Cyril Abiteboul, Jari-Matti Latvala and Richard Millener agree that FIA must retain the current Rally1 regulations in 2025 as there is not plenty time on developing the next-generation of cars until the end of this year.
FIA announced on February 28 that World Rally Championship will have new regulations from 2025, but the most important changes are the aero and the removal of the hybrid units from the Rally1 cars at the end of 2024. More specifically, FIA wants to attract more manufacturers in the sport, thus the Federation decided to reduce the aerodynamics and the air restrictor on the current Rally1 cars in order to be more similar to the Rally2 cars. However, all WRC teams have already a letter to FIA complaining that they do not have enough time to prepare the new cars and suggesting to hold the current Rally1 regulations for one more year as the next World Motor Council will be held in June which means that the teams will have only six months to build and to develop the next cars. Last but not least, Toyota is the only WRC team which brought two prototype cars in Croatia this week to test them ahead of the new season.
"We have expressed our opinion in December, in January and then February, verbally and in writing", Abiteboul said.
"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 competitive car against our competitors.
"We had good results in the opening rounds.
"We all agree that there were some favourable circumstances even if Thierry Neuville was remarkable in Monte Carlo.
"We know we still have a clear handicap against the Toyota and now we are facing a situation where this handicap has to remain for another two years".
Moreover, Jari-Matti Latvala said: "Ideally, taking hybrids out will make the cars slower anyway.
"But at the same time changing the restrictor and aerodynamics all of this at one time is a bit too much because it means you need to start optimising the engine performance for the different restrictors and you need to do testing for the aero.
"I hope we can find a solution where we don't do that many things immediately for next year.
"For me just taking the hybrids out would have been enough and teams wouldn't need to do so much testing.
"We are limited with the testing but these days you can do simulation and you try to optimise everything that is possible.
"We have started the communication with the FIA and there are now weekly meetings going on which is really good.
"All of the manufacturers are on board, so I feel our chances are really good to find a compromise".
Finally, Richard Millener stated: "In reality, that is going to be quite tight to have new aero rules for 2025.
"Teams are going to want to test, develop and understand them.
"It is a lot to do in 10 months and realistically it is going to be six months by the time we get things sorted and understand what the reduction in aero means and develop, build, create parts and test.
"There are quite high levels of sign-off for some of that required and that will be a challenge".
Source: Motorsport.com
Photo Credits: Hyundai
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