WRC Teams Aren’t Happy About The Sport’s Proposed New Regulations

It was a few weeks ago that we heard the surprise news that the FIA had recommended a new set of regulations for the World Rally Championship for 2025, just three seasons after the current rules came into effect and two years before the next overhaul was originally planned.

The short version of the proposed changes are that, in an effort to reduce cost and attract more manufacturer participation, the top-flight Rally1 cars would lose the hybrid element of their powertrains and get reduced power and aero, while an upgrade kit would be offered for second-tier Rally2 cars to bring them in line with the top cars.

However, it seems that the three outfits that currently field Rally1 entries – Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport (the privately-run but factory-backed team that fields Ford’s entries) – aren’t happy about the proposed overhaul. Per Dirtfish, the three competitors have all come together to contact the FIA ahead of a2024 is proposed to be the last year of the Rally1 Hybrids meeting of the organisation’s WRC Commission this week to request that the current rules stay in place until 2026, as originally planned.

The root causes of the concerns seem to be the tight time frame needed to develop new cars for the 2025 season. A final decision on the new regulations is set to be voted on in June, and if they go ahead it’ll give teams just six months to develop entirely new cars for a season that traditionally kicks off in late January. Concerns have also been raised around the lost investment teams have already made on improving their current cars.

Of the three manufacturers, Hyundai has been most publicly vocal, with its team principal, Cyril Abiteboul, telling motorsport.com that the tight turnaround on car development would make it “simply not possible” for the team to be competitive next year. Several drivers, including Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak, have also vocally criticised the plans.

Despite the manufacturer opposition, though, it seems some teams have already started preparing for the potential new rules, with Toyota driver Elfyn Evans spotted testing a modified GR Yaris Rally1 in Croatia with a smaller rear wing and intakes for the hybrid system blocked off.