Six weeks after the surprise victory of Esapekka Lappi (and the beautiful podium of Adrien Fourmaux) in Sweden, the WRC completely changes scenery by returning to the tracks in Kenya this week. But this period was still very lively for the WRC after the announcement of new directions put in place from 2025. They are notably supported by David Richards, who is at the head of the FIA commission dedicated to the future of the world rally.
The man who is also the boss of Prodrive has repeatedly repeated that we must accept that the WRC is going through a period of transition, “as there is almost everywhere in the history of motorsport. We are not going to wave a magic wand and everything will not be magnificent tomorrow. We want to be judged in two years. » In the next six, a lot of questions raised by these announcements will have to be answered even if the 71-year-old Briton has mentioned a few ideas.
The release of the hybrid, at what price?
Criticized by the entire field – Cyril Abiteboul, the boss of Hyundai had described it as “greenwashing” in our columns -, the hybrid system will have fizzled out… After only three seasons, its disappearance was recorded at the end of the season. “Hybrid may have been a good idea initially but it turned out to be too complex and too expensive,” Richards noted. And then it created too much difference with the Rally2s. »
If sportingly and technically, everything seems to align with manufacturers not unhappy to be able to get rid of a lot of technical, human and financial constraints imposed by this system, there remains a contractual question to be resolved. Compact Dynamics, the German company which builds and supplies the entire platform, has a contract until 2026.
“We had an agreement on the critical parts necessary for the continuation of the hybrid,” admitted Andrew Wheatley, the boss of the “road” athlete at the FIA. Now that we have a clear direction, we can discuss again. » But this risks costing precious euros to a discipline which already sorely lacks them for its promotion…
Do too many reforms kill reform?
“My point of view, shared by most of the members of the commission, is that we want a closer level between Rally1 and Rally2,” summarized Richards on the decisions taken around these two technical regulations. We also want a young driver to be able to have in their hands a car close to the factory ones, which is no longer the case today. »
If the Rally2 as a whole satisfies the manufacturers already present, it is therefore all around the Rally1 that things will mainly evolve. A reduction in turbo flange (for a maximum power of 330 horsepower) and modifications to aerodynamics, “too” effective at present, are promised. A prospect which does not enchant manufacturers, as Jari-Matti Latvala has already made it clear.
The Toyota boss stressed that if they were implemented for 2025, these changes, associated with the disappearance of the hybrid which will upset the balance of cars, would require too much testing and development, which would again have a cost. For Hyundai, already launched into the development of a new car for 2025, the idea of throwing in the towel in the event of too much technical upheaval is even in the air.
Finally, the idea of creating a “Rally2 +” kit with for around €5,000 a higher turbo flange to boost power and a large rear wing could prove to be very risky and place, in terms of performance, these cars far behind. too close to future Rally1s. The problem – blurred hierarchy – would then be the opposite of the current one.
What about the points system?
It was, in a hurry last December, the first change of this transition period of the WRC: the points system put in place (with points “blocked” on Saturday evening then others distributed throughout the Sunday and still the Power Stage) leaves you perplexed at best after two rallies. “It was very different on the first two rallies,” noted Wheatley. We need to look at this a little longer. But in Sweden, I didn’t see anyone riding quietly on Sunday, everyone was racing to take points. The global advice was very clear: we are testing this system but it is continually re-evaluated. »
On the subject, David Richards snapped: “I don’t understand it! That says enough. » As for the staging, whether on television or on the official WRC website (no Sunday classification only offered for example), it does not help with readability. Makes you wonder who was in favor of its application in the offseason…
This will therefore be one of the many topics of discussion in the coming months. “We must remain consistent with manufacturers and their investments,” emphasized Richards, “we cannot completely change things and say that’s how it is on January 1st. » The clock to find compromises with all parties involved has already started.
