FIA reveals details of future hybrid WRCs

Following the FIA ​​World Council held last Friday in Geneva (Switzerland), the FIA ​​has published further details on the future technical regulations of the WRC which will come into force in 2022.

The FIA ​​presented in particular the pyramid of access to the highest level:

– Rally1 will concern the current WRC with a weight/power ratio of 3,1kg/hp.
– The Rally2 will correspond to the R5 with a weight/power ratio of 4,2kg/hp.
– The Rally3 will come into effect next year with a weight/power ratio of 5,6kg/hp. It will correspond to a Rally4 with 4-wheel drive.
– The Rally4 will correspond to the current R2s with a weight/power ratio of 5,1kg/hp and will be the first level with 2-wheel drive.
– Rally5 will concern the current R1s with a weight/power ratio of 6,4kg/hp and will represent the route to the WRC.

If the hybrid was already announced as the flagship program of the upcoming changes, the WRCs will be simplified in order to correspond more to touring cars.

The Federation has confirmed that the transmission will still be 4-wheel drive, with a five-speed gearbox very similar to the Rally 2 regulations. The central differential will disappear in favor of a simplified differential with a single driveline. Teams will not be able to use more than 6 transmissions per car each year.

In terms of suspensions, wheel travel will be reduced, the shock absorbers will be simplified and their range will be reduced. The simplification will also be effective on the hubs and their supports as well as on the design of the anti-roll bars. Brake fluid cooling will be banned.

Manufacturers will benefit from room for work on the bodywork so that the WRCs remain aggressive. Hidden aero-enhancing ducts will be banned and rear aero elements will be simplified.

In Rally3, manufacturers will be able to convert their bodywork from 2WD to 4×4. Different elements will be common to reduce costs. The width of the vehicle must be identical to the commercial version. The tank will be positioned higher in the car to facilitate the design. Costs will also be limited on engineering with gearbox adjustment possible. The first approvals can be done from January 1, 2021.