INRC 2018: Proposed calendar announced with seven rounds and revised structure

The calendar for the 2018 MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) has been revealed with seven rounds planned and a revised structure.

Two of the seven rounds – Rally of Bengal and Ziro – are yet to be confirmed on account of logistical challenges involved in hosting the events as special permission from local authorities is required.

Also, the threat of heavy rain cancelling the running of the events has not been ruled out.

In addition to this, six different classes have been announced with some tweaks regarding the way rally finishers are ranked in the overall classification and in their separate classes.

Owing to the limited number of entries in the top class in 2017, competitors from lower classes often finished high in the overall classification. This even led to podium finishes for competitors in INRC-2, leading them to collect the prize money meant for them as well as the overall podium finishers.

After this issue was escalated to RRPM, the organisers of the INRC decided to create three separate classes, INRC 1, INRC 2 and INRC 3, so that the finishers in each class will only get the prize money designated for their class and not the overall prize money.

An overall INRC championship class will continue to run as well, but competitors (regardless of their class) will fight for points and to be crowned as the overall champion. There will also be two cup classes – FMSCI 2WD and FMSCI 4WD – to go with the championship classes.

PROPOSED 2018 INRC CALENDAR

1 Chennai - 30th March to 1st April

2 Bengal - 27th to 29th April*

3 Nashik - 8th to 10th June

4 Coimbatore - 27th to 29th July

5 Ziro - 2nd to 4th November*

6 Chikmagalur - 30th November to 2nd December

7 Karnataka - 14th to 16th December

*Pending confirmation on account of logistical issues