For some time, there has been speculation on how to introduce more competition into the WRC’s premier class. Recently, the series has had only three WRC teams, often with fewer than ten Rally1 crews starting an event.
Undeniably, that’s far too few.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has finally taken the bull by the horns. At the end of last year, the FIA established a special working group tasked with finding solutions to these issues. How can the series be made significantly more attractive?
One solution being considered is taking a step back in the premier class to Rally2 cars. Another option could be to tweak Rally2 cars to be slightly more powerful and add aerodynamic parts to make them more spectacular.
Guidelines for the future could be received as early as this week, as the World Motor Sport Council meets on Wednesday.
“I am mentally prepared for the possibility that changes could come quickly,” Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala tells RallyJournal.com.
“In the fastest scenario, changes could be in place by 2025. We need to be prepared for that, but it’s not set in stone,” Latvala adds.
According to Latvala, it’s also possible that the championship’s premier class will continue to compete with Rally1 hybrid cars, albeit with some conditions.
“Then we must be able to convince that all current car manufacturers remain, or the number of cars should even increase. That’s the challenge,” Latvala states.
The FIA has also sought perspectives from fans of the World Rally Championship. In a comprehensive survey, fans were invited to share their opinions on the format of rallies and the cars.
The FIA is set to publish the results of the survey at the end of February.
“Of course, this issue needs to be looked at from every angle. Fans are a big part of this sport. Without them, there are no enthusiastic car buyers, and without them, there are no followers of the sport. So, asking them for their opinion is certainly not a bad thing,” Latvala says.
“But the summary must be drawn carefully, considering multiple perspectives: from the manufacturers, the fans, and the regulations. We need to form an equation that makes everything fit,” the team principal emphasizes.
