WRC teams react to FIA’s vision for the future

The extensive concept revealed by the governing body this week features a raft of significant changes to the WRC’s technical and sporting regulations, alongside a plan to address the championship’s promotion. The vision aims to attract more manufacturer participation and grow the championship.

Perhaps its most bold decision is to remove the control hybrid units from Rally1 cars for the 2025 season. Hybrid power formed a significant part of the new Rally1 regulations introduced in 2022, and the changes mean the cars in their current form won’t see out the original five-year homologation cycle.

The current Rally1 cars, albeit without hybrid power, will continue to compete until the end of 2026, with a reduction in the air restrictor and aerodynamics. The exact details of the changes will be outlined and ratified in June.

The tweaks are designed to cut costs with the original Rally1 car attracting a price tag close to one million euros. However, the alterations for next year will likely incur an extra initial outlay of resources.

These cars will remain eligible to compete until the end of 2026 and will coincide with an overlapping introduction of new regulations that will form the basis of the Rally1 class from 2027.

The 2026 cars will be based on the Rally1 car concept, producing around 330 horsepower and capped at 400,000 euros.

M-Sport-Ford team principal Richard Millener has welcomed the direction from the FIA and is supportive of moves to improve event formats.

While admitting it is now time for everyone to work together to improve the championship, he does have concerns over the timeframes proposed to meet the targets for 2025 and beyond.

“A lot of the stuff that they have mentioned about the events, the locally sourced service park structures, the flexibility of format and promotion are all elements we have all discussed and all agree on, so that will be great,” Millener told Motorsport.com.

“I’m happy to say that with the technical regulations, there is a good clear direction in where they want to go. I think there will be some challenges along the way about how we integrate their ideas in such a tight timescale and that is going to be a challenge.

“But we have been set these goals now, so we have to work proactively now. We have all been shouting that we want something done and we have some key points as to where we should be heading, and every…