FIA clamps down on Power Stage delay tactics
The FIA have created a new rule for the World Rally Championship which sees any drivers who misses their given start slot for the Power Stage will not be eligible for bonus points.
After Ogier caused controversy at Rally Sweden by deliberately missing his start slot for the Power Stage in order to start last of the premier class runners to gain the best road conditions, the FIA has been sparked into action to avoid similar tactics being used again.
The FIA have created a new rule for the World Rally Championship which sees any drivers who misses their given start slot for the Power Stage will not be eligible for bonus points.
After Ogier caused controversy at Rally Sweden by deliberately missing his start slot for the Power Stage in order to start last of the premier class runners to gain the best road conditions, the FIA has been sparked into action to avoid similar tactics being used again.
Ogier finished second on the Rally Sweden Power Stage to pick up four bonus points – the exact margin he currently leads the WRC drivers’ championship from Thierry Neuville – after taking victory at last month's Rally Mexico but lost his bonus points from the event after being slapped with a 10-second time penalty for cutting a chicane on the Power Stage.
An e-vote by the World Motor Sport Council has ruled “competitors who do not start the Power Stage in the given order will not be eligible for Power Stage points” which takes immediate effect ahead of this weekend Tour de Corse.
The FIA has sited safety reasons for the introduction of the new rule in order to “help avoid intentional late check-in which increases gaps between competitiors, help minimise the movement of spectators when no cars are running and prevent behaviour aimed at circumventing the start order of the Power Stage.”
Ogier backed his decision to use a loophole in the WRC rules at Rally Sweden to pick up bonus points by explaining he’s been fighting the new rules for years. The M-Sport Ford driver has continually called for WRC rules to be changed from the current situation which sees the championship leader first on the road throughout Friday’s action before the order is decided by the event’s general classification.
The rule effectively saw Ogier first on the road for the entirety of Rally Sweden as he acted as road sweeper on Friday before being hit by the same issue having dropped towards the bottom of classification on Saturday and Sunday.
The fourth round of the 2018 WRC season, Tour de Corse, gets underway with the Shakedown tomorrow (April 5).
