25 Nov 11

Rally Class is
go for 2012

A five-event campaign in a Subaru Impreza R4 awaits the winner of the inaugural Rally Class category, which will support six rounds of next year's World Rally Championship.

Rally Class is a joint initiative between Belgian preparation expert Symtech Racing, which ran Hayden Paddon to Production Car World Rally Championship glory in 2011, and WRC promoter North One Sport. The partnership is for an initial three-year period.

For a fee of 260,000 Euros, competitors will drive identical Symtech-prepared Subaru Impreza STR12s using DMACK tyres and Reiger adjustable suspension on the WRC rallies in Portugal, Greece, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. The inaugural champion will get a fully-paid drive in a Symtech Impreza R4 on five rallies in 2013.

“Rally Class has a fixed price for the whole season, equivalent to about half of the budget normally required to drive in the PWRC,” said Symtech’s Dirk van der Sluys. “In addition there will be some interesting prizes for the top three finishers: a five-rally programme with a Subaru Impreza R4 for the winner; two rallies with a Group N Subaru Impreza for the runner-up and a complete test session with an Impreza R4 for whoever is third.”

North One’s Marc de Jong said: “We welcome this initiative, promoted by the winning PWRC team. Rally Class is an excellent way to take part in the WRC with an affordable programme and the legendary Subaru Impreza. I sincerely hope that many drivers will join the series in the 2012 PWRC which is the ideal springboard for a future career in the WRC.”

The deadline for registrations for 2012 is December 15. More information can be obtained by emailing info@symtechracing.com.