The current classification period for the WRC ends at the end of 2026. The current Rally1 classified cars will be used until then.
There has not been much information released to the public about the new classification, but according to former team boss Jost Capito, there is one mistake the series should definitely avoid.
Capito, who achieved success with Volkswagen in the WRC from 2013 to 2016, is not in favour of fully electric cars. In his opinion, it is primarily a matter of safety.
“I think you should not look at one category of racing when you define the future. You should look at all the categories and you should look what are the technologies for the future. There are more technologies”, Capito said to Dirtfish.
“In the past this was natural aspirated engines but now you have natural aspirated engines with e-fuels, you have hydrogen, you have the fuel cells with hydrogen and you have electric and you have hybrid.”
According to Capito, the WRC would lack one major element if the cars were powered solely by electricity.
“No noise in rallying would be dangerous because you have the people on the stages. If you don’t have a noise, then it is dangerous. And with e-fuels, you are CO2-neutral and you could do that. And I think the price they pay now for the petrol is not less than what you would pay for e-fuels. So it could be done very quickly and be CO2-neutral.”
According to Capito, not all possible technologies can be crammed into one category. On the other hand, manufacturers could also be satisfied with having different options to market their products in different classes.
“Also, manufacturers just do not go in one direction. They need the development of all these technologies. And there will be a use for all these technologies on specific areas. And that should be the same reflected in motorsport. That’s my personal view.”
Capito is fully convinced of the direction rallying should take when the new classification period begins in 2027.
“For rallying, my view is that e-fuels is the future. And for Le Mans and circuit racing, maybe there is also hydrogen as a solution. So that you have different categories and different offers for different manufacturers.”
The 65-year-old German Capito is a long-time motorsport influencer. He served as the team principal of Volkswagen Motorsport from 2013 to 2016. He has also had a career in Formula One. Most recently, he was the team principal of the F1 team Williams but left the team in December 2022.
