Here's the rule changes:
- Further calendar integration with AR 2.0, ARST and AR GTi.
- Single engine model (3.5L V8, rebadgeable) to make driver talent even more important.
- Changes in point system: 20-14-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 for the feature final, pole position and fastest lap are worth two points each. In the semifinal heats, pole position is now worth one point as well.
- No separate tyre manufacturers (it was a purely cosmetic feature in 2016, but is now removed completely due to being redundant leftover junk from RoLFS).
- Experience counts even more in the driver performance files, so while debuting in the series is still possible the chances of a rookie being successful are very low. "Debuting" in this context means that the driver has no previous experience from other series. You know, because it'd look weird if someone jumped straight from karts/whatever your backstory for a driver is to a 560 bhp single-seater and performed well.
- Driver experience restrictions: drivers with more than 24 starts or 32 entries in F1RWRS are ineligible to participate in AR 3.5, except for non-championship races.
- Driver changes limited to five per team per season, with one additional change only given in case of injuries and exclusions. So be careful to not overrun your limit with voluntary driver changes. One-car teams have more freedom in this to encourage users to run them and thus hopefully open more team spots. Exceeding the limit will lead to a team penalty ranging from reduced performance to exclusions, with each case reviewed separatedly.
- Full-time AR 3.5 drivers are not permitted to run in another series, apart from very temporary replacements. In other words, double-dutying is banned. This is in line with what many other series are adopting in 2017.
- Team activity requirements: with a waiting list this long, the series can't afford to have freeloaders aboard taking valuable team slots. Thus, from 2017 onwards, I expect some sort of activity from every team once in at least four race weekends, with the offending team(s) given one warning to clean up the act. Failure to react to the warning within two race weekends results in the team(s) being instantly dropped and replaced with new teams from the waiting list. I also reserve the right to kick teams out immediatedly after four race weekends if I notice that the team owner is active enough on other parts of the PMMF. Absences that are pre-announced in this topic are exempt from this rule.
The entry process will be in two parts. First, I'm taking in entries for the Middle Eastern Cup and preliminary entries for the regular season. By default every 2016 team will continue, but after the deadline of 5th May 12:00 UTC any inactive teams are permanently removed from the entry list and the affected users can only rejoin through the waiting list (which, as you know, is rather long). Then, once the 2017 season is actually about to start, I'll start a second round of entry confirmations to ensure no-one has gone AWOL in the meantime. Once that is done and possible replacements are drafted from the entry list, the season can start.
Preliminary entry list for the 2017 AutoReject 3.5 season
Use the Engine field to tell how you want your engine to be rebadged, or leave blank if you want to use the default name (Cosworth). Also tell me if you are going to run one or two cars (current one-car teams can submit an application for another car). Race numbers will be confirmed after the first deadline when I know how many cars are still hanging about.
Teams marked in red did not enter the NC race and are likely to be dropped completely. Until that happens, Minarae's permanent entry is still unconfirmed.
DScity Voeckler (FRA, Biscione)
#1: Michael Robertson (AUS) / Jordan Davies (GBR)
#2: Nino Barlini (ITA)
Engine: Renault
Aeroracing Engineering (GBR, Phoenix)
#3: Akira Yamamura (JPN)
#4: Ólafur Ragnar Hannesson (ICE)
Engine: Audi
National Jones AutoReject Racing (GBR, AndreaModa)
#5: Alessandro Marchesi (ITA)
#6: Marko Jantscher (AUT)
Engine: Ford
De Friis Motorsport (NED, Vepe)
#7: Urmas Pärn (EST)
#8: Jari Lappalainen (FIN)
Engine: Scania
Tarantino Autosport (USA, tristan1117)
#9: Hobson Tarantino (USA)
#10: Patrick Feldhoffer (GER) / Hayato Kazami (JPN)
Engine: Ford
Airwaves Nebula Grand Prix (FRA, Ataxia)
#11: Victoria Desai (IND)
#12: Björn Ekdal (SWE)
Engine: Mazda
Ansett Australia Racing (AUS, The Masked Lapwing)
#13: Emma Kickert (NED)
#14: Silvia Renaldi (ITA)
Engine: Holden
Racing Team Solvalou (ITA, RealRacingRoots)
#15: Chris Winter (USA)
#16: Markus Jacobson (FIN)
Engine: Assoluto
Falik Arrows (NGR, SuperAguri)
#17: Rosco Vantini (ITA)
#18: Kenan Ardaoglu (GER) / Samora Mondlane (MOZ)
Engine: Cosworth
Takagi Racing Enterprises (JPN, FMecha)
#19: Mustafa Kurniawan (INA) / Adélaïde Voeckler (FRA)
#20: Toru Fukui (JPN) / Kalliope Spiros (GRE)
Engine: Mugen-Honda
Chris Short Racing (GBR, RonDenisDeletraz)
#21: Andrea Battani (ITA)
#22: Pablo Galaz (MEX)
Engine: Gillet
Plus One Racing Engineering (GBR, pasta_maldonado)
#23: Martin van der Maeyede (NED)
#24: Joe Harmsky (RUS) / Mathilde Thybes (FRA)
Engine: Triumph
RonDen Racing Engineering (BEL, This)
#25: Jerry De Boer (USA)
#26: Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen (NED)
Engine: Van Hool
Restov Racing (GBR/RUS, takagi_for_the_win)
#27: Waisale Serevi (FIJ)
#28: Abdel Genazzi (ALG)
Engine: Lada
Ural Racing (RUS, The Lukas)
#29: Yuki Matsudate (JPN)
#30: Ivan Lanin (RUS)
Engine: Lada
Écurie Prenois (FRA, pi314159)
#31: Tuomas Suomanen (FIN) / Mineiro (BRA)
#32: Gary Pacer (CAN)
Engine: Cosworth
Speedworld Racing (AUT, OsellaFA1L)
#33: Janne Kagström (FIN)
#34: Gilles Massinion (FRA)
Engine: Cummins
Clockwork Racing (USA, Cynon)
#35: Verna Klien (AUT)
#36: James Morgan (GBR)
Engine: Ford
Minarae (ITA, Aerond)
#37: Andrea Massini (ITA) / Andrea Acuri (SMR)
Engine: Cosworth
Euromotor International (EUR, FantometteBR)
#38: Darko Kuzmanovic (MNE)
#39: Fredson Santos (CPV)
Engine: Porsche
Schröder (GER, Backmarker)
#40: Thomas Butler (GBR)
#41: Jiri Komárek (CZE)
Engine: Cosworth
RUF Blokkmonsta Motorsport (GER, CaptainGetz12)
#42: Tanner Jason (USA)
Engine: RUF
Calendar and dates will be announced later.
Livery and helmet templates.
Waiting list
1. Salamander (applied on 31st March 2013)
2. Rated (applied on 6th May 2013)
3. V8fan12 (applied on 7th February 2014)
4. roblomas52 (applied on 25th April 2014)
5. HawkAussie (applied on 26th April 2014)
6. Hermann95 (applied on 26th April 2014)
7. Normal32 (applied on 13 July 2014)
8. East Londoner (applied on 29th December 2014)
