'Drivers must use their heads' says Wilks

President of the FIA Jean Todt is to implement big changes to the WRC events. He has also stated that he wants to see more manufacturers come into the WRC.

The founder of Peugeot Talbot Sport, which ran the very successful works Peugeot 205 T16's in the WRC, winning the manufacturers championship in the WRC in 1985 – 1986, & the equally successful Peugeot 905 Le Mans car, winning the 24hrs of Le Mans in 1992 – 1993, stated at the Rally Portugal:

"I can't be specific because we don't yet have something to show, but we are working on it. I can tell you what I don't like in rallying at the moment. A world event inside an FIA calendar has to be something which has a bit of emotion and attraction and is a different test. I must say that it's not the way I see a rally, to start in the morning at 0930hrs, to stop at 1200hrs for lunch, to go again for three stages and be back at home for 1700hrs. If we want to get the emotion of a world event, then we have to work.

"During my election campaign I said that a commissioner would be elected. I'm still considering that but I've not yet taken any decisions. I've created a rally working group with some experts including Michele Mouton, Juha Kankkunen, Carlos Sainz, Guy Frequelin and some organisers. The working group will make a proposal for the evolution of rallying.

"I'm more ambitious for the future of rallying from what I see, for the organisers, promoters and the manufacturers, I have more expectation for an FIA World Championship event.

"We need more manufacturers. We fortunately have Ford and Citroen, but this is not enough. We are talking with some potential manufacturers who would be prepared to join, but we must encourage them and to do that we must add a higher dimension to this category.

"We are talking with some potential manufacturers who would be prepared to join, but we must encourage them and to do that we must add a higher dimension to this category."

Under Todt, Peugeot Talbot Sport also won the Paris-Dakar Rally 4-times, between 1987 & 1990.