The pinnacle of rallying has been operating with only three manufacturers for several years now. Perhaps the biggest issue for the WRC is the need for more competition—or in other words, more teams in the premier class.
The WRC working group under the FIA presented its own proposals for future rule changes in February, which could attract more car manufacturers. However, these proposals have not received a very positive response from the current WRC teams.
Of the current teams, Toyota is perhaps the most committed to competing in the WRC. For M-Sport Ford and Hyundai, there have occasionally been speculations about possibly withdrawing from the series.
The greatest threat to the WRC would be losing one of the current teams without any new teams ready to join.
Peter Thul, the senior director of sport at the WRC Promoter , acknowledges that keeping the current car manufacturers is a top priority.
“You always have to be sensitive to keep them on board. There are no guarantees. They (manufacturers) are our customers. We have to do the best we can, and we do this together with the FIA,” Thul explains.
“It’s not about being afraid or being scared. We have to serve them at the best level we can to keep them involved,” Thul emphasizes.
Currently, it seems that the negotiations between the FIA and the manufacturers will lead to a compromise on the rules for Rally1 cars. Most likely, the hybrid units will be removed from the cars, along with reductions in power and aerodynamic features. These cars are intended to compete in the years 2025-26, and it is unlikely that new manufacturers will join the premier class during this period.
The main focus is on what decisions will be made for the cars of the 2027 season, which should attract new competitors to the WRC.
“We want to have the manufacturers stay on board, get new ones and get the championship growing. We have an identical target like the FIA,” Thul says.
The World Motor Sport Council is expected to confirm the rules for the coming years of the WRC in June.
