FIA Rally Class competitors - a one-make series run by Symtech Racing - will also be eligible for the prize.
STI and Symtech Racing agreed terms at the end of 2012 for the highly-competitive Rally Class series to continue for a second consecutive year.
Piloting identical Group N-specification Subaru Imprezas, Rally Class competitors will take on six WRC rounds in 2013: Portugal, Finland, Greece, Germany, France and Spain.
The new Subaru Challenge Award is a 13-round award programme, which will reward the top finishing Subaru crew with 5000 Euros.
This new award scheme will run in addition to Symtech Racing's prize where the overall Rally Class winner will receive four rallies in the 2014 World Rally Championship at the wheel of a Subaru Impreza R4. The runner-up will receive one rally with a Group N Subaru Impreza.
"The 2013 Subaru Challenge Award is another reason why competitors should consider joining this year's Rally Class," Symtech Racing's Dirk Van der Sluys said. "STI has helped boost our Rally Class package by providing the top two finishing Subaru crews on each round of the WRC with a cash prize.
"No other WRC championship offers prize money in the same way: the new award scheme is a fantastic incentive and we hope that it will encourage more drivers to sign up to this year's Rally Class."