Glossary

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FIA: The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, the Paris-based governing body for worldwide motorsport which regulates and controls the World Rally Championship.

Flying finish: The end of a stage where the timing stops.

Gravel crews: On asphalt rallies, priority drivers are supported by a gravel crew who pass through the stages in advance of the competitors to report back on weather and changes to the surface condition, which might have changed following reconnaissance.

Gravel settings: The choice of tyres and suspension adjustments to give a WRC car maximum performance on a loose-surfaced stage.

HANS device: A driver safety device compulsory in the WRC. HANS stands for 'head and neck support'. Worn on the shoulders and around the back of the neck, the device is connected to the crash helmet and, in the event of an accident, HANS restricts head movement to protect the head and neck from serious injury.

Intercom: The audio link that enables drivers and co-drivers to hear one another above the noise of the car. Intercom headphones and a microphone are built into each driver and co-driver’s safety helmet.

OTL: Over time limit. Competitors arriving more than 30 minutes later than the target time between two time controls, at the end of each section and/or day of the rally are said to be OTL, and must retire from the day’s competition.

Pace notes: A description of the road ahead, called out by the co-driver to inform the driver of what is coming up. Pace notes for every rally are made during the pre-event reconnaissance. As they recce each stage (twice, and at limited speed), drivers describe the road to their co-drivers, who write down the information in a form of shorthand. During the rally the co-driver reads the notes back to the driver.

Parc ferme: The secure area where all competing rally cars are housed at the completion of a day of the rally.

Power Stage: New for 2011, the Power Stage will form the final stage of a rally and run over a shorter distance to make it suitable for live television coverage. Bonus points (3-2-1) will be awarded to the fastest three drivers respectively.

PWRC: Now in its 24th season, the Production Car World Rally Championship is the longest-running support category of the World Rally Championship and the principal series for cars of near-showroom specification. The PWRC is open to drivers or teams using cars homologated in the Group N category with four-wheel drive and two-litre turbocharged engines, while a Production Cup has been created for two-wheel-drive machines for 2011.

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