Several weeks ago, the development phase of the R4 kit came to an end with a first entry in the Rallye du Var. ORECA Technology now moves on to the following stage to do with homologation. It started on last week at ORECA’s workshops, in Signes (France). A FIA technical team came to homologate each part of the kit, making it eligible and approved for road use as soon as 2018.

Development now over, time for validation

For almost a year now, ORECA Group has had a whole team dedicated to this R4 project: design, development and now homologation of the kit. The development phase having now come to an end, weeks ago as the kit was entered in the Rallye du Var with Stéphane Sarrazin, it is now time to validate the different choices and decisions made throughout the past months.
Last week, in Signes (France), FIA members came to the workshops in order to homologate every single part of the kit, one by one. Together with Matthieu Bassou (R4 Technical Project Manager), engineers of the Federation have given their first feedback.
“These two days with FIA members went really well” says Matthieu Bassou very happily. “We have followed a traditional homologation procedure. Basing ourselves on the rules & regulations of the R4 kit’s homologation, ORECA’s engineers have controlled each part of the kit, point by point.”

The first was dedicated to the engine and its environments. On the second day engineers looked at the chassis.
Once this phase of approval is complete, the final homologation form will be issued, wrapping up this new stage. So far this form has been like a logbook which the team has regularly filled in over the past months. Throughout the homologation process, this logbook has been controlled by the FIA to confirm it was coherent and in accordance with technical realities. Once the FIA give their agreement, no amendments will be possible anymore on it.

 “The first feedback was very positive. FIA engineers were glad to see that the design of the kit matches the overall of philosophy that the FIA wished to put in place with the R4 class.
Now, it’s time to refine the result of this first step by finalising the catalogue of parts, technical tutorials as well as technical support.”

After this visit from the FIA, homologation forms and documents should be available in early 2018.