Croatia: Does the WRC really have to change everything?

Reading the different lists of entrants in the rounds of the world championship, it is clear that there are not enough competitors in the Rally1 category. The number of cars has been decreasing every year since the introduction of hybrids and having 8 vehicles in the elite is not enough. If three or four additional cars would be welcome, we must nevertheless recognize that despite this shortage the competition does not lack interest or animation.

Croatia is only 4^e round of the season and it's impossible to say that the championship so far has been boring. At Monte-Carlo, with 5 special stages remaining, Sébastien Ogier et Thierry Neuville were separated by only 0”8 and no one could predict the outcome of their duel. This continued until Sunday when the Belgian ended up winning. In Sweden, the surprising battle between Esapekka Lappi and Takamoto Katsuta kept the audience in suspense. WRC until the release of the Japanese. The Safari was perhaps less exciting to follow due to Kalle Rovanperä who quickly got his hands on the race, but behind him the places were expensive. The Croatian meeting got off to an exciting start with a close battle between Neuville and Evans which was paused on Friday evening with the two drivers tied in a perfect tie. After three races, there have already been three different winners and if Elfyn Evans or Sébastien Ogier win in Croatia, that could make 4. There are disciplines which offer much less diversity.

Even though they are too expensive, very extreme to drive and probably too fast, the Rally1s put on a fantastic show. Does the course of the 2024 races not prove right to the teams who do not want to move anything? Why embark on expensive modifications for only two seasons (2025-2026)? Won't the transformations desired by the FIA ​​cause a loss of part of the spectacle currently offered by the WRC? Changes must be made, but should they take place for 2 years? Isn't it better to work seriously to propose regulations in 2027 that meet all the objectives and in particular that of finally attracting new manufacturers?