IRC to merge with ERC
 

http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/i..._championship/

It looks like the IRC will merge with the ERC in 2013. This would be great since EuroSport is in a lot of homes across the world. Maybe by then there will be 1.6T's. IRC has had events that had ERC status as well, so this could work out. 2013 is likely since IRC and ERC have finalized their 2013 schedule. It's possible, but I think it's likely going to happen.

It could be two possible results - ERC will raise it's status and will be more interested drivers to take part. Or most of drivers would better join WRC.
For now it looks that Eurosport just closes IRC and takes care of European championship. Anyway I is International, nor European.

I don't see it like that.... more that IRC stay similar to what it is and take the more accurate name of ERC. IRC gains FIA championship status and maybe a few extra drivers and ERC gains a strong media partner and hopefully therefore a much better supported championship.

Motorsport News report today that an announcement on the merger is imminent.

Just a name change for IRC? How many rallies on the schedule?

The Azores are an European region.

According to what a friend wrote on Czech forum the merge is done. There shall be 14 events divided into two half-seasons. Best four results of each half will be counted, altogether eight events. Basically same system which is used now in ERC but with more events (it was probably hard to say bye bye to so many organizers from both championships).

If that is true (and I would be surprised), we can watch the current IRC and ERC Calendar. There are 17 different countries in both series, so some will be cut. Maybe Italy can stay with Mille Miglia and San Remo, and Portugal with Madeira and Acores. So which Rally could be fix:
- Ypres
- Barum
- Valais
- Ireland
- Corse
- San Marino
- Mille Miglia
- San Remo
- Acores
- Madeira
- Cyprus
- maybe Canarias or Asturias
- Poland
and one of Jänner, Croatia, Bulgaria, Sliven, Bosphorus, Sibiu or Yalta.

Only Races from the current calendars. At the end the Organizer with lots of money will be exist, anyway a difficult selection ...

@ Mirek: Do you know if that new series will be supported by Eurosport with TV Coverage again? If yes, then the money will select the races.

I know nothing http://www.motorsportforums.com/imag...lies/smile.gif As I wrote it was a friend who posted that on Czech forum and yes, he wrote Eurosport stays as promoter.

Can't be bad I think, because both championships had different competitors to do the season so that will be all packed together and probably it will be more prestigious now that some drivers and teams will be maybe more interested to participate!

I think that it will be just like IRC now, many drivers who did ERC have nothing to prove in IRC (meaning that the competition level in IRC is too high for them), so I think they may return to their own national championships...

I am very sceptical about it. In my eyes IRC assimilates ERC so competitors will remain small numbers because of the enormous fees and events will be mainly the richest ones with worst stages. There will be decent TV coverage but what to watch in it???

IRC entry fees have been aproxximately 1/10th of WRC entry costs.. Except a few rallies (like Monte Carlo)

Oh really? How many examples can you give? Except the islands that indeed pay drivers to go there?

Great news if true... The ERC was a tourist nobody gathering for some years now, now we might have good drivers competing in it.

Slowson, why do You throw s.h.i.t. on something You have no clue about? Entry fee is in most cases same with ERC level with no additional payments for promoter packages, no season entry fee (except for manufacturers), no mandatory fuel, no mandatory tyres like in WRC. Everyone can use what he wants if it complies with App.J of International Sporting Code. Competitive distance is cca same, often even bigger in ERC than in IRC...

Particularly Barum is from 900 Euro for private entry, Ypres 1400 Euro, Romania was 1000 Euro etc.

Great move indeed. ERC is a strong name and now it can be a strong and prestigious championship too again. That in combination with the good coverage of IRC (which wasn´t intercontinental anyway), I think it´ll be very interesting next year.

Few more details to add:
Cheapest IRC entry fees were around 500-600 EUR (last year)
SWRC, PWRC event entry fee is 3750 EUR + 1470 EUR registration fee.
But if you want to drive as WRC team then you pay 6375 EUR per event + 21 000 EUR registration fee If you have two cars then double it)

If you are manufacturer, then you pay 35 000EUR per event +300 000 EUR registration fee per season. (that is 725 000 EUR for one team in a season!)

Good news. I personally don't really like the fact only the best 8 results will count, but it is the same for everyone of course.

Hopefully Skoda will continue next year and maybe Peugeot will be back. A strong 'second' championship, next to the WRC is much needed, like IRC was last year.

Do you or others know the organizer fees for ERC, IRC and WRC as well? What you have to pay be allowed to arrange a rally?