WRC mainclass from 2027

[WRCStan]

Are they aiming that WRC27 will replace Rally2 cars alltogether?

Yes.

Discussions wit the FIA, especially Malcolm Wilson.

And if ihe cant commit his Team (M-Sporti) to build a WRC27 car (nor Hyundai) due to limited time, maybe an extension to Rally1.

Otherwise WRC 2027 looks a total mess.

Don't forget the current promoter is still obliged to do it's job until 2034 or whenever it is, or if they get wound up or bankrupt first. You'd need that before the FIA chat with entrants.

M-Sport have complained for years that they cannot sell the Rally1s that are only allowed in WRC, and say they need to sell cars to be commercial viable. If they aren't interested in selling new cars into a vacuum in all the world's championships - they should just wind up business.

There isn't a boat that's leaving where nobody can build a car in the years after 2027. Everything not being perfect for Monte does not mean a death blow for the series. The combined WRC27/Rally2 class is the back up, not Rally1. This 'limited time' thing is fan's impatience. 2027 will be odd, we already knew it.

[Steve Boyd]

Of course wrong word, it is about homologation. This year is the last one when you can homologate new car.

Thank you for the confirmation.

I think it will be mostly Rally2 cars in the top class for quite a few years before there are enough WRC27 cars homologated and built. The new cars will appear at WRC events first but even the requirement to be able to build 10 cars a year won't result in large numbers being available. It took years before R5 cars appeared on any British Rallies after they were launched. Now every small club event has Rally2 & R5 cars. I expect the same to happen with WRC27.

Maybe the way for them to come quicker is for everybody on here to ask their local rally team about supplying a WRC27 car. We only have to ask if we can have one, we don't need to actually place an order but maybe some will then think there's a big demand and start their own development.

[PLuto]

Problem is that most of current Rally2 manufacturers (or at least half of them) is not interested in factory teams or to be in the highest class of rallysport. They are customers oriented... And this WRC27 rules? I think on beginning of next year we will have only one car ready - Toyota...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Next year looks like...

(Factory) GR Yaris WRC27 vs

(Factory) Lancia Rally2; Hyundia Rally2; M-Sport Fiesta Rally2 vs

(Customer Teams) GR Yaris Rally2; Skoda Rally2; Citroen Rally2

[WRCStan]

What's the barriers to entry and incentive for the teams? Just because the top class in combined, it doesn't mean a championship will be open and accessible to every team.

In a combined constructors & teams championship, if WRC27 constructors have to do a minimum 50% of rounds, should that be enforced on Rally2 teams too? Or does that give the constructors an acceptable advantage in the standings?

Even with a constructors only championship with an optimistic 5 constructors, there could still be rounds without constructors championship points being fought.

Either way, how many teams are going to be in South America, Saudi and Japan?

Maybe a promoter steps in, but who do they pick and on what basis?

Good luck to those who have to figure this out.

[deephouse]

I think Toyota wants a challenge and they probably being the only one ready with WRC27 car in time, I think they will seriously think what car they will run against others. Of course they want to win, but they want to win against someone and not no one. Probably Prospeed will not be ready and having almost no information on them just confirms they will not be any opponent at the time. I think that's why Toyota is waiting with announcement what they will do. Everyone wait each others and no one wants to be the first (I don't count Prospeed, because I'm very sceptical about that project).

The barrier for teams will be entry fee which I think someone mentioned is more than the car actually "costs". Many privateers don't have a budget and that's why they enter in WRC2 because it's way cheaper. Next year when there will probably be no WRC2 or completely reconstructed I can't imagine how things will be screwed up.

Also I think I read somewhere that people are pushing for some kind of changes for cars, because some tests suggest that WRC27 car could be slower than Rally2 car.

As WRCStan said, things are more and more complicated. I just don't want to believe there some kind of logic for that.

[WRCStan]

I suspect Prospeed are doing dev work for the technical department, somebody had to. Shouldn't be issues with them being ready.

[typhoon]

Some interesting insights from Project Rally One...

https://www.wrcwings.tech/2026/02/02...eds-rally-one/