The FIA technical director, Xavier Mestelan Pinon, says that ICE, full-electric and hybrid cars on the table for the regulations of 2027, but the internal combustion engine will continue existing in World Rally Championship despite the rule changes.
World Rally Championship is currently running with two manufacturers (Hyundai and Toyota) and one semi-manufacturer team while Hyundai may leave the series at the end of 2025 with a private team taking over and bringing i20Ns at the top level from 2026. However, some car brands, such as Alpine and Opel, are interested in joining WRC if the cars are full electric and this can be proved by the fact that Opel has its own series for the e-Corsa. On the other hand, many WRC drivers have complained about having problems with the hybrid units and need to reset them resulting in losing time during the stages. The Rally1 regulations have been applied to the World Rally Championship since 2022 and are set to continue for the next two years while FIA, WRC Promoter and the WRC teams will discuss further their proposals on the next World Motor Council which will be held on October 17th, but for sure the cars will continue having internal combustion engines according to FIA's technical director.
"We can consider that all technologies are suitable but what is important is to take the best decision , what is good for rally in terms of technology and which championship is good for each technology", Mestelan Pinon said.
"Today we strongly believe that biofuel or synthetic fuel is a good business and now after that we want to open the rules to electrify the engine and when I say that it could be hybrid or full EV.
"This is something again we need to finalise but this is the target.
"This would be based one the same chassis so with the same suspension, body shell and so on because it is important that an ICE car and an electrified vehicle have the same performance.
"Of course we would have to define an equivalence of technology and this something that we can manage well in other categories.
"The target again is to have more cars in the Rally1 category so that means the basic car will be ICE.
"We strongly believe that an electrified version could make sense and we have had some discussions with potential newcomers and current manufacturers so it is very difficult to say.
"We need to be openminded.
"It is too difficult to say if the direction will be ICE and full EV or ICE and full EV plus hybrid, it is too early.
"My personal opinion is that full EV could make sense because for stages that are 35 kilometres it is easy to manage with the same level of performance as the ICE car and you can have some charging unit at the end of each stage.
"This is a thing we need to decide altogether with the WRC Commission president but with the manufacturers the promoters and World Motor Sport Council so it is a global decision".
Source: Motorsport.com
Photo Credits: M-Sport
Post a Comment