The WRC cars must return to what they were just three years ago. Namely pure petrol cars. The hybrid part is scrapped after much criticism.
It had to be so good. But in reality it was bad with the hybrid cars in the world rally championship, WRC.
That is why the cars are now disappearing after just three years out of the classification and the rule book, as written by the international motor sports federation, FIA.
The organization states this in a press release .
Specifically, it is the top class Rally1, which got hybrid engines in 2022, that is now scrapping the idea again. The cars are currently running with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo engine coupled to an electric motor with 134 horsepower.
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All good for a total performance of well over 500 horsepower. Rally cars haven't had this much muscle since Group B was banned in 1987.
But now it's over. The car factories and rally teams complain about complicated cars and excessively high development costs.
Therefore, the decision is rolled back from the 2025 season. This will mean less horsepower, although the cars without the hybrid part will also be a good deal lighter. And from 2026 there are even more rule changes to look forward to.
To keep costs down, all cars from that year must be built on one common platform, although the car factories are allowed to build their own bodies.
But the cars? They will be exactly the same. All in all, something that should make it possible to develop a Rally1 car for 400,000 euros, equivalent to 2.9 million kroner. Or less.
