Originally, the current cars were supposed to remain in use in the World Rally Championship until the end of the current homologation period, which runs through to the end of 2026.
However, the situation has now changed, and a vote has been held on removing the hybrid units. The outcome of the vote is not yet known.
The case for removing the hybrid units centres on rising costs. From next season, it is reportedly planned that the rules will be changed so that a hybrid unit can no longer simply be reset in the event of an issue but must instead be repaired. This change would mean additional costs in the millions of euros for teams each year.
“Our thoughts will always be that electrification is a direction that the world is taking. You can argue the pace, you can argue, I would say the overall process. But we know that i it’s an ongoing trend,” Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul commented.
“We continue to support the electrification of motorsport, including WRC. As competitors, we have fulfilled our obligations—when asked to order parts, we did so, and we developed the best package we could. We have never actively requested the removal of the hybrid system from WRC,” Abiteboul continued.
Abiteboul is aware, however, that the rise in costs could influence the future of hybrid units.
“However, we must also be pragmatic and recognise that the WRC community is small. Like any small community, we need to support each other. If steps are necessary to ensure participation and competition at events, we are open to taking them. We cannot afford to be selfish, and I believe no one in WRC can afford to be selfish in the current situation,” Abiteboul stated.
Abiteboul refers, among other things, to the fact that rising costs could be devastating for M-Sport. M-Sport is a private team that essentially operates without support from Ford’s factory. Teams like these simply cannot afford sudden cost increases of millions of euros per season.
Abiteboul stresses, however, that no decisions have been made on the matter yet.
“No, I’m not aware of any decisions being made. We’ve expressed our opinion, and now it’s in the hands of the FIA to determine what they want to present to the World Motor Sport Council. What is essential is that a decision comes quickly. We are currently in the process of ordering parts—not the hybrid components, as that has been done some time ago—but additional parts related to installation and the cooling system. If the hybrid system were to be removed, we would want to know as soon as possible to prevent unnecessary costs,” the Hyundai boss stated.
