@sollitt - you make a very fair point, as did the gentleman making the argument about Group N cars - I accept your points and if the drivers complained then it's fair enough to consider.
The other thing here is the image that it portrays. They could have been a lot more subtle about it but, instead, the Toyota winning story was top of the motorsports press for a couple of days and then two days later it was headlined by this article.
I have friends who have an interest in cars and sometimes racing but don't follow rallying and even they read about the FIA saying the cars are going too fast. If the stages need slowing, fair enough, but it could have been handled in a much, much better way IMO.