Auto Corsa Group’s vehicle safety and technical regulations, finalised today, will create a fairer and more accessible sport for drivers of all makes and models in its new tarmac rally and hillclimb events.
The Melbourne-based promoter of closed road motorsport events released the regulations two weeks ago in draft form requesting industry feedback to inform further development.
Auto Corsa Group co-director, Stuart Benson, said feedback had been received from a number of competitors as well as some of Australia’s leading race experts including Holinger Engineering, MoTeC and Supashock.
“It was important to us that our regulations preserve the highest levels of competitor safety while also being logical and easy to understand.”
In order to achieve a rich mix of classic and modern cars in Auto Corsa Group events, the company looked to overseas trends for ways to make competing with heritage racing vehicles more affordable.
“For example, we’ve allowed pre-approved modern engines swaps for a number of heritage vehicles of the same make,” Mr Benson said.
One pre-approved swap is a Ford Duratec engine into an Mk1 or Mk2 Ford Escort. While the swap does not necessarily improve performance, it makes ongoing maintenance cheaper and easier.
“There are many heritage vehicles out there that were either previously ineligible or restricted from entering due to high costs associated with competition,” Mr Benson said.
“It has been our goal to get these classic vehicles out of their garages and onto the road where they can be driven in a controlled environment the way the manufacturer intended.”
The first major event to which the regulations will apply with be the inaugural Hotham Auto Corsa Alpine Tarmac Rally and Mount Hotham International Hillcllimb that will be held this year from November 14-15 in the stunning alpine region of Victoria’s North East.
Auto Corsa Group has signed a three-year deal with the Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board to deliver the two events.
View the technical regulations here
ABOUT THE EVENTS
Hotham Auto Corsa Alpine Tarmac Rally
The inaugural Hotham Auto Corsa comprises 11 closed road stages over 250 competitive kilometres. The event will be based at Mount Hotham and take in roads around Falls Creek, the Alpine National Park and nearby towns including Harrietville, Omeo and Mount Beauty.
The rally is expected to attract a competition field of up to 200 cars across its Tour, Challenge and Competition categories.
Mount Hotham Alpine Cup International Hillclimb
At 29km, the inaugural Mount Hotham Alpine Cup International Hillclimb is the world’s longest hillclimb event. It is expected to attract production car-based circuit, sports, Time Attack and rally cars from around the world.
The driver-only event will be held on the same weekend of the Hotham Auto Corsa over a stretch of the world famous Great Alpine Road. Each competitor will tackle the 241-corner tarmac trek from Harrietville to Mount Hotham six times over the weekend.
For more information contact:
Stuart Benson
+61 (0) 412 868 979
stuart@autocorsa.com.au
