WRC mainclass from 2027

[WRCStan]

Something has alienated Manufacturers from WRC / Rally 1 with no new ones joining since Toyota 10 years ago (and both Volkswagen and Citroen leaving).

But Rally2 has continued to have Manufacturers and new cars built in this same period (Fabia RS, GR Yaris, Lancia Integrale, plus Citroen, Ford and Hyundai still developing their old cars).

What does this tell you ?

That customer rallying is big business and the manufacturers have enjoyed selling cars derived from production models into the sport, and that they don't want to do the sport themselves. WRC2 today has Lancia and M-Sport driven Ford, both fronts for customer racing, not for marketing production cars.

What did it all tell you?

[WRCStan]

Yes and no, we have manufacturers building cars, but not manufacturer teams in WRC2 that pay for everything (to my knowledge not many? None?).

The building cars part seems to be profitable, the runnings teams not so much. Last part compounts in Rally1

Consider this; Hyundai could contest WRC2 with no entry fee, but why would they when they shut down their workshop and didn't ship a car for over a year.

There's only Lancia paying to have their name in WRC2. In theory - I wouldn't be surprised if they cut a deal, which is why what comes next year is intriguing. They're also not compelled to do all rounds either and skipped Sweden and Kenya so far, no such luxury for WRC27 constructors.

[Ferranis]

I really, really, wonder how next year will pan out. Since it's only half a year now roughly until and we have not seen even one other WRC27 car.

Either we will have Toyota dominating or BOP'ed out of contention.

it's such an imbalance between Toyota and the other teams, how did we even end up here

[Ferranis]

And dominating or not, my god is this car boring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou4T-lotbl0

Rally3 are more exciting...

[TypeR]

This Youtube shorts video takes it together:
https://youtube.com/shorts/pv5jVIZab...7XprL0FSgZuKQN

[deephouse]

And we still don't know what the situation be in WRC field. Those with WRC27 cars will pay higher fees, need to contest all rounds, and those with Rally2 will have cheaper and doesn't need to contest all. How that is competing alongside? Also if they will demand to Rally2 or WRC2 (if it will be around at all) to contest all rounds, many of them will not sign up for championship, since it will be too expensive.

I wonder now seeing Toyota testing their car, I agree it's a little boring, not exciting enough? Why they simply didn go with formula as the car would be somewhere between Rally1 and Rally2 on power, no expensive weird aero packs and have whatever they want (shape/segment). It would be cheaper than Rally1 and a little more expensive than Rally2 car. That way we could keep pinnacle, drivers wouldn't complain that much and the difference from Rally1 wouldn't be significant.

Toyota could dominate and probably will over tuners and Rally2 teams, but remember that sometimes tuners get right with building the car over the official manufacturer. It's just they will probably doesn't have a budget for likes as Ogier, Neuville or Tanak, except if those blokes will not have any other option.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

That customer rallying is big business and the manufacturers have enjoyed selling cars derived from production models into the sport, and that they don't want to do the sport themselves. WRC2 today has Lancia and M-Sport driven Ford, both fronts for customer racing, not for marketing production cars.

What did it all tell you?

That that's exactly what put off the Manufacturer's from WRC / Rally 1. No business, no sales, all due to the crazy costs. Those Regs have been an abject failure in growing the top level of the sport.

[Ferranis]

And the costs will stay crazy next year. WRC could drive bicycles and Toyota would find a way to spend 100 million a year. Not hating Toyota though, they just play the game to perfection. I am glad they are there. This is a FIA / Promoter problem

[WRCStan]

That that's exactly what put off the Manufacturer's from WRC / Rally 1. No business, no sales, all due to the crazy costs. Those Regs have been an abject failure in growing the top level of the sport.

Disagree, but only because WRC+ and Rally1 were never meant to be customer classes. 3 or 4 teams was comfortably enough for the promoter - which is why I say promoter entries. Now we have 1 and two also-rans, it's not enough.

The crazy costs is a fair point, but there's no cost cutting or significant technical formula that's going to be attracting *new* road car manufacturers to *any* class even. Doesn't TypeR's video sum it up?

The fundamental question of this conversation remains why should road mobility production car manufacturers have a monopoly on supplying these race cars when their core business is the antithesis of speed and racing?

[Ferranis]

Still maybe a bit of stupid idea. But in my oppinion you need to go where racing or off-roading is the core business. High powered street cars like Ferrari / Lambo or jeeps (don't know the brands there). Maybe do both. Tarmac Championship, Gravel championship.

Or .. the cynical route. Let the Saudis buy WRC and inject 5 bazillions like in Dakar ^^