LOCAL clubman rally competitors are facing increasing costs as new rules in relation to fuel are set to come into immediate effect, beginning with the Corrib Oil Galway International Rally in two weeks' time.
It follows an announcement on Wednesday last (January 8th) by Motorsport Ireland (MI) in relation to control fuels that has sparked unrest amongst clubs and competitors as the 2025 rally season unfolds.
The governing body informed its affiliated clubs – including all four Cork clubs – that Euro M-Sport have been appointed as the control fuel supplier for all Motorsport Ireland rallies with immediate effect and for an initial period of three years.
The email that alarmingly wasn't issued to Motorsport Ireland competition licence holders, stated ‘Euro M-Sport will supply Panta Racing Fuel (Panta Max 102 and Panta Rally 98) which must be used by all competitors on all Motorsport Ireland permitted Stage Rallies. There is an allowance for additives for historic cars if required but that must be ordered from Euro M-Sport and will be mixed in advance.’
The fuels, Panta Max 102 and Panta Rally 98, are control fuels and as such are the only fuels allowed when competing in Motorsport Ireland permitted rallies. The clubs were also informed of the prices, which are: Panta Max 102 at €6.15 per litre, and Panta Rally 98 at €3.99 per litre.
Taking the costs into consideration and for the ordinary clubman rally competitor, who up to now was running a rally car on pump fuel (possibly with an additive), will have to have the car remapped at a cost of around €500. Taking this same competitor on the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally, the use of Panta Rally 98 will represent an increase of about €350 and in the case of Panta Max 102, the extra cost will be around €670.
Control fuel was introduced in 2023 by the Tarmac Rally Organisers Association (TROA) but only on rounds of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship for events such as the West Cork Rally, the Cork '20' Rally and the Rally of the Lakes in relation to R5/Rally2 and other homologated cars. More recently (2024), designated refuelling zones – separate to the service park – were introduced.
It appears that the introduction of control fuel for all events was to be on a phased basis, beginning in 2026. Last week's announcement, according to Motorsport Ireland, will ‘ensure they (MI) are at the forefront of environmental and sustainability practices in motorsport.’
The announcement brings clubs organising events other than those within the ITRC under this umbrella for the first time without any great involvement and expertise of what's involved.
The fall-out from the announcement was relatively quick with social media groups slating both the announcement and the timing of the same.
One competitor posted a comment and also stated he had emailed Motorsport Ireland with the following comment: ‘I’m definitely not happy with the new fuelling rules, I won’t be entering any rallies until it's changed.’ Other competitors have informed Motorsport Ireland of similar plans.
Elsewhere, a member of the Motorsport Ireland Safety Sub-Commission claimed he was unaware of the situation until the announcement.
The Southern Star understands that the Rallies Commission (a group that deals with all rallying matters) at its meeting last November, whilst in favour of the refuelling procedures, wanted it to be third-party pumped by a choice of the competitor's supplier, but again on a phased basis. However, it appears that the Motor Sport Commission (whom the RC reports to) formed a working group of three individuals to investigate the situation.
Having sought an update for its December meeting, the Rallies Commission were told ‘it was progressing well.’ It has also emerged that the Rallies Commission members never attended or, indeed, were never asked to attend a meeting relating to fuelling for rallies in Ireland and had never seen a revised proposal.
Since the announcement, a petition challenging the announcement has close to 2000 signatures. The speed at which the announcement was made has caught many by surprise and members of the Motor Sport Commission were only informed at its meeting on the eve of the announcement.
Regulations for the Corrib Oil Galway International Rally have already been approved and, seemingly, do not cater for the new arrangements.
The focus is now on Motorsport Ireland and more specifically the Motor Sport Commission to see if they will modify or perhaps postpone the introduction of control fuel for all competitors cars at all rally events.
Separately, it appears that the terms of conditions of the tender application document (freely available on the MI website) seems to conflict with the details of the Motorsport Ireland announcement to its affiliated clubs.
Part of the terms and conditions state ‘The initial contract will be for the supply of fuel suitable for use by all Competitors on all Stage rallies other than those electing to use pump fuel from a commercial filling station or those who wish to self-refuel. The tender must include a statement that the fuel supplier has the ability to supply other fuels as may be requested by Motorsport Ireland at any time during this contract if so required by Motorsport Ireland.’
In its own announcement Motorsport Ireland stated: ‘These are control fuels and as such are the only fuels allowed when competing in Motorsport Ireland permitted Stage Rallies.’
While the announcement brings into question the purpose of the Rallies Commission, it also brings into sharp focus the need of a proper Competitors Commission; a previous version set up by Motorsport Ireland was disbanded. It's time for the competitors to be a unified force otherwise they will have no say in how ‘their’ sport is controlled or developed in the future.
