2024 WRC News & Rumours

[seb_sh]

So first impression, the working group didn't screw up I'm actually overall surprised and impressed:

https://www.fia.com/news/technologie...l-meeting-2024

[typhoon]

Finally, finally, FINALLY they understood the WRC Promoter is not doing its job well! Finally someone pointed this issue out!

There's a bunch of marketing tools still unexplored that NEEDS to be explored. Further Social Media development, reshuffle of actual TV Media Mix (more Free-To-Air broadcasts now!), on-event attractions and entertainment both at the Service Park and on arenas in Special Stages, etc.

Look at Formula 1: multiple hospitality packages, co-driver rides, VIP experiences, memorabilia, merchandising, online engagement, movies/series, showruns in city centers... those things can get loads of money in ROI (return of investment), it's time for the WRC Promoter to step up!

[macebig]

So, we re going to a Rally 2+ and Rally 1- combination for the next season. It pretty much confirms the death of Rally 1, but they will maintain the spaceframe and introduce a cost cap. The "manufacturers and tuners" wording is very interesting as is the opening of the service park. Steps in the right direction,imo, but still a long way to go.

[lmmjvss]

Im suddenly optimistic haha First the new team on youtube, now this.
This Rally2+/Rally1- sounds ok. I can see Msport selling more stuff, I can see Petter/Oliver buidling one of these Rally2+... I can see Paddon doing it? AlAtyah? Prodrive? Citroen and Skoda...? Interesting. Damm, I hate being optismit haha

[Eli]

I think this has gone a bit under the radar: https://dirtfish.com/learn/women-in-...ion-president/

[WRCStan]

I think this has gone a bit under the radar: https://dirtfish.com/learn/women-in-...ion-president/

Not really, there's a lot to read in the WMSC brief, there's a presser and Dirtfish knew about it in advance to announce what, about an hour or so ago.

[Myrvold]

So first impression, the working group didn't screw up I'm actually overall surprised and impressed:

https://www.fia.com/news/technologie...l-meeting-2024

At the same time, there are some curious bits.

• The cost per car will be capped at €400,000 and WRC manufacturers will be required to make their cars available for sale directly from the finish parc fermé of a WRC event.

This almost sounds like Bilcross/Folkrace where every car (with some exceptions) can be bought at the track after the race, and the owner cannot say no. But it can't mean that? What if a team loses all their cars?

• The global calendar may include a small number of shorter sprint-style and longer endurance events in addition to the rallies that follow the existing format. Nevertheless, the overall timed kilometres covered during a season will remain largely unchanged with events still organised on a mix of asphalt, gravel and snow.

I fear this will lead to a lot more sprint-events, and with the FIA seemingly looking to expand the calendar, more short events will still give the "overall timed kilometres largely unchanged".

• The current Rally1 car will continue as the WRC’s flagship vehicle in both 2025 and 2026 but with modifications to reduce cost and performance. These include the removal of the plug-in hybrid unit, with the performance compensated by a reduction in overall weight, and a reduction in the air restrictor and aerodynamics.

• Rally2 cars will continue in their current form for the duration of their homologation as the basis for national and international series. However, Rally2 cars competing on WRC events from 2025 and beyond will have an option to run with a WRC kit consisting of a larger restrictor, a larger exhaust, an optional paddle shift gearbox and a rear wing with the objective of reducing the performance gap between Rally1 and Rally2 cars.

• From 2026, revised Rally1 technical regulations for the WRC’s top-level category will be introduced based on the current Rally1 concept. These regulations will run alongside the current Rally1 regulations for the 2026 season.

This sounds like a small mess tbh. While the current Rally1 cars will be cheaper and easier to run. Who will spend loads of money on a concept that will last for a maximum of 2 years, with a new concept with a set price coming after just one year?
Rally2+ thing sounds interesting, but is it meant to actually compete with the new Rally1 concept in 2026? If so, why make two classes and not just make Rally2+ the main thing? If not, who will take the risk on spending money on such a kit for one year? It has also been tried before with the RRC->WRC, and that wasn't exactly much success either.

In a way it feels like they should've just gone with "some modifications to make Rally1 cheaper for 2025, and a new ruleset for 2026". I think that would've made it more viable for rent-to-drive entries in the style of Bertelli to do some random WRC events in Rally1, while not making a mess out of more classes as well.

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• These new rules will use a common safety cell to reduce costs and complexity, and allow manufacturers and tuners to develop cars with their own bodywork based on production models including B-class, C-Class, compact SUV or a Concept Car designed to tight technical criteria such as centre of gravity and aerodynamics in order to equalize performance.

• The power output will be targeted at 330hp, with the engine performance controlled by a reference torque curve for all cars. Engine and transmission will be cost-capped and technology limited to Rally2 equivalence. Aerodynamic efficiency will be limited along with a top speed restriction to reduce development and cost.

• The cost per car will be capped at €400,000

With the exception that it still reads like a small mess with the Rally2-stuff, and I still don't quite understand where Rally2+ fits in to it all. I like it. It looks like they are trying to take what's the best from the WEC manufacturer-boom rules, and what seemed to work very well for the TCR class when that started, even though TCR have fizzled out a bit lately.

I still think that whatever the rules are, the top class cars in WRC, should be the same cars that drivers can use in national championships. That's how you get a nice amount of privateers trying to do one or two local/"local"/interesting WRC events.

I don't think it's perfect, but it's positive steps at least!

[Rallyper]

At the same time, there are some curious bits.

• The cost per car will be capped at €400,000 and WRC manufacturers will be required to make their cars available for sale directly from the finish parc fermé of a WRC event.

This almost sounds like Bilcross/Folkrace where every car (with some exceptions) can be bought at the track after the race, and the owner cannot say no. But it can't mean that? What if a team loses all their cars?

• The global calendar may include a small number of shorter sprint-style and longer endurance events in addition to the rallies that follow the existing format. Nevertheless, the overall timed kilometres covered during a season will remain largely unchanged with events still organised on a mix of asphalt, gravel and snow.

I fear this will lead to a lot more sprint-events, and with the FIA seemingly looking to expand the calendar, more short events will still give the "overall timed kilometres largely unchanged".

• The current Rally1 car will continue as the WRC’s flagship vehicle in both 2025 and 2026 but with modifications to reduce cost and performance. These include the removal of the plug-in hybrid unit, with the performance compensated by a reduction in overall weight, and a reduction in the air restrictor and aerodynamics.

• Rally2 cars will continue in their current form for the duration of their homologation as the basis for national and international series. However, Rally2 cars competing on WRC events from 2025 and beyond will have an option to run with a WRC kit consisting of a larger restrictor, a larger exhaust, an optional paddle shift gearbox and a rear wing with the objective of reducing the performance gap between Rally1 and Rally2 cars.

• From 2026, revised Rally1 technical regulations for the WRC’s top-level category will be introduced based on the current Rally1 concept. These regulations will run alongside the current Rally1 regulations for the 2026 season.

This sounds like a small mess tbh. While the current Rally1 cars will be cheaper and easier to run. Who will spend loads of money on a concept that will last for a maximum of 2 years, with a new concept with a set price coming after just one year?
Rally2+ thing sounds interesting, but is it meant to actually compete with the new Rally1 concept in 2026? If so, why make two classes and not just make Rally2+ the main thing? If not, who will take the risk on spending money on such a kit for one year? It has also been tried before with the RRC->WRC, and that wasn't exactly much success either.

In a way it feels like they should've just gone with "some modifications to make Rally1 cheaper for 2025, and a new ruleset for 2026". I think that would've made it more viable for rent-to-drive entries in the style of Bertelli to do some random WRC events in Rally1, while not making a mess out of more classes as well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

• These new rules will use a common safety cell to reduce costs and complexity, and allow manufacturers and tuners to develop cars with their own bodywork based on production models including B-class, C-Class, compact SUV or a Concept Car designed to tight technical criteria such as centre of gravity and aerodynamics in order to equalize performance.

• The power output will be targeted at 330hp, with the engine performance controlled by a reference torque curve for all cars. Engine and transmission will be cost-capped and technology limited to Rally2 equivalence. Aerodynamic efficiency will be limited along with a top speed restriction to reduce development and cost.

• The cost per car will be capped at €400,000

With the exception that it still reads like a small mess with the Rally2-stuff, and I still don't quite understand where Rally2+ fits in to it all. I like it. It looks like they are trying to take what's the best from the WEC manufacturer-boom rules, and what seemed to work very well for the TCR class when that started, even though TCR have fizzled out a bit lately.

I still think that whatever the rules are, the top class cars in WRC, should be the same cars that drivers can use in national championships. That's how you get a nice amount of privateers trying to do one or two local/"local"/interesting WRC events.

I don't think it's perfect, but it's positive steps at least!

Is it April-fool day?

[Eli]

Is it April-fool day?

Still have 33 days until then

[drive]

Post 2026 Rally1- based on 'frame', its freedom for models... rally2+ based on egsisting rally2 cars, so 'new rally1' concept keeps open doors to enter wrc for new 'tuners' without factory homoglogated rally2... good 😀