The WRC working group under the FIA presented its proposed changes to the regulations of WRC cars at the end of February.
The plans involve reducing the power of Rally1 cars and removing the hybrid units. At the same time, there could be potential enhancements for Rally2 cars to bring them closer to the top class competitors.
Toyota has already begun preparations for potential radical changes, even though they have not yet been finalized. Toyota’s Elfyn Evans drove the Croatian pre-rally test in a Toyota car without a hybrid unit and with a smaller rear wing. The Welsh driver was not very impressed with his experience.
Read more: WRC star tests updated Toyota – gives direct feedback: “I was pretty slow at one point
According to team principal Latvala, the extent of the changes was clearly visible in the test.
“For us, it’s a big step down from the Rally1 with the modifications, what you had to do. And for the Rally2 car, a small step up,” Latvala formulated to DirtFish.
The rule changes aim to bring more competition to the top class of the WRC. Currently, only three manufacturers have Rally1 cars, but if an updated Rally2 car could challenge the top class drivers, there could be more competition.
Latvala believes it is not so straightforward.
“I think it’s difficult to bring these two cars to the same class. If you think about the Rally1 car, how it’s developed, all the aerodynamics is designed for the rear spoiler, and how the sides of the car are tied in the airflow to the rear spoiler. When you remove the rear spoiler and put a smaller one in, it’s not that simple. The rear geometry of the car doesn’t necessarily work at all the way it’s designed to be,” Latvala exclaimed.
“And that’s why all this would need work and testing. And it’s so much easier for everybody if we would just go in a way that we don’t change too much.”
Toyota also has a Rally2-class car that it sells to customers. Latvala thinks it would be quite strange if a second-class car could seriously challenge a full-fledged factory team’s Rally1 car.
“If you slow down Rally1 a lot, then of course everything is possible. But then also you have to think about this: what is then the interest for the manufacturers to run the Rally1 cars? If the ‘Rally2-plus’ car is suddenly faster, and you can make it with a kit at home, why would you want to be a manufacturer in the World Rally Championship?”
The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council is set to finalize the upcoming regulatory changes in June. The FIA and the manufacturers of the WRC are still engaged in ongoing dialogue to find a suitable compromise solution.
