FIA reveals 2027 WRC rules, new factors system for 2025

The FIA has revealed the longer term pathway for the World Rally Championship with the discharge of the 2027 technical rules and a new-look factors system to be launched subsequent 12 months.

The World Motor Sport Council has confirmed the brand new look ‘WRC27’ vehicles will probably be extra versatile and constructed to a price cap of €345,000 in a bid to encourage extra groups and producers to compete. The rules will function on a 10-year cycle.  

Decreasing prices has been a key component of the brand new ruleset after the present Rally1 vehicles’ prices reached nearly a million euros.

These price financial savings will probably be achieved by element price specs somewhat than monetary rules. There can even be financial savings within the technical designs of sure parts that may make them extra sturdy over the course of a rally.

Along with decreasing the price of the vehicles themselves, working prices for groups are set to be lowered by limiting personnel, decreasing logistics transport prices, rising the usage of native amenities and rising information connectivity to help offsite engineering.

The Rally1 vehicles will proceed to be based mostly across the present area body chassis however will probably be constructed to allow producers to run a variety of powertrains, together with the inner combustion engine, hybrid and full electrical. It’s understood a torque meter will probably be utilised to equalise know-how ought to producers go for completely different powertrains.

Bodywork from nearly any scaled manufacturing automotive may be fitted to the protection cell, which means that hatchbacks may conceivably compete in opposition to saloons, SUVs, and there’s even the likelihood for bespoke rally idea designs to take to the levels from 2027.

Motorsport.com understands that the velocity of the 2027 vehicles will probably be slower than the present Rally1 and nearer to the tempo of the top-tier WRC vehicles from 2012-2016.

The rules lay the groundwork for the potential for a cross-over between the FIA World Rally Championship and the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Whereas it might nonetheless require additional approvals and updates, the foundations set the stage for a producer or a workforce to run concurrent programmes, probably with completely different powertrains catering for the particular wants of every championship.

“The rules that we now have authorized as we speak are vital to the long-term progress of the FIA World Rally Championship. They lay the foundations for an thrilling future with a concentrate on price containment, sustainability and rising participation on the high stage of rallying,” stated FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

New factors system confirmed for 2025

The FIA has additionally confirmed that the controversial factors system launched for this season will bear a change for 2025.

This 12 months’s all-new factors construction has proved a sizzling subject amongst opponents and followers because of its complexity and weighting that many really feel has devalued the general rally victory.

The factors have been cut up throughout Saturday and Sunday, with drivers in a position to declare provisional factors for his or her total place on the finish of Saturday’s leg that are then banked in the event that they attain the top of the rally.

A sliding scale of 18-15-13-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 was awarded to the highest 10 on the finish of Saturday, however solely to these crews who attain Sunday’s occasion end.

Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Picture by: Toyota Racing

Along with this, Sundays featured a separate factors allocation [7-6-5-4-3-2-1] to the highest seven quickest crews throughout Sunday’s levels on high of the 5-4-3-2-1 system for the highest 5 instances on the rally-ending Energy Stage.

Whereas the brand new system was designed to enhance the motion on Sunday, and has been extremely efficient at creating pleasure, drivers and groups have been extremely vital of the factors weighting of the system that has been derided on a number of events.

A lot of proposals to tweak the system had been put ahead by the WFC Fee earlier this 12 months earlier than the FIA settled on the route for 2025.

That may see factors will awarded based mostly on the final classification of every rally utilizing the next scale: 25-17-15-12-10- 8- 6- 4- 2-1 for the highest 10.

Further factors will probably be awarded to the highest 5 quickest crews on Sunday along with the customary 5-4-3-2-1 supplied for the Energy Stage.

“The revised format brings simplification by eradicating Saturday factors, reduces the probabilities of a rally winner scoring fewer factors than the second-placed competitor, and proceed to reinforce Sunday’s pleasure and competitiveness,” in keeping with the FIA.

“The “Tremendous Sunday” format will keep its function as a vital competitors day, whereas the Energy Stage stays a key component for broadcasters and followers alike.”