After the tragic 1973 race, the Spa organizers wanted to cut back cost and speed. Since the ETCC was ailing anyway, why not try something different? The British "group 1.5" rules were considered to be not spectacular enough, so Paul Frère came up with something in between group 1.5 and group 2. Let's call it Group 1.75, or "Group 1 Francorchamps".
The rules were pretty straighforward, and thought to be close to group 2 1976. Alas, time would tell that this would not be the case. Base was a group 1 car (so a production of 5000/year), engine intake and exhaust was free, like the air filter, oil cooler and ignition. Fuel-injected cars could be changed to carburettors - but not the other way around. The number of gears could not be changed, wheel arch extensions (5 cm), front spoiler and wheels were free. The cars were comparatively cheap ( € 15,000 - 20,000, a group 2 BMW was at least twice as expensive - secondhand) and looked great, compared with a group 1 car - or a 1976 group 2...
Opel, Audi, Ford and Alfa Romeo had a degree of works interest; even so, privateers still had a chance. The racing proved amusing, in 1974; but death returned to Spa one year later. In 1976, group 2 returned to Spa, leaving this experiment in the cold - though it was possible to adapt some cars to the new rules. But in 1977, Spa would leave the ETCC once again...