In February, the WRC working group under the International Automobile Federation (FIA) made its proposal for revolutionary rule changes for next year. According to the proposal, the hybrid units of Rally1 cars could be abandoned after this season, and the cars’ aerodynamic features would be scaled back, with power reduced using a smaller air restrictor.
After these change proposals, the top category teams, Hyundai, M-Sport Ford, and Toyota, sent a letter to the FIA demanding that the current technical rules remain in effect until the end of the 2026 season.
The FIA, team representatives, and rally organizers held a meeting on this matter during the Croatia Rally. Information has now leaked from this meeting to the public.
Pavlos Athanassoulas, the event director of the Acropolis Rally Greece, told Cosmote TV in an interview that all three manufacturers agreed that the current classification period should be respected until the end of 2026. Furthermore, Athanassoulas revealed that the Rally2 car manufacturers are also united with the top category teams against the FIA’s proposals for next year.
The FIA’s proposal list also included a change affecting Rally2 cars: a so-called WRC kit was envisaged for the second class cars, which would bring Rally2 cars closer to Rally1 competitors.
The FIA and the teams agreed that more cars should be brought into the top category as quickly as possible. According to Athanassoulas, this year is intended to offer young drivers opportunities to showcase their skills in Rally1 car.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Latvian prospect Martins Sesks will compete in the Rally Poland and Rally Latvia with a Ford Puma Rally1 car, with the WRC Promoter also involved in the project.
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Athanassoulas expects that the Acropolis Rally Greece organized in September could see a double-digit number of Rally1 crews. Currently, WRC rallies typically feature only eight Rally1 cars.
The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council is set to finalize next year’s rules in June. The FIA trusts that the draft rules can be delivered to the WRC manufacturers in May before the council meeting.
“The position we are in at the moment is that we need to find harmony with the manufacturers, and honestly, I don’t think we are so far away,” FIA road sport director Andrew Wheatley said.
According to Wheatley, the FIA and manufacturers are now trying to reach some kind of compromise solution.
“We have all the options on the table. We know what the target is and what the aim is,” Wheatley stated.
Sources: Powerslide Blog, Autosport
