The FIA, motorsport’s governing body, is currently working on a new set of technical regulations that are expected to come into effect in the WRC’s top Rally1 category starting in the 2027 season. The goal is to make the cars technically closer to the current Rally2 vehicles, significantly reducing costs – potentially to less than half of the current level.
These efforts aim to attract new manufacturers and teams to the top level of rallying. Currently, only three manufacturers compete in WRC: Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford.
Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux believes it is crucial that the new regulations remain stable over time. The FIA is reportedly planning to lock the rules in place for as long as ten years.
“It’s hard to attract manufacturers when the regulations keep changing. The next rule set has to appeal to the current manufacturers, but also to potential new ones who might be interested from anywhere in the world,” Fourmaux said in an interview with French outlet Rallye-sport.fr.
“For me, rally is the motorsport that most closely mirrors everyday life. Sometimes you only need to drive short distances to work, and other times you want to go on a long holiday – using the same car. So you need a car that can adapt to all kinds of situations. In rallying, it’s exactly the same depending on the stages and loops.”
The new rules are expected to be finalised during the upcoming summer. Fourmaux is keeping a close eye on the discussions, as the outcome could directly affect his own future.
His current contract with Hyundai Motorsport is only valid for this season. The French publication asked if he was worried about his career given the current uncertainty in the WRC landscape.
“I don’t really worry about it too much, but of course I’m interested in the future of the sport, since my career depends on it,” Fourmaux responded.
The Hyundai driver also expressed disappointment over the removal of hybrid systems from Rally1 cars.
“I always found it a shame that the hybrid system was removed from the cars. I don’t think we ever truly made the most of that regulation. For example, it would have been cool to drive through tourist villages using 100% electric mode – to show that it’s possible, even with a race car,” he added.
