Red Bull GRC to Add Platinum Class and Co-Op With GRC Europe in 2019
Red Bull Global Rallycross will use same-spec vehicles across all series and mingle with GRC Europe in 2018.
Red Bull Global Rallycross announced their partnership with Austrian rally car builder MJP Racing to develop a one-design rallycross vehicle to compete in the newly created Platinum Class in 2019. This announcement comes just a few days after the series announced that it would kill its famous Supercar class and replace it with the spec Gold Class in 2018.
The popular rallycross series seems to be going through tumultuous times as it tries to make sense of the two-season gap before it goes fully electric. The lack of manufacturer-backed race cars and major sponsorship deals has left the series struggling to find its own identity after enjoying great success for several seasons with brands like Volkswagen, Subaru, and Honda pumping in vital marketing dollars.
According to the statement, the cars competing in the new Platinum class will feature higher displacement engines and will utilize a tube frame chassis that's lighter than that of the former Supercars. The series believes that by standardizing the chassis and using a single engine across the board, the amount of money required to join and remain competitive in the series will be considerably lower.
“The introduction of the GRC Platinum class positions the sport of rallycross for the future by creating an affordable, yet better performing, next-level vehicle,” said Red Bull GRC CEO Colin Dyne. “Our goal is to open up the competitive landscape to make it more accessible for drivers and teams to participate and showcase their driving skills.”
Adding to the already lengthy list of changes for the upcoming seasons is the fact that Red Bull GRC Americas will join forces with GRC Europe in 2019, and partake in a sort of "end of year" race where the top finishers of each series will compete against each other. The result of this race will crown what Dyne called the "King of Rallycross."
Is the series making the right long-term calls, or is it simply trying to stay afloat?
