ASIA PACIFIC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 2018 Calendar The FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship is spread through a diverse range of countries, climates, cultures and a huge population base of over 2.5 billion people. 05 - 06 May New Zealand APRC Pacific Cup Junior Cup 02 - 03 June Australia APRC Pacific Cup Junior Cup In 2018 six events make up the championship starting in New Zealand with the fast and smooth roads of Rally of Whangarei, followed by Australia’s Rally of Canberra 21 - 22 July Malaysia APRC Asia Cup Junior Cup based in the nation’s capital city. 15 - 16 September Japan APRC Asia Cup Junior Cup The APRC then heads to Malaysia to the very hot and humid Rally of Johor, then 21 - 22 October China APRC Asia Cup North to the fast forestry roads of Rally Hokkaido, Japan. 01 - 02 December India APRC Asia Cup Next is the China Rally and a return to the mountain roads around the city of Longyou, 400 kilometres south-west of Shanghai. The finale is once again the Coffee Day India Rally, held on the plantations roads of Chikmagalur in South India. For 2018, competitors will now nominate a Championship or Cup, rather than indi- vidual rallies. Points will only be scored at nominated Championship rallies, with no penalties imposed for any rallies that are missed. More information at www.fiaaprc.com or contact APRC Coordinator Murray Brown. 2018 is a milestone year for the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Champi- onship, the 30th anniversary for the championship that’s been running since 1988. To mark the occasion many of the photos used in the 2018 APRC brochure feature former champions or special moments in APRC history. The photo on this page is 4-times APRC Champion Cody Crocker at 2007 Malaysian Rally. Malaysia Photo: Asia Pacific Sports Media Skoda has supported the APRC since 2012 and in 2013 Esapekka New Zealand Lappi from Finland drove for the team – the first of many Euro- pean Skoda drivers. Lappi was followed by Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic), Pontus Tidemand (Sweden), Fabien Kreim (Germany) Whangarei and in 2017 Ole Christian Veiby (Norway). 2013 was the first year Auckland of a multi-year partnership with Wurth. Date: 05 - 06 May 2018 Location: Whangarei Population: 4.7 million Nearest International Airport: Auckland 2.5 hours Website: www.rallywhangarei.co.nz Average temperature: 12°C - 19°C Description: The ultimate driver’s rally. Smooth, fast cambered roads, many previously used by the WRC. Photo: Ross Hyde Australia Brisbane Sydney Canberra Date: 02 - 03 June 2018 Location: Canberra, ACT Population: 24.1 million Nearest International Airport: Canberra Website: www.nationalcapitalrally.com.au Average temperature (June): 12°C Description: Australia’s National Capital, Canberra, is host to the sweeping dusty roads of the nearby Cotter and Kowen forests. Canberra Rally 2007. Australian Cody Crocker is the only driver to have won the APRC Drivers championship four times (2006 – 2009). Other drivers were equally as fast, but Crocker’s secret was his ability to finish even when the conditions were atrocious such as China Rally 2007 when he was one of only two competitors to complete the event. Photo: Hiroshi Seiki Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Johor Bahru Date: 21 - 22 July 2018 Location: Johor Bahru Population: 28 million Nearest International Airport: Singapore 1.5 hours Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 4 hours Website: www.malaysianrally.com Average temp: 30°C and 95% humidity Description: The heat and humidity make this event one of the most challenging of the championship. Great location just across the cause-way from Singapore. New Zealander Possum Bourne, driving a Subaru, won the APRC drivers championship 3 times in 1993, 1994 and 2000. His co-driver for the 2000 APRC was Mark Stacey who currently works as team co- ordinator for the MRF Skoda team. This is Bourne and Stacey on the 2000 Rally of Malaysia. Photos: Asia Pacific Sports Media Date: 17 - 19 June 2016 The 2004 Rally Hokkaido doubled as an APRC and World Rally Championship (WRC) event and Australian Chris Atkinson raised a Japan few eyebrows with top ten stage times in the WRC and led the APRC race for several stages before a puncture lost him time to eventual Obihiro winner Karamjit Singh. Atkinson’s giant-killing performance in Japan launched his WRC career with Subaru in 2005. Atkinson driving for MRF Skoda won the drivers championship in 2012. Tokyo Date: 15 - 16 September 2018 Location: Obihiro, Hokkaido Population: 127 million Nearest International Airport: Sapporo Website: www.rally-hokkaido.com Average temperature: 15°C Description: Fanatical fans on fast and narrow roads with a soft-base that can to turns to deep ruts on the second pass. Photos: Asia PacificPhoto: Sports Ross MediaHyde Proton launched their S2000 Satria in 2009 at the Rally of Indonesia. China Alister McRae and co-driver Bill Hayes won the final event of 2011 APRC, the China Rally to secure the drivers and co-drivers champion- ship plus the coveted Manufacturers title for Proton. Shanghai Longyou Date: 21 - 22 October 2018 Location: Longyou, Zhejiang Province Population: 1.4 billion Nearest International Airports: Shanghai, or Hangzhou Website: www.autosports.org.cn Average temperature: 15°C - 22°C Description: Bamboo Forests and Mountains. Road Surface: Hard gravel base with some concrete roads. PHOTO: Asia Pacific Sports Media India India New Delhi Mumbai Chikmagalur Date: 01 - 02 December 2018 Location: Chikmagalur In the foothills of the World famous Western Ghats. Coordinates: 13.32°N 75.77°E Population: 1.2 billion Nearest Intl Airport: Bengaluru (Bangalore), 5 hours. Website: www.mscc.org.in Average temperature: 30°C Description: Gravel and dirt roads held on a huge coffee plantation with the colours and cuisine of India. The 2003 India Rally held in Pune, was the first of many champion- ship titles won by the MRF Tyres team. Considering the team and the tyres had only been competing for one year it was a remarkable achievement and has been followed by eight further driver, team and Photos: Asia Pacific Sports Media manufacturer titles. Competitor Information FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship APRC Teams Trophy The Premier FIA Championship of the APRC, this championship has been contested The Teams Trophy has provided an opportunity for teams to contest an APRC regional since 1988. trophy alongside the overall APRC championship. Details can be found in 2018 FIA Reg- ulations (APRC) or by contacting APRC Coordinator Murray Brown. The winning driver and codriver are expected to attend the FIA Gala at the end of the year to receive the FIA APRC Champions trophies. FIA APRC 3 Championship (formerly 2WD Cup) At time of registration, drivers must nominate which Championships or Cups they wish This championship replaces the previous 2WD Cup and is open to all drivers of 2WD cars to score points at. Points are only awarded to APRC registered drivers and codrivers for for all 6 rallies of APRC. As for APRC 2 Championship (above) there will be APRC 3 Cups rallies in the Championship or Cup that is nominated. for each of the Asia and Pacific Championships. FIA APRC 2 Championship (formerly Production Cup) FIA Asia Pacific Rally Cup powered by Würth. Open to all FIA homologated Group N cars. These are cars based on standard produc- This is a competition open to ALL drivers in the international event (including non-regis- tion models as homologated by the FIA. This championship provides for competitors tered APRC drivers and co-drivers) and there is a podium presentation for the top-three who wish to continue to run their existing Gp N cars (including ASN cars approved by drivers in the international event where Wurth prizes are presented to the overall winner, the APRC executive) and compete with similar cars for the FIA APRC 2 Championship. 2nd and 3rd overall. It is a FIA sanctioned championship aimed at competitors without the need to invest in the more competitive purpose built class cars. The FIA APRC 2 Championship will be All details and eligibility requirements can be found in the contested over the 6 rallies of APRC. There will be an APRC 2 Cup for each of the Asia 2018 FIA Regulations (APRC) or by contacting APRC Coordinator Murray Brown. and Pacific Championships. FIA APRC Asia and Pacific Cups The Asia and Pacific Cups are separate competitions within the APRC that allows teams/drivers to compete at events in either region. For Pacific Cup, competitors may compete in the 2 Pacific rallies. Asia Cup will feature 4 events - teams can compete in up to 4 rallies, the best 3 results will count to the final standings. It is possible to register for the APRC and one of the Cups. FIA APRC Junior Championship The Junior Championship provides an opportunity for young drivers from anywhere in the world to compete in a shorter series of FIA sanctioned events in either 2WD or 4WD cars (excluding ASN, R5 and S2000) - the ideal class being NR4 . Junior Championship competitors compete in four FIA APRC rallies: New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and Japan. Minimum qualification is one rally in the Pacific and one in theAsia region. Lim- ited to drivers aged 28 years old or younger as at 1 January 2018. Karamjit Singh and co-driver Allen Oh were APRC champions three times for Proton in 2001, 2002 and 2004. They were the inaugural winners of the FIA Production (Group N) World Rally Championship in 2002. This is Singh and Oh on the 2002 China Rally. Photo: Asia Pacific Sports Media Coordinated Logistics Even though the championship is held over such a large geographic area, the logistics of shipping cars and equipment are surprisingly easy when all shipping is handled by APRC coordinator Murray Brown – who performs a dual role as logistics coordinator and competitor liaison representative at all events and Working Group meetings.