WRC Testing

[jiipee64]

Ogier today
https://x.com/juha_kantanen/status/1949836603091722663?s=19

[satukata]

Ogier today. SPEED radar in fast curve 159km/h

https://youtu.be/SnIjrxmRMAw

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Teams are already preparing for 2027, but at the same time they must also take care of developing next season’s car. The 2026 season will still be run with cars similar to those used this year.

Toyota’s technical director Tom Fowler believes and hopes that the team will soon be able to test the 2027 cars.

“We have to be ready for next season, to be starting our test programme,” said Fowler.

Fowler, however, was not yet able to reveal a more precise timetable for when the team will be able to start testing the new cars.

“Of course, with all the new developments there are always risks about the timeline, the suppliers and the components, and the difficulties go up and down. But at the moment we’ve always managed to start our tests plus or minus a couple of weeks from the original plan. So we’re aiming for the same,” Fowler explained.

https://rallyjournal.com/inside-toyotas-wrc-base-journalists-got-close-to-the-2027-secret-and-one-big-question-emerged/

[tbazsi95]

Solberg Paraguayan PET
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYP8H4DV2GA

[EstWRC]

Lancia test https://youtu.be/YShOdZRFXsw?si=XP-1OomXuONyPRPp

[dimviii]

same antilag sound as c3

[bearclaw]

Lancia test https://youtu.be/YShOdZRFXsw?si=XP-1OomXuONyPRPp

so it's essentially a C3 Rally2 under the lancia silhouette. the engine sounds a little different.

[spyros]

so it's essentially a C3 Rally2 under the lancia silhouette. the engine sounds a little different.

Beautiful car and livery, hope it will be fast.

[Eli]

so it's essentially a C3 Rally2 under the lancia silhouette. the engine sounds a little different.

It’s not a Peugeot 208? I’m asking that because I remember the outgoing C3 was on PSA’s old PF1 platform while the current 208 & Lancia Ypsilon for that matter are on the CMP platform, I’m aware those are production cars and that Peugeot never had a rally2 208 in this generation but just curious.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

It's interesting that this test car has no camouflage so Lancia must know people will see it and be asking questions. Why dont they come out and tell us the story ?

[Fast Eddie WRC]

so it's essentially a C3 Rally2 under the lancia silhouette. the engine sounds a little different.

From it.motorsport.com

'Speaking of Rally2, Citroën—a brand part of the Stellantis Group—already boasts the C3 in the category. According to what Motorsport.com has learned, the Ypsilon Rally2 isn't expected to share components with its French sister. We'll have to wait at least a few more weeks for the homologation of the Italian four-wheel drive.

[COD]

From it.motorsport.com

'Speaking of Rally2, Citroën—a brand part of the Stellantis Group—already boasts the C3 in the category. According to what Motorsport.com has learned, the Ypsilon Rally2 isn't expected to share components with its French sister. We'll have to wait at least a few more weeks for the homologation of the Italian four-wheel drive.

Smart thing would be take all the good bits from the C3 and improve the ones that are hard to homologate to the old one

[Fast Eddie WRC]

New, Lancia videos..

https://youtu.be/WCeADmGtqmA?si=VXDpKSyqNer4oii_

And with driver L.Rossel speaking...

https://youtu.be/q22GWjskvMk?si=DH4RrJrB1CtRVqOs

[Fast Eddie WRC]

A couple of interesting points re testing on the latest Dirtfish podcast:

1. Fourmaux is testing the 2024 i20 he used in Monte (which he was comfortable in) and comparing it to the 2025 car. He may use it in Croatia !

2. Hyundai are still behind Toyota and need more testing. Should the FIA scrap the testing rules for 2026 to allow any number of test days and help Hyundai become real competitors for Toyota next season?

[macebig]

Hyundai is 1,5 feet out. They won't invest majorly for what is seemingly their final season.

[TypeR]

If Hyundai haven't achieved that in 10 year, they can't do it in next 6 months either..
People laugh st M-Sport that they are rally1.5 or whatever so funny hahaha. But Hyundai has basically infinite budget and they can't even give drivers working cars anymore..

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Hyundai will enter an i20 N Rally1 into the East Belgian Rally next weekend with hometown hero Thierry Neuville driving, as it seeks to avoid a repeat of the Toyota domination of asphalt seen earlier this season.

“It will be a bit of a surprise. I think for everyone’s interest [in the WRC], we can only cross fingers that Hyundai will be up on pace for the next event.”



https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/neuville-to-contest-belgian-asphalt-rally/

[EstWRC]

Tänak

https://youtu.be/ghLymO5VfxY?si=meoSBIYLRNOXBFyM
https://youtu.be/pebJME_y7X4?si=2hMAF_p27UxqqBos

[EstWRC]

Tänak

https://youtu.be/M30dcARxl_A?si=c3YKa8VvP3kO4Ds1

https://youtu.be/R1_gz-GZfDA?si=RwrYBvbUbmYYYrtU

Reportedly he tested both 2024 and 2025 machines

[TypeR]

If I was the head of Hyundai or sth I wouldn't be too happy after spending millions and millions of euros to thid project, begging to get different joker advantages etc.. and they go back to old machinery :D at least try hiding it or they just don't care anymore..

I know, sportswise you choose the best equipment but still it looks bad..(when thinking about next year)

[EstWRC]

For me it seems they are just so afraid of repeating Canaries performance so they are trying everything not to repeat it

I really doubt Tänak will change to 2024 car which was only good with dry tarmac

[Dontcut]

2024 car won in CER 2024.
2025 car sucked all dicks at Canaries 2025. If they are not able to change diffs, then 2024 car looks fine. Offcourse CER and Canaries are different rallies and characteristics.

[flat_right]

For me it seems they are just so afraid of repeating Canaries performance so they are trying everything not to repeat it

I really doubt Tänak will change to 2024 car which was only good with dry tarmac

I wouldn’t be so sure about that. We’ll now have two tarmac events and one gravel round, which, from what I’ve heard, is more of a survival test. The terrain has been described as “diverse and challenging” with volcanic rock, sandy desert sections, gravel, and rough, abrasive surfaces.

Doing this A/B testing was a very good idea, because the issues Hyundai faced in the Canaries were no surprise to them. They hadn’t been able to solve them during pre-event testing. Ott mentioned that the problems he suffered carried over from testing, where Hyundai couldn’t pinpoint a fix. So, if the 2024 car is better and feels more competitive, they’d definitely make the switch. And I believe they could still switch back to the 2025 car for Saudi—or not?

[Eli]

Speaking of the Devil, Tänak testing for the final edition of CER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w91-I1MQZI4

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Will Hyundai still have three 2024-spec cars available if all their drivers think it'll be better ? And what are the Rules once you've homolgated a new version of a car, can you always go back to a previous one ?

[focus206]

What do they mean by 2024 specs, by the way? In 2024 the i20 was hybrid and with Pirelli, so not that. Do they mean the Monte 2025 one, before they introduced the "2025 spec" i20 in Sweden?

[EstWRC]

Yes. In Monte they used the 2024 car without hybrid.

The 2025 has all new suspensio, geometry and what not.

[focus206]

Yes. In Monte they used the 2024 car without hybrid.

The 2025 has all new suspensio, geometry and what not.

If it only ever ran Monte, which is even a "special" event, I'm not sure how can they say if it's better than the 2025 spec one. Okay, they're testing, but still.
On the other hand, Hyundai has little to lose, given the state of the current car and the standings.

[tbazsi95]

Thierry Neuville Test Central European Rally 2025 | Hyundai i20 Rally1 | WRC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItMx_z_5udU

[denkimi]

Neuville is driving the east belgium rally today. I assume as a test for cer.

[EstWRC]

Thierry literally wanted to throw the car into bin

https://x.com/thebestofrally/status/1972354007332249633?s=46&t=AWria8OgC1kV5QC61vX5Xg

[hari]

Sebastien Ogier & Adrien Fourmaux will compete in Herbst Rallye (Austria) on October 11th in preparation for Central European Rally 2025:
https://www.herbstrallye.at/2025/news_herbstrallye_2025_ogier_fourmaux.html

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Rovanpera CER test:

https://youtu.be/vMp9lCsTKc0?si=TA4G3et5cUvuBKnQ

[tbazsi95]

Munster CER PET
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZaWAeMWLk4

[tbazsi95]

Ogier CER PET
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJlDI-eRzj0

[tbazsi95]

Munster & McErlean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aNBctk9WmU

[EstWRC]

Thierry
https://youtu.be/_w1kUMTPUug?si=FEyRxnbeKv1xmYUJ

[tbazsi95]

Ogier CER PET
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LWipufvMWw

[tbazsi95]

WRC Central European Rally 2025 Test - Sebastian Ogier / Herbst Rallye Dobersberg 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNWHb3R-xKg