RWD start advantage to be removed

The rear wheel driven cars are going to be forced to run a longer first gear next year to reduce the advantage in the start compared to the front wheel driven cars.
“We consider this to be a far better way to overcome the issue, rather than to introduce rolling starts and the potential accidents and problems they create,” series organizer Alan Gow told Autosport.

Figures circulate that rear wheel driven cars gain between 0.9 to 4.2 car length in to the first corner on front wheel driven cars.

The teams running rear wheel driven cars in the British Touring Car Championship are not pleased with the decision.

“All the years the Vauxhalls and Hondas were winning it, you didn’t see BMW teams asking for them to be reigned in.

Our advantage is gone, but our disadvantage – in the damp – still remains, and yet our suggestion to have intermediate tyres was rejected,” said Airwaves BMW boss David Bartrum.

Team RAC team boss Dick Bennetts is worried that it will increase costs for them.

“As long as it’s not too much of a disadvantage, then we accept it. The problem is that, because it’s a first gear, we’re going to have to start slipping the clutches more, so you run the risk of damaging them more, and a clutch can be expensive.”

Team Dynamics boss Steve Neal, running FWD cars, does not think that these changes are enough to equal the differences.

“It’s too little, too late. We have no way of knowing how effective the mandatory first gear will be,” said Neal.