Multiple sources have confirmed to Motorsport.com that Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport have collectively written a letter to the FIA expressing a need for the current Rally1 technical rules to see out the original window from 2022 to the end of 2026.
In February, the FIA’s working group revealed its vision for the future of top-level rallying, including a raft of proposals incorporating changes to technical and sporting regulations, and the promotion of the category. The proposals will be voted on in June’s World Motor Sport Council meeting.
While WRC Rally1 teams have shown their unanimous support for proposed changes to the sporting side of the championship, the FIA’s plans to change the technical regulations for next year have been strongly opposed by drivers and teams.
Under the FIA’s plan, it intends to remove hybrid power from Rally1 cars and further reduce the car’s performance through a reduction in aerodynamics and air restrictor. The aim is to bring the performance more into line with Rally2 cars, which will be offered more aero and performance through an upgrade kit, to boost the overall entry lists of competitors.
Chief among the team’s concerns is the tight timeframe to enact these changes, with the proposed ratification of the regulations offering a six-month window to design, test and validate their revised cars.
Hyundai has been most vocal regarding its concerns, with team principal Cyril Abiteboul stating this week that it would not be possible for the Korean manufacturer to “do a good job” next year under this timeframe.
Abiteboul also shared frustrations that his team has had to scrap a significant investment made in upgrades to its i20 N completed in accordance with the current regulations, that would be rendered redundant next year.
Cyril Abiteboul, Team principal Hyundai World Rally Team
Photo by: Romain Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport
Asked by Motorsport.com if he had any hope the FIA would make changes to its plans for next year, before the letter was sent, he said: “We have expressed our opinion in December, in January and then February, verbally and in writing.
“At some point you have to simply deal with it and accept the governing body has made its mind and the one thing we need to understand is the aftermath of it from a competitiveness perspective.
“Hyundai is a very committed to rally and we want to be a serious competitor and we want to do what we need to do to have a…
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