The World Rally Championship is currently preparing for a new era. The series’ regulations will be overhauled in 2027.
While the new rules have not yet been finalised, the direction seems clear. One way or another, Rally1 cars need to become more affordable, and with that, the hope is that more manufacturers will join the championship.
Reducing costs appears to be a shared goal, but at the same time, concerns have been raised. If Rally1 cars begin to resemble Rally2 cars more closely, where is the line drawn? Will Rally1 cars still be spectacular enough for even casual spectators to immediately recognise that they’re watching top-tier machinery?
Carlos Sainz’s former co-driver Luis Moya feels the concern is unnecessary – at least in part.
“When I was co-driving for Carlos Sainz in the Toyota Celica, we arrived at Rally Sweden and someone there might have had the same car. We had a factory team, which was always a bit better,” he pointed out in an interview with revistascratch.
“Now, in WRC, there are two and a half manufacturers, while in the WRC2 category, there are five manufacturers and 40 cars. Even if you add a bit more turbo or horsepower to production cars, the factory car will always be slightly quicker and better developed,” Moya explained.
The current Rally1 cars are simply too expensive. Their high cost does not exactly entice manufacturers to enter the series. Even if drivers in Rally2 cars could more effectively challenge top-tier drivers in the future, that alone does not guarantee success. Talent still makes the difference.
“Current Rally1 cars cost a million euros, Rally2 cars around €300,000. If costs can be brought down, it’s much more likely that Rally2 drivers can challenge the factory teams,” said Moya.
“If a driver wants to stand out, they need to compete against the best. Of course, that requires a bigger budget, but if they put in one or two strong performances, someone might take notice. If, instead, they stick to a national series in a Rally2 car, it’s harder to break into the WRC,” Moya reflected.
The World Rally Championship has clearly struggled in recent years. With only two full factory teams in the series, it’s clear that the championship is suffering.
“It’s obvious something needs to be done. The series needs more manufacturers, but joining is too expensive. That’s completely understandable – I’d think the same way. A solution has to be found,” Moya admitted.
Many rallying fans still long for the “golden era of rallying” – the 1980s and 1990s. Moya thinks this nostalgia is somewhat misplaced.
“Cars need to be cheaper. Customers should have the opportunity to compete like before,” he said.
“Not exactly like in the Group B days, but Juha Kankkunen always says the best years were in the 1990s. Were things better or worse then? I always say they were just different times. Now we have mobile phones and the internet, everything happens faster. It’s clear that rallying needs a solution – and in recent years, one hasn’t been found,” Moya stated bluntly.
