The World Rally Championship has had two things in decline for a while now: the number of people not named Sebastien able to win a title in the past 17 years (one) and its manufacturer pool, down to three. As it introduces a radical change in regulations first announced in 2019 to move towards hybrid technology at the highest level of rallying, the rules were solidified before M-Sport Ford, Toyota and Hyundai had technically agreed on a way to work with them—the kind of bump in the road that might phase even superhuman rally automaton Ogier.
A year ago, the FIA announced Compact Dynamics as its supplier for hybrid elements in the new-for-2022 Rally1 class. Replacing WRC1 as the highest class of the championship—and the only one eligible for WRC teams’ and drivers’ points—Rally1 has some shared architecture. This includes an internal roll cage as well as the 3.9-kilowatt-hour battery and 100kW motor-generator unit that will be supplied for all cars to keep costs down with the automakers then building their own engine and chassis architecture.
It might come as a surprise, given how far along the plans were—and the relative proximity of 2022, in motorsport development terms—that the three remaining automakers hadn’t really agreed how that was going to work yet. Fortunately, they have now. Under a “new deal” contract, they will essentially work together on developing technology for the cars, including committing funds to a mutual research pool.
That’s not just the teams; the FIA is also stumping up its own cash as an equal fourth party within the agreement to reduce the financial burden on manufacturers and make sure the project is, basically, going to happen. At this level, that’s unprecedented and represents the FIA spotting something it may yet have to deal with in other series. Unless a solution like LMDh in WEC can be found to encourage privateer entrants with (relatively) low-cost, generic chassis, and power unit supply, the costs of hybrid motorsport development programs may simply be too much for automakers to really justify, post-COVID.
This is a problem, given that the FIA doesn’t really have any choice but to push them forwards. Motorsport is hard to justify to a board at the moment and motorsport using only internal combustion technology is much harder to demand any kind of budget to develop, while automakers redirect their resources to hybrid, EV and battery tech.
The agreement reached with Ford, Toyota and Hyundai is encouraging, though, especially as the FIA was able to secure a three-year deal, which means the investment for each party is secure until the end of 2024. In the meantime, it does risk shutting other manufacturers out of the series but it has to be said, “too many people trying to get in” hasn’t really been a problem WRC has had lately. Allowing any new entrants a three-year run up to more open hybrid development is a realistic lead time, anyway.
Got a story tip? Mail me on [email protected]
RELATED
Prodrive’s Extreme Dakar Rally Buggy Is Getting a Street-Legal Version With Even More Power
The company's BRX T1 is set to be homologated for road use soon.READ NOW
RELATED
The '80s MG EX-E Was a Rally-Derived Supercar From Brighter British Car Days
It would've had the greatest-sounding road-legal V6 of all time, all-wheel drive, and an interior belonging on the cover of a vaporware album.READ NOW
RELATED
Here’s How Brand New Ford Escort-Inspired Rally Classics Are Being Made in Wales
Turnkey MK1 and MK2 models are available with up to 350 horsepower.READ NOW
RELATED
This Ship Is Carrying an Entire Electric Rally Racing Series, and It'll Be Sailing the Globe for a Year
The ship will lower Extreme E's carbon footprint by carrying all team and series personnel, cars, gear, and not return home until the season is over.READ NOW
RELATED
The New GMC Hummer EV Is Going Rally Racing
Chip Ganassi’s Extreme E race truck will be a Hummer, at least on the outside.READ NOW
Source: Read Full Article