WRC future

[doubled1978]

PSA always said they could return to the WEC, as long new rules allowing a huge cost cut would be presented: https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-ne...rn-to-le-mans/

The WEC is mainly about LM and LM is still a huge name, not only in Europe but also in the US and Asia, markets where PSA is interested to go or expand. Besides, as I’ve said the other day, PSA seems to be drifting from full in-house programs to partnerships with external companies, allowing them to share different knowhows and save on overall costs, something clearly not easy to find in the WRC.

No matter how sad it’s to know Citroen will leave in 2022, as a rally fan I can only thank them for being in the WRC for almost 20 years and continuing to support the sport with their costumeur programs. Salut!

Exactly this, Peugeot have wanted to be back in WEC/Le Mans for a while, but while the Hybrid arms race between Audi/Porsche/Toyota was in full swing they simply couldn’t or didn’t want to afford it. To be fair the budgets that were talked about for Audi and Porsche were insane, and basically for 1 race as the others don’t have huge reach to the public.
The budget level they are talking about now for the new Hypercar class is significantly less than we hear Toyota and Hyundai are spending on WRC, so I can see the appeal for PSA, and they get the LM24 into the mix, which as has been said is a big deal for them.

[mknight]

Le Mans is actually perfect for showcasinf speed+consumtion combination.
I stil remember 1999 when BMW won due to fuel economy even though they were only 3rd fastest car.
I also remember 2010 where the engine of all 3 Peugeots failed.

[Ricardo Filipe Matos]

When will new rules actually be finalised/published so manufacturers can start work?

I see a good chance for Skoda coming back with a hybrid WRC

- 2022 should coincide nicely with the early years of the next generation Fabia

- if it's true they signed Oliver Solberg for three years i doubt he would want to spend three years in R5 cars

- They are now launching lots of new hybrid cars under the iV brand, including the new Octavia this week

Of course it was thought they might come back before when they signed all those drivers in 2018 but that came to nothing so won't get my hopes up too much..

If they come in WRC22 I hope and believe it is with Scala.

[Mirek]

I was just browsing through the football Euro 2020 qualification matches when I noticed huge banners of VW on one of the stadiums. Guess what was the slogan.

"Just electric"

That tells you a lot about the current European automotive. Just saying...

[tomhlord]

I was just browsing through the football Euro 2020 qualification matches when I noticed huge banners of VW on one of the stadiums. Guess what was the slogan.

"Just electric"

That tells you a lot about the current European automotive. Just saying...

Absolutely. Even if combustion remains the top-selling propulsion type right now, a lot of the marketing budgets will be tipped towards full-EV. One, EVs are a big investment and manufacturers need to see a return upon that soon. Two, it makes the whole brand look 'good', or kinder, if you have made an EV.

This makes it potentially harder to justify big WRC investments for some manufacturers, as hybrid is just a halfway house. For me, regulations that cater better to privateers until electric tech and infrastructure enable flat-out rallies without compromise is a must.

[Sulland]

We will just habe to discuss, and wish until

From Autosport: Firm regulations for the new era are expected from the FIA by the end of next month.

[Francis44]

Mr. Herbert Diess just this week:

"“Hybridisation, electrification and digitalisation of our fleet are becoming an increasingly important area of focus. We intend to take advantage of economies of scale and achieve maximum synergies.”

Notice how Hybridisation comes first. Obviously there is some space to promote hybrid technology in the VAG group.

[Indreq]

Today all the hype is about EVs, hybrids are yesterdays news. In this context it seems weird to go for hybrid in WRC. New rules should reflect state-of-the-art, and cars absolutely should have marketing value. Even now hybrids get much less attention than EVs, most people consider them as stop-gap solution for a time when full-electric matured. Can you imagine big manufacturers advertising hybrids in around 2025 while already now EVs are becoming new standard for modern car? Maybe today technology is just a bit raw yet, for example nobody knows how safe are batteries when cars crash, roll or endure such levels of vibration as is common in rally. So give them bit more time to develope, come in with full electrics from 2023 and continue with current ones until then.

[mknight]

VW was saying the same thing already last year, but that also has to do with VW strategy of largely skipping hybrids for full EV.

Anyway WRC/rallying has been behind in the current trend for last 20 years. First running turbo petrol cars when no normal cars had turbos, then switching to S2000 just about the time downsizing started and going for downsizing 2-3 years later than the industry.

[RS]

Skoda launched their first hybrid only this year and have already presented two more. I think they have some marketing value for the next 5-10 years at least.

F1 is still hybrid and no sign of them going full electric yet.