Initially, Rally1 cars equipped with the current hybrid technology were intended to run until the end of the current homologation cycle in 2026. However, this plan has been abandoned largely for financial reasons, with privateer team M-Sport among its key proponents. Toyota’s star driver Sebastien Ogier, however, has taken a different stance.
“I think it’s not ideal. I’ve said it before,” Ogier stated bluntly.
“Are we ready to change like this? Certainly, it’s a plan. But it’s never really great in terms of the image it shows about the sport. I understand there were some financial concerns behind it. Still, it’s not only about rally – it’s about our world in general. I think we need to make decisions that might be expensive. But what is money compared to our planet? I don’t understand. It’s a shame that money rules our world in so many ways,” Ogier reflected.
Ogier had recently been reading the thoughts of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, which prompted the French champion to delve deeper into these issues.
“I recently read a book by Bill Gates while on holiday, and he explained a lot about what we need to do and the steps we need to take for the future. Unfortunately, many of these steps are tied to political decisions because we need to act together. As Gates pointed out, many steps are not taken, or they’re implemented too cautiously because economic solutions are always prioritised by companies. Of course, they think about their own interests first, not the planet,” Ogier shared.
According to Ogier, the state of rallying mirrors wider societal issues.
“For rally, I believe it’s the same. I wish we could find a way to bring real innovation back into the sport. Maybe that could convince new manufacturers to join. If I’m honest, I don’t see that happening otherwise. Especially now, when we use eco-fuel or whatever you call it – it’s not enough,” Ogier declared.
Beyond the removal of hybrid units, other changes are also being considered for next season. One involves reducing the restrictor size on cars. Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul has argued for keeping the restrictor unchanged, feeling that cars would become too slow under the new limit.
“Probably another problem linked to this is that each team has its own interests, pushing for solutions that benefit them. Changing things like this last minute, without really being able to adjust the car significantly, is far from ideal. If they do that, it’s likely because they see an advantage in it for themselves. From what I’ve heard from our simulations, with the car being 80 kilos lighter, we shouldn’t lose much in terms of real performance,” Ogier concluded.
