During the tests for the Croatia Rally, Evans drove a Toyota Rally1 car equipped with a smaller rear spoiler, similar to what is planned for next year’s championship. Additionally, the air intakes for the hybrid unit were blocked.
Evans was not particularly impressed with the new car and made his feelings clear.
“I can tell you that it was not so exciting,” Evans stated bluntly after the tests.
In February, the FIA proposed radical changes to the WRC, but manufacturers have not been satisfied with these proposals.
Now, it is widely believed that the FIA is currently working on a compromise for the technical rules of the 2025 season. This compromise is expected to be communicated to stakeholders before the World Motor Sport Council meeting in June.
FIA road sport director Andrew Wheatley provided more details about the proposed rule changes for 2025 to the media.
“At the start of the five-year Rally1 process, it was very clear that the hybrid element was a three-year contract, and that is what we have with (supplier) Compact Dynamics, but we are not changing the concept of Rally1,” he said” Wheatley told Autosport.
“The only discussion we are having about changing Rally1 is to modify the rear wing. We want to take one plane of the rear wing off, we will keep the top plane,” Wheatley continued.
The FIA plans to reduce the power of Rally1 cars through aerodynamic solutions and the removal of hybrid units. The aim is for Rally2 cars to more closely resemble Rally1 cars in the future.
“The changes are half of the spoiler, it is removing the hybrid unit, and it is compensating the weight difference, which means a smaller restrictor so effectively the power to weight ratio is negated,” Wheatley explained.
The reduction in power has sparked criticism among manufacturers. The current Rally1 cars are quite impressive in terms of sound and power, and there is concern that the planned changes will significantly reduce the power and spectacle of the top-class cars.
