WRC main class in 2025

[AnttiL]

Renault? I wouldn't count on them. When was the last time they had a factory team in WRC? 40 years ago... or more?

https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/...rally/8440031/

[focus206]

Renault? I wouldn't count on them. When was the last time they had a factory team in WRC? 40 years ago... or more?

1987 with the R11

[AnttiL]

1987 with the R11

What about the F2 Megane?

[Kenneth]

They also had factory team in early 2010s with Megane N4, although in ERC

[Kenneth]

But it doesn't really matter when was the last time they had factory team... Renault wants to push Alpine as electric sport car brand, they introduced Renault 5 Turbo electric concept etc..

And I bet Audi would go to WRC if it becomes electric. Big brands usually don't last long in Dakar, as was shown by VW, Peugeot or Mini.

[focus206]

What about the F2 Megane?

With the Megane I'm pretty sure they were just doing Tour de Corse (and maybe Monte?), and Renault wasn't registered as a team because F2 was a lower category. The last actual program possibly aimed at the WRC crown was the 1987 R11.

[doubled1978]

But it doesn't really matter when was the last time they had factory team... Renault wants to push Alpine as electric sport car brand, they introduced Renault 5 Turbo electric concept etc..

And I bet Audi would go to WRC if it becomes electric. Big brands usually don't last long in Dakar, as was shown by VW, Peugeot or Mini.

I don’t think you will see Audi back in WRC anytime soon, electric or not.
Competing with Hyundai and Toyota is not where they see their position in the market place, if the VW group returns I would think it would be Skoda or SEAT (Cupra) that is the brand to do so.
I hope that I am proved wrong, I would love to see Audi back, but I don’t see it happening.

[WRCStan]

These conversation suck because they always gets muddy.

Cannot compare a manufacturer's participation now and 1980s or the 90s cups.

Cannot take "manufacturer wants to return to WRC" when all they want to do is have a {Rally2|3|4|5|GT} available for use in..."

My take: Renault, Alpine, Skoda, anything from Stellantis etc etc whoever, will not be full-time paid up investors in the Rally1 promotional circus. That's at least the topic of the conversation I'm interested in.

[Danny0405]

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/your-...c-drivers-5-1/
After Sainz in WRC polls, it’s now Tanak who won.
Clearly zero value to these polls...

[seb_sh]

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/your-...c-drivers-5-1/
After Sainz in WRC polls, it’s now Tanak who won.
Clearly zero value to these polls...

According to these polls the killer combination is Tanak in an Octavia WRC