Tests transformed into WRC

The drastic restriction on the number of days of driving before rallies continues to have consequences. Lacking kilometers, teams are looking for solutions to work better and increase their chances. Even if it means making fun of the regulations.

Published on 05/02/2023 à 17:37

⁰ View comments)

Teams are increasingly lining up for national rallies to get around the restriction on private testing © Hyundai Motorsport

After a year of operation in WRC, the observation fell, without appeal and without surprise. The use of hybrid Rally1s which appeared at the start of 2022 proved to be too expensive. This concerns the manufacturing of the car, the price of materials of which has sometimes exploded, the amount of the hybrid kit, but also the cost per kilometer. Aware of the heresy, but unable to turn around even if it meant losing face, the FIA looked into the problem and a series of measures were presented during the last World Council, in Bologna (Italy). ) in December. The most dramatic decision concerned the number of testing days. While it was 28 per team in 2022, it was lowered to 21 in 2023.

Adverse reactions

It would be interesting to interview the people who constructed this rule and submitted it for approval. Behind what may appear to be a good idea, had they detected the possible pernicious effects? Even before resulting in any reduction in costs, this influenced the composition of the workforce. Each of the three teams reacted in their own way. At the house of M-Sport, everything has been put in place to allow Ott Tänak to be titled. By aligning