PRESS RELEASE

The first 2012 meeting of the World Motor Sport Council took place today, 9 March, in Milan, Italy, and the following decisions were taken:
 

 
FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
 
The changes to the 2012 Regulations have been approved by the Formula One Commission.
 
One set of dry-weather tyres may now be carried over to Saturday if both Friday sessions are declared wet; it is hoped that this will result in teams carrying out more laps on Saturday.
 
Changes have been made to the personnel curfew to ensure the rest periods remain constant throughout the season, irrespective of the timing of practice sessions at particular events.
 
The race director may now prohibit the use of the adjustable rear wing (DRS) if he feels visibility is too poor in wet conditions. This has been done as a result of safety concerns over large speed differentials between cars.

FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
 
After the termination of its contract with North One Sport at the beginning of the year, the FIA is finalising an interim solution for the promotion of the WRC for the rest of the 2012 season. In this light, a deal has been struck with the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) for the distribution of the media rights for the Rally of Mexico. For 2013 onwards, the FIA has received a great number of expressions of interest and is confident in building in consultation with the main WRC stakeholders a strong promotional platform for the long-term growth of the championship.
 
With immediate effect, Priority 1 drivers must adhere to the tyre regulations pertaining to Manufacturer or WRC Team entries.

RALLYING
 
The date of the Kuwait Rally has been changed to 12-14 April, and the Jordan Rally has been moved to 11-13 October.
 
The Syria round of Middle East Championship is postponed to 27-29 September. The decision will be taken at the end of July.

  
 
FIA WORLD CUP FOR CROSS COUNTRY RALLIES
 
From 1 January 2013, a title for Drivers, Co-drivers and Teams participating with Class T3 vehicles will be introduced to reflect the increasing popularity of the category.
 
Supercharged petrol engined vehicles will no longer be eligible to contest the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies from 2013.

FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
 
Following many meetings between the FIA, the ACO and the LMP manufacturers, the main guidelines of the 2014 LMP1 technical regulations have been approved. The details will now be finalised by the World Endurance Championship Commission.

These regulations will be presented to the WMSC in June.

  
 
FIA GT1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
  
The WMSC has duly noted that the teams are still entering the FIA GT1 World Championship. The closing date for entry is today, midnight.
 

Some amendments have been brought to the GT1 and GT3 calendars.
 
A press release will be issued on Monday, March 12th, detailing the competitors together with the final version of both GT1 and GT3 calendars.

FIA WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
 
25 cars are engaged in the FIA World Touring Car Championship this season and 24 in the European Touring Car Championship.
 
The following amendments have been made to the 2012 calendar:

 
* Subject to the ASN's confirmation
 
The following changes have been made to the 2012 FIA European Touring Car Championship calendar:

 
* Subject to the ASN's confirmation
 
The previously published event in Valencia on 1 April has been removed from the calendar.

HISTORIC MOTOR SPORT
 

The following calendars have been confirmed:

FIA Historic Formula One Championship

 
FIA Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior Cars 
 

 
* Subject to the re-homologation of the circuit
 

  
FIA FORMULA E CHAMPIONSHIP (subject to the confirmation of the promoter)

 
The FIA has been in discussion with a number of interested parties for the creation of an FIA Formula E Championship.
 
The entire event, including support events, will focus on electric energies.

Prototypes will be presented in the last quarter of 2012. The 2013 season will consist in demonstration events during the second semester. 2014 will be the official start of the Championship.

Cars will be single-seater prototypes with very innovative design. The Championship will be based on a multi-make type competition with a system of balance of performance.
 

 
TRUCK RACING
 
Due to financial problems, the Albacete event has been removed from the calendar by the Spanish Federation and replaced with Madrid at the same date.

WOMEN IN MOTOR SPORT
 
As confirmed at the December meeting of the WMSC, the Women in Motor Sport Ambassadors programme will be launched in 2012, together with the organisation of the first seminar dedicated to the National Co-ordinators who are designated by the ASNs.
 
The Seminar, aimed at globally promoting the participation of women in motor sport and focusing on the Action for Road Safety campaign, will take place in Paris, on 13 and 14 June.
 
The launch and announcement of the FIA Women in Motor Sport Ambassadors - female personalities representing excellence in several sectors of motor sport - will follow the Seminar on 14 June, on the eve of the WMSC meeting. The names of Ambassadors will be officially disclosed on this occasion.

FORMULA 3
 
To strengthen the Formula 3 category within Europe, with immediate effect, the existing FIA Formula 3 Trophy will be replaced with an FIA European Formula 3 Championship. The existing Sporting and Technical Regulations of the FIA F3 Trophy will be retained.

The 2012 FIA European Formula 3 Championship calendar is confirmed as follows:

* Subject to confirmation
 

 
KARTING

 
The date of the fourth round of the 2012 World KF1 Championship and the World Cups for KZ1 and KZ2 in Sarno-Napoli (ITA) has been moved to 30 August – 2 September.
 
The date of the third round of the World “U18” Championship and of the Academy Trophy scheduled for Bahrain has been moved to 8-10 November.
 
With immediate effect, the speed control when karts approach the start line during rolling starts has been removed for direct-drive karts with or without a clutch.
 
The WMSC has confirmed the provision of Article 18 of the International Sporting Code which provides that any kart driver be holder of an International licence to participate in any event (national and international) outside the territory of his ASN.
  
In addition, the CIK-FIA has been mandated by the WMSC to provide specific solutions where an ASN can establish to the satisfaction of the CIK-FIA the absence of any facilities in its country. Thus, following a proposal by the CIK-FIA, the WMSC has decided to enable national licence holders from Luxembourg (ACL) and Monaco (ACM) ASNs to compete at national French karting events sanctioned by the French ASN (FFSA). 
  
It has also been mandated to develop guidelines for a more global implementation of this system from 2013.
 

 
RECOGNITION BY THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
 
Following the recommendation of the acceptance by the IOC as Recognized Federation, the FIA has agreed to form a working group aimed at creating an athletes’ commission to be functioning before the end of 2013.

For Media Information purpose – No regulatory value