WRC mainclass from 2027

**deephouse** · Yesterday, 13:44

Why there is still no announcements, Because FIA is too late. Everytime they do something it's too late. Those regs should be fully published years ago. And not throwing only some hints and then negotiate for a 8 months, and then again some hints. How would any team be able to made a good car, especially if that team isn't funded that well as Toyota. And again we hear that they are the only ones that actually started working on a new car. If Mikkelsen is claiming that he is convincing Skoda to join, that only means that they probably will not be here, because they would not wait so long. Probably we will se some new names (really big IF) in 2028 or beyond, and not in 2027 as it's suggested by officials. Right now the series is fragile it could collapse even before it could start well. I'm happy that regs will be somehow open again, but their timeline for decisions is harming this sport really hard. Why mechanics can completely rebuild the car in a few hours which is a hell of a job and those with ties can't decide anything with no deadline at all. All they do is talk for straight 8 hours during their work day. And why does it take 15 years to actually decide anything? I will never understood those offices jobs. No efficiency at all and when there is even that is completely useless.

**Fast Eddie WRC** · Yesterday, 13:46

Originally Posted by WRCStan

Do you mean for the whole period or just for one year?

For the whole next period...

**saco0o** · Yesterday, 14:00

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

I have my own idea from what I've heard and read, but can anyone give their understanding of why they're NOT just making Rally2 (or Rally2+) Cars the top Class in 2027 ? By this I mean a car based on a road car shell as currently.

if i'm understanding this correctly, the current R5s will be allowed to compete as the top class for the next 10 years while these models are "phased out" by the new wrc27 - so...theres that. "R5s are the new top class", in fact.

it is a sucessful formula, so FIA is kinda keeping that (since all components for the new cars are the same from current R5s), but adding more safety via the tube frame cars.
its going to take some years for the new machines to be MEGA present around europe - and the R5s will still be there anyway.
and they decided this set of rules also thiking about national and regional championships, so theres gotta be more than we know to it. like, did they talked to these national level entities and pro competitors? probably yes (i hope!)

so.... IN A WAY, R5s are the new class. i imagine the new wrc27 will eventually be stronger, for sure. but stuff like road position will still play a part, no? even if we have 40 R5s and 3 WRC27 Toyotas, i dont think Toyota will win every event, no way.

**Fast Eddie WRC** · Yesterday, 15:24

Originally Posted by saco0o

if i'm understanding this correctly, the current R5s will be allowed to compete as the top class for the next 10 years while these models are "phased out" by the new wrc27 - so...theres that. "R5s are the new top class", in fact.

it is a sucessful formula, so FIA is kinda keeping that (since all components for the new cars are the same from current R5s), but adding more safety via the tube frame cars.
its going to take some years for the new machines to be MEGA present around europe - and the R5s will still be there anyway.
and they decided this set of rules also thiking about national and regional championships, so theres gotta be more than we know to it. like, did they talked to these national level entities and pro competitors? probably yes (i hope!)

so.... IN A WAY, R5s are the new class. i imagine the new wrc27 will eventually be stronger, for sure. but stuff like road position will still play a part, no? even if we have 40 R5s and 3 WRC27 Toyotas, i dont think Toyota will win every event, no way.

Yeah, I know all that and get it.

But I'm asking why they arent continuing with NEW Rally2 cars built as they are now, based on a road car shell ?

Only Toyota has built one recently (and that was easy for them as they had a rally-ready road car in the 4WD GR Yaris). But the likes of M-Sport Ford, Hyundai & Citroen havent built a new Rally2 car and are still hanging on with cars that are 5+ years old and some not even sold any more.

I assume they've spoken to these and other Manufacturer's and they said they cant build a new Rally2 Car with the road cars they now produce, as M-Sport have said with the Puma, because they're not viable for rallying ?

**saco0o** · Yesterday, 15:55

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

Yeah, I know all that and get it.
But I'm asking why they arent continuing with NEW Rally2 cars built as they are now, based on a road car shell ?
(...)
I assume they've spoken to these and other Manufacturer's and they said they cant build a new Rally2 Car with the road cars they now produce, as M-Sport have said with the Puma, because they're not viable for rallying ?

yes, i'd go with something along these lines too mate. FIA gotta follow some EU guidelines, right? also cultural shift. im not from europe but from the stuff i read, manufacturers are little by little moving away from ICE Hatchbacks. the new bodyshells are all built with other specifications to acomotade hybrids and batteries - and I dont think manufacturers are completely giving up on autonomous driving too (more computers). and they are mostly SUVs.

so thats probably the reason, yes! (long term stuff too)...and we KNOW rally fans would HATE SUVS lol. even if they were "ICE".
and most are either Hybrid (it didnt worked) or EV (that would be the death of the sport for half of the audience, lets be honest)

plus the whole MORE SAFETY from the new tubeframes that FIA must implement.

**Fast Eddie WRC** · Yesterday, 16:51

Cheers. I'm arguing with that YouTube guy who is totally against the spaceframe car for WRC27 and wants to keep Rally2 cars as the top class.

I said if it was possible they would be, that's an easy answer to it, but it's not because Manufacturers cant use the shells of cars they sell nowadays as they're too big or tall.

**saco0o** · Yesterday, 17:56

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC

Cheers. I'm arguing with that YouTube guy who is totally against the spaceframe car for WRC27 and wants to keep Rally2 cars as the top class.

I said if it was possible they would be, that's an easy answer to it, but it's not because Manufacturers cant use the shells of cars they sell nowadays as they're too big or tall.

on facebook i saw the same discussions. im jus...i mean, we are all just guessing here, sure. but that seems a plausible argument: next gen of road cars are all suv hybrids or electric. 'do we want huge suvs rallying'?
tho there are crossovers, they are ok. but they are also all hybrids, eh? you are from britain, not sure if the car market is similar over there. here in south america new cars are ALL hybrid SUVs and electric Sedans. more and more are from BYD and that other chinese brand... "Great Wall something something" ? (cool name tbh)
the smaller 'new car' here is the Renegade lol

**Fast Eddie WRC** · Today, 08:39

It's ironic that Toyota, the team with the last new Rally2 Car, are the first (and so far only) ones committed to a new WRC27 Car. Where would the WRC be without them and their rally-fan boss Mr Toyoda ?!

**OldF** · Today, 13:52

Funny that when they were negotiating which engine to use from 2022 onwards, M-Sport and Hyundai wanted to use a rally2 engine but Toyota wanted to continue with the current rally1 engine, global race engine. Now Toyota is the only one (so far) that has start developing a car with a rally2 engine.

https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/the-i...22-tech-rules/
“DirtFish: Earlier this year, it was clear the manufacturers were divided over the way forward with the Internal Combustion Engine side of 2022. M-Sport and Hyundai favoured a move to a Rally2 base engine, while Toyota wanted to stick with the current Global Race Engine”

I don’t know but I interpret from the interview with Tom Fowler that FIA has developed specs for a “global” rally2 engine. Manufacturers build the engine with the same specs and if someone want to use a production engine they can present that to FIA.

https://rallyjournal.com/major-revel...lready-agreed/

4.8.2025
“What I understand is there’s a specific chapter that tells you how to build an engine for the championship. If you want to commit, you follow that chapter – all the information is clearly written down,” Fowler explained.”

“There’s also an appendix that says if a manufacturer or tuner has a different requirement – for a production engine, electrification, or similar – they can present it to the FIA. The regulation could then be adapted to include more people. But as I understand it, no one has made that application, so no extra chapter has been written,” Fowler revealed.”