Last week, rumors intensified that the WRC premier class could compete with Rally2+ cars from the 2025 season onwards. Such a change would likely bring more competition to the top class.
M-Sport Ford’s team principal Richard Millener later dismissed the rumors. He emphasized that such a change is not feasible in such a short timeframe.
Read more: WRC chief dismisses wild rumors
The WRC premier class teams had previously agreed that they wanted to compete with the current Rally1 cars until the end of the 2026. However, according to the latest information, this decision has not been finalized, reports the Dirtfish website.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) established a working group last year tasked with considering solutions to the problems of WRC. The biggest issue is that only a handful of Rally1 cars participate in the top class – for example, in the 2024 season-opening Rally Monte Carlo, Toyota, Hyundai, and M-Sport will field a total of eight Rally1 cars. In contrast, the Rally2 class features a significantly higher number of cars.
According to Dirtfish, the working group led by David Richards and Robert Reid is still considering the Rally2 option for the WRC’s premier class. The plan reportedly includes adding aerodynamic parts and extracting 300 horsepower from the engines. The cars would have a price cap of 300,000 euros.
The working group aims to have as many as 25 premier class cars at the start line next year. This could be possible with the so-called Rally2+ cars, but there are many challenges along the way.
The current WRC teams have heavily invested in the current Rally1 hybrid cars, which debuted in the premier class two years ago. The teams are interested in getting a full return on their investments over a five-year period.
On the other hand, the premier class of the WRC is in a difficult situation. This year, realistically only three drivers are competing for the championship: Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak, and Toyota’s Elfyn Evans. There are only six full-time WRC drivers this season, while the part-time list includes big names like Kalle Rovanperä, Sebastien Ogier, and Esapekka Lappi.
Crucial discussions about the future of the WRC are reportedly taking place in January. Afterwards, the working group is expected to present its proposals to the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council, which will address the matter on February 28.
