The calendar and the sporting regulations for the 2018 FIA European Historic Rally Championship remain practically unchanged from 2017.  The structure of the championship underwent a major overhaul last year, after the main participants in the championship – drivers, co-drivers and organisers for the most part – had the chance to share their thoughts via a questionnaire.  The adoption of the main principles that were suggested by the participants in this consultation led to a major increase in interest for the championship. Indeed, the number of competitors registered in the championship increased from 25 in 2015, to 37 in 2016 and 46 in 2017.

Among the most beneficial measures retained were the reduction of the calendar and the practice of holding the events at least three weeks apart.  The number of results required to determine the final Championship classification was another parameter that was identified by competitors as a key factor.  This was adopted, as well as a scale of points that enables cars with smaller engine capacity to compete more effectively – with class points becoming more generously awarded than category points. The European Historic Rally Championship is in reality not just one championship, but rather four that run concurrently, to the extent that four classifications are established per event, and four titles are awarded at the end of each season, according to the age of the vehicles. Thus, for example, a Category 1 car does not compete for points with a four-wheel drive Group A car in Category 4.

The 2018 edition of the European Historic Rally Championship comprises eight events.  The season will begin, as has been the tradition for many years, in Spain, with the Costa Brava Rally. From now on, this will be held around the city of Girona (16-17 March). At this time of year, there is no guarantee of sunshine and warm weather on the Costa Brava.  Indeed, the weather conditions may lead to some surprising results – there was even snow on the event in 2016. Generally greatly enjoyed by the competitors, the Vltava Rally in the Czech Republic will constitute the second round of the Championship (20-21 April).  This will be followed, on 25 and 26 May, by the Rally de Asturias in Spain (which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary) and the Ypres Historic Rally in Belgium (21-23 June), which will mark the halfway point of the campaign.

After a seven-week summer break, the competition will restart in Finland, at the Lahti Historic Rally, which will be the only event on gravel for the 2018 season (10-11 August). This event gives a real insight into the roads and jumps that are so unique to the Finnish rallies.  Competitors will then head to Italy, for the Rally Alpi Storico (30 August-1 September), followed by the Rally Elba Storico, which will be in its 30th edition (20-22 September). The final bell will be sounded on 14 October at the end of the Mecsek Rally in Hungary.

To encourage continuity, the FIA Historic Rally Sub-Commission and the Historic Motor Sport Commission have deliberately set out to keep the 2018 sporting and technical regulations almost identical to those of 2017. Therefore, cars will continue to be allocated to one of four categories according to their age, the number of tyres will be limited to 10 per rally (excluding full wet tyres) for Categories 2 to 4, and the length of special stages will be between 130 km and 200 km per rally, with a maximum length of 35km each.

The Historic Rally Sub-Commission, which comprises ASN representatives, a representative from the organisers and current officials in the championship, including former drivers, oversees the development of the championship. It will henceforth include two representatives from the competitors elected by their peers, who are Erik Pedersen (2018) and Timo Jaakola (2018 and 2019).

2018 FIA European Historic Sporting Rally Championship

16-17/03                                                    ESP                                                  66 Rally Moritz Costa Brava

20-21/04                                                    CZE                                                  27 Historic Vltava Rally

24-26/05                                                    ESP                                                  10 Rally Asturias Historico

21-23/06                                                    BEL                                                  Ypres Historic Rally

10-11/08                                                    FIN                                                   Lahti Historic Rally

30/08-01/09                                              ITA                                                   23 Rally Alpi Orientali Historic

20-22/09                                                    ITA                                                   XXX Rally Elba Storico

12-13/10                                                    HUN                                                 52 Mecsek Rally