2025 WRC News & Rumours

[PLuto]

Aero implications of Rally1 dehybridisation by WRCWings:

"In summary, drivers will have to get used to slower cars with less aero contribution, which means that the non-hybrid cars will become less effective and less spectacular, at least on some terrains.'

https://www.wrcwings.tech/2024/11/12...hybridisation/

Thats the question if less power and less aero means less spectacular...

[rallyfiend]

Will they be less power?

They could easily change the restrictor to compensate for the loss of the hybrid...

[becher]

Will they be less power?

They could easily change the restrictor to compensate for the loss of the hybrid...

I don't see them doing that.

[becher]

https://www.speedweek.com/wrc/news/2...schlossen.html

According to this (in German), Hybrid is out for 2025.

[becher]

Aero implications of Rally1 dehybridisation by WRCWings:

"In summary, drivers will have to get used to slower cars with less aero contribution, which means that the non-hybrid cars will become less effective and less spectacular, at least on some terrains.'

https://www.wrcwings.tech/2024/11/12...hybridisation/

I find wrcwings entertaining, but there are a few things wrong here.

First of the aero parts on Rally cars are designed to work in a certain range of speed, compared to racing cars the speed range is very low. I'd bet that the slower (or only slightly slower if that, depending if the cars don't require ballast) acceleration out of slow corners won't make a huge difference on how the aero performs. Generally we've seen that drivers don't loose a huge amount of time on most stages when they loose the MGU (see Fourmaux comments at CER about setup vs loss of extra power).

The higher aerodynamic efficiency should of course be true.

The effect of the rear fans is massively overestimated I think. Those fans very likely don't run at a high enough rpm to do a whole lot and they are just normal cooling fans right? To have big effect, they'd have to have a different geometry and run much faster. I think the current fans are more like the one on the McLaren F1 roadcar, whick basically elongated the diffuser artificially. The fact that teams are willing to ditch one fan is proof that they are not a really a big contributer on the aero load. Toyota would have otherwise ended up with a uneven load distribution which you really wouldn't want unless you are on an oval.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Thats the question if less power and less aero means less spectacular...

Yes I thought that. The Rally1 cars have actually been called a bit boring, with all the aero nailing them to the road. Some actually think Rally2 cars are more fun and at the limit more.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I find wrcwings entertaining, but there are a few things wrong here.

First of the aero parts on Rally cars are designed to work in a certain range of speed, compared to racing cars the speed range is very low. I'd bet that the slower (or only slightly slower if that, depending if the cars don't require ballast) acceleration out of slow corners won't make a huge difference on how the aero performs. Generally we've seen that drivers don't loose a huge amount of time on most stages when they loose the MGU (see Fourmaux comments at CER about setup vs loss of extra power).

The higher aerodynamic efficiency should of course be true.

This guy knows his stuff and been studying aero for years, so I'd be careful of being critical. Interesting comments though.

Of course the slower acceleration wont affect the aero effect so much as it's at lower speeds. Its mainly on the high speed sections where the aero really works and lack of hybrid cooling vents will be affecting it much more.

I guess this is why some drivers have complained with the lack of time to properly test the cars' before Monte 2025. As well as performance changing there is also the safety aspect of trusting it at high-speed.

[rallyfiend]

These drivers will complain of course.

But they have no safety concerns driving with half a wing, missing a bumper or half the panels off the car…

[deephouse]

If all cars are Hybrid they are spectacular and those without are sadly in the shadow. If all the cars will be without the unit, they will be spectacular, again over Rally2. If that last category would be the top, I'm pretty sure most of front guys would make them spectacular, because there would not be nothing to compare to, except Rally3 and so on. That's why Rally1- and Rally2+ would never work and that's why multi-power unit thing probaby won't work too (I had exact opposite opinion a while ago). At the end no matter what we end up, I just hope it's worth it for us to watch, to bring new teams, drivers, sponsors, events and spectacle.

[TypeR]

Show me a (regular or even harscore) fan, who (without knowing) can clearly see and say that this car drove by without hybrid..

Look videos of Sesks from Poland, can't say his driving looked crap and not enjoyable..