Метка: wrc

The WRC title balancing act facing Neuville and Hyundai in Japan

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Thierry Neuville has opened up on the balancing act he faces in Japan to secure a maiden World Rally Championship crown and contribute to Hyundai’s manufacturers’ title bid.

Neuville heads into the season finale as the heavy favourite to claim what would be a career-defining title, with a 25-point lead over Hyundai team-mate Ott Tanak. The Belgian only needs to score six points to seal the championship.

The task however is far from simple given Japan’s asphalt roads are among the WRC’s most challenging where small but critical mistakes can happen on the slippery and twisty roads.

Adding to this dynamic, Hyundai holds a 15-point lead in the manufacturers’ title fight against Toyota as the Korean marque seeks to secure its first title since 2020.

When asked how he was feeling ahead of the rally given what is at stake, Neuville told Motorsport.com: «I’m excited, but excited to finish this rally on a good note.

«There is nothing more we can do. Everything has been checked and done and the unpredictability will be road conditions tomorrow, so we cannot do much at the moment about that.»

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Neuville admits he will have to strike a balance in regard to risks while ensuring he doesn’t fall into the trap of driving too slowly. The five-time WRC title runner-up is also fully aware of how Japan’s roads can bite after crashing out of last year’s edition while fighting for the win.

«I will follow my feeling on the first couple of stages and then basically we will adapt depending on the results of the other drivers and then we will manage,» he said.

«At the beginning of the rally we will just follow my feeling like we did in shakedown this morning. The target was just to try to follow our normal rhythm.

«It’s like a balance between obviously pushing and taking risks or driving too slow as well. We also want to be there and support the team in case we can be helpful for the manufacturers’ title. That will depend a lot on my team-mates as well, I expect them to be faster than us this weekend.»

While Tanak’s title hopes are slim, any problem for Neuville could hand the Estonian a golden opportunity to claim a second world title.

The 2019 world champion admits there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders as he will also carry the burden of leading the team’s attack to secure the manufacturers’ title.

«It’s still a lot of pressure. The drivers’ title is kind of theoretical, but the manufacturers’ really very much open and I definitely can’t let Toyota to take a 1-2-3 like they did last year, so we clearly need to be in the mix and competitive with performance. So it’s still a lot to do to defend the position,» Tanak told Autosport.

Andreas Mikkelsen, Hyundai World Rally Team, Ott Tänak, Hyundai World Rally Team, Thierry Neuville, Hyundai World Rally Team

Andreas Mikkelsen, Hyundai World Rally Team, Ott Tänak, Hyundai World Rally Team, Thierry Neuville, Hyundai World Rally Team

Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport

Hyundai is refusing to let complacency creep into its preparations for the event despite the fact it has already secured the drivers’ crown and is handily placed for a title double.

«The mood is good. I can feel that there is a positive vibe, positive attitude, which is good, but I think it’s also my role to make sure that we are not taking things for granted,” said team principal Cyril Abiteboul.

«The last thing that we want to happen is a reliability issue or execution issue, and on the reliability side we have been good this year. Once again I said my three words in the team briefing yesterday: reliability, reliability, reliability.

«Thierry will be fairly risk-averse and we need to understand that we should not be frustrated if he’s not as high as what we would like in the classification.

«I think he wants to contribute to our objective of the weekend, which includes having a go at the championship. For the other two [Tanak and Andreas Mikkelsen] it’s very clear that they have nothing to do other than push and attack and do the best they can.»

Should Hyundai falter in its bid to secure the team’s title, rivals Toyota are waiting to pounce.

Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

The Japanese brand is eager to salvage silverware from a difficult campaign with drivers Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and Sebastien Ogier primed for an “all or nothing” approach to try and replicate last year’s podium lockout.

«I think it is all or nothing at the moment. We can only gain and we can’t lose more but to achieve that you have to keep the cars on the road, so we can’t afford mistakes,» said Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala.

«We had a bit of a talk yesterday and the drivers know the situation. We need to work together and we need all the drivers to do a strong performance, then it is possible to achieve the manufacturers’ title. It is very difficult but it is not impossible.»



Source link

Tanak can fight “without hands tied” in WRC title decider

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Ott Tanak will be able to fight “without his hands tied” at the World Rally Championship title-deciding Rally Japan, according to Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul.

Both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles will go down to the wire on Japan’s asphalt stages this weekend, with the former to be fought between Hyundai team-mates Thierry Neuville and Tanak.

Neuville leads 2019 champion Tanak by 25 points and is the favourite to claim his maiden world title, with the Belgian only needing to score six points to secure the coveted crown. It will be the first time Hyundai has piloted a driver to the world championship.

While Tanak’s chances of claiming a second title are slim, Abiteboul says his drivers are free to fight each other.

But the Frenchman has emphasised a need for Hyundai to maintain its advantage over Toyota, which currently stands at 15 points, to seal a first manufacturers’ crown since 2020.

“I think Thierry, and we can all understand him, he will naturally take a fairly reasonable approach because he has everything to lose from his perspective,” Abiteboul told Motorsport.com.

“But on Ott’s side it is quite the opposite; he has nothing to lose and therefore I expect and look forward to seeing him in action without his hands tied to anything, so that will be interesting to see.

“He knows that we need him for the manufacturers’ championship, so that is going to be interesting dynamic.

Podium: Ott Tänak, Martin Järveoja, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Podium: Ott Tänak, Martin Järveoja, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport

“Of course [Ott can fight], but let’s look at the buffer. It is quite big, so Thierry will need to have big issues for Ott to become a threat to him.

“This is why Thierry will make sure he goes through without a big issue.”

Heading into the event, Neuville described his championship lead as “comfortable”, but admitted he would need to find the right balance with his drive to ensure he secures the title and helps Hyundai achieve the constructors’ crown.

“It is a comfortable lead; the worst-case scenario is we need to take six points,” Neuville told Motorsport.com. “In any other scenario, we are pretty fine.

“We need to find the right balance [in Japan] because there is still the manufacturers’ championship to fight for and nevertheless we have that third car with Andreas [Mikkelsen] who will go for a push. We need to find a good balance in between a safe but good drive.”

For his part, Tanak believes there is little he can do to wrestle the title away from his team-mate.

“I don’t know what difference we can make, but we will try our best,” Tanak told Motorsport.com. “But with this scoring system it doesn’t make much difference.

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport

“It is true [a retirement can change things], I guess it depends how much Thierry wants it. If he is smart in Japan and does a good job, then nobody has a chance.

“But we also have a responsibility for the manufacturers’ championship. It is still a big job ahead of us so we can’t really focus only on the drivers’ title, we are responsible for the team too.”

Read Also:



Source link

Toyota targets «almost perfect” Rally Japan to snatch WRC title

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala believes it could take «an almost perfect» Rally Japan to wrestle the World Rally Championship manufacturers’ crown from Hyundai.

The Japanese marque heads into the season finale on home soil sitting 15 points adrift of rivals Hyundai in the fight for the constructors’ honours.

Toyota has claimed a manufacturers’ and drivers’ title double in each of the last three seasons, but this year it has already missed out on the drivers’ crown which will be claimed by Hyundai drivers Thierry Neuville or Ott Tanak.

This week’s Rally Japan however offers a chance to end the season with silverware although Latvala knows it will require strong performances from its trio of drivers Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and Sebastien Ogier.

Such a result has been proven possible on Japan’s asphalt stages after Toyota sealed a 1-2-3 in the event last year.

The team is also in the running to win the WRC2 title with Sami Pajari needing to finish either first or second to deny Oliver Solberg the championship.

«All of the main championships are still to be decided, including in WRC2. We still have a chance in the manufacturers’ championship, and we are very motivated and determined to try and win it in Japan,» said Latvala.

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

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

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

«It may take almost a perfect weekend from our side, but we achieved that in Chile which gives us confidence that it’s possible, as does our amazing 1-2-3 finish in Japan last year.

«It’s a demanding rally for the drivers and at this time of year the weather can be unpredictable, but this also gives us opportunities.

«Elfyn won there last year and relishes those kinds of conditions, while Seb will want to finish the season on a high and Taka is feeling confident for his home event after his strong finish in Central Europe.

«Lastly, it has been great to see the performance of the GR Yaris Rally2 car this year, together with that of Sami Pajari, and if he can win the WRC2 title in Japan it would be a fantastic story.»

Ogier, a previous winner of the event back in 2010, is keen to turn around his fortunes after errors in each of the last three rounds.

The eight-time world champion agrees that the team will need to deliver strong drives to end the year with a title.

«It’s always exciting to go to Rally Japan, and especially this year given we are still in a fight to try and secure the manufacturers’ title,» said Ogier.

«We know that we are not in the ideal position and we need a close-to-perfect weekend for the team, but it’s definitely not out of reach.

«Our performance recently has been good and on my side, we want to turn around our fortunes and transform that speed into a good result.»



Source link

How losing hybrid will affect WRC Rally1 cars in 2025

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Adjusting to life without hybrid power in the World Rally Championship next year won’t require «a huge amount of work» in the off-season, according to M-Sport-Ford lead engineer Tim Jackson. 

Last week the FIA confirmed that, as predicted, the 100kW control hybrid kits will be removed from Rally1 cars next year, having been first introduced in 2022 as part of the Rally1 ruleset. 

The decision for cars to rely solely on 1.6 litre turbocharged internal combustion engines — powered by 100% sustainable fuel — for propulsion has been triggered due to a rise in the cost of running hybrid units, following the introduction of new safety guidelines at Greece’s Acropolis Rally in September.

Supplier Compact Dynamics stipulated that all hybrid units would have to be stripped and sent back to its factory for full repair if they suffered three shock errors over 15G or one over 25G. Earlier this year these units could be reset on site during a rally.

M-Sport, the only non-full factory team in the top class, subsequently raised concerns about the feasibility of running a Rally1 programme following the change.

These fears have now been allayed with the confirmation that hybrid power will be abandoned, although this change will require teams to carry out work to prepare and fine-tune their cars for 2025. 

In addition to the removal of hybrid the FIA has confirmed that the car’s minimum weight has been reduced from 1260 kilograms to 1180 kilograms given the hybrid unit weighs 87kg. A slightly smaller air restrictor — 35mm instead of 36mm — will also be mandatory.

Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Photo by: M-Sport

While the changes on paper are not as significant as those proposed earlier this year, teams will now have to work with ballast — affecting the cars’ centre of gravity — to meet the minimum weight now the hybrid unit has been removed.  

«The regulations that they have proposed and been voted on have a slightly lower weight limit for the car overall with a view that it increases the safety kind of things, and there is a slightly smaller engine restrictor as well,» Jackson told Motorsport.com.

«The power-to-weight ratio is the same basically. 

«There is some work to do on ballast to adjust the car to that weight. When you have ballast to play with you have the opportunity to move the centre of gravity, but ultimately, we will be getting rid of a big 100 kilo lump in one part of the car. 

«When we know the handling of the car was quite okay where we are at, we are not going to vary a huge amount away from that baseline. 

«Ballast is one area where we will have a bit more flexibility and the rest of it is taking off the cooling system and covering up the openings, whether that be on the main quarters or on the internal openings. It is not a huge amount of work.»

The uncertainty over the 2025 regulations has left teams’ development plans in limbo to a certain degree. Although, M-Sport has already spent a homologation joker on improving its gear ratios for next year, Hyundai and Toyota also have significant developments for their vehicles underway.  

Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

«There is obviously the discussion of hybrid or no hybrid which has made the year difficult from a development point of view,» added Jackson.

«At the start of the year we were all thrown a curveball with what might be happening next year and it was a long time getting that resolved, so you put in place a development plan for the year and then it might be turned on its head again. 

«It is quite frustrating to have a development plan for the year going forward especially being a team with limited resources. You have to choose really wisely where you put those resources. 

«You can’t really use a scattergun approach and do everything. Gear ratios are one of the things the drivers have identified as something we can improve. They will be used from Monte Carlo onwards. 

«We are limited with the five-speed gearbox on the regulations it is more the lower gears. Fourth and fifth are staying the same but we have altered the lower end to remove the reliance on the hybrid in these times.»



Source link

WRC drops hybrid power as part of 2025 Rally1 refresh

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The World Rally Championship has announced that it will drop hybrid units from Rally1 cars in 2025.

As reported by Motorsport.com earlier, the 100kW plug-in hybrid system that was first introduced in 2022 along with the current-generation Rally1 cars has been axed due to rising costs.

The decision was ratified by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Friday following an e-vote and will result in Rally1 cars being powered entirely by internal combustion engines next year.

The cost of running hybrid units has gone up since control supplier Compact Dynamics introduced new safety guidelines at Greece’s Acropolis Rally in September.

The company stipulated that all hybrid units will have to be stripped apart and sent back to its factory for full repair if they suffered three shock errors over 15G or one over 25G. Earlier, these units could be reset on site during a rally.

M-Sport, the only non-full factory team in the top class, subsequently raised concerns about the feasibility of running a Rally1 programme following the change.

2025 WRC Rally1 technical changes

2025 WRC Rally1 technical changes

Photo by: FIA

The matter was discussed between all stakeholders, with a decision taken ahead of next week’s finale in Japan.

In a statement revealing the change, FIA’s Chief Technical and Safety Officer Xavier Mestelan-Pinon stated that the current units supplied by Compact Dynamics are “no longer in the best interests of the WRC”.

He said: “Following extensive dialogue with key stakeholders, it became clear that continuing to use the plug-in hybrid units provided under the existing supplier agreement was no longer in the best interests of the FIA World Rally Championship. 

“We can now move forward in full confidence that the WRC becomes even better and stronger, with developments that are in line with the working perspective for the 2027 technical regulations. 

“Once again, we have highlighted the championship’s ability to adapt without diluting the sporting spectacle, while responsibly embracing the challenges of our times.

“We are also pleased that the use of 100 percent sustainable fuel remains a cornerstone of the championship’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact.”

To maintain the same power-to-weight ratio as in 2024, the minimum weight of Rally1 cars will be lowered from 1260kg to 1180kg and the air restrictor size has been reduced from 36mm to 35mm.

The FIA also highlighted the example of Martiṇs Sesks, who took part in Poland in a non-hybrid Ford Puma, as proof of the concept of current Rally1 cars running without additional electric power.

Read Also:



Source link

Croatia strikes new deal to rejoin WRC in 2026

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Croatia will return to the World Rally Championship calendar in 2026 after securing a new multi-year agreement. 

The asphalt event made its WRC debut in 2021, quickly becoming a regular hosting four editions of the event, before losing its place on the 2025 calendar.

The WRC Promoter was in discussions to renew its agreement, with a three-year deal on the table beginning from 2025, but organisers were unable to secure the support and guarantees from the local government.

However, government support has since been sourced in order to strike a new three-year deal. The agreement will see the event host a round of the European Rally Championship next year followed by a return to the WRC for 2026 and 2027.

“When Croatia Rally joined the WRC in 2021, we knew it would become an instant classic, and it hasn’t disappointed in each of the last four editions,” said WRC event director Simon Larkin. 

“We are delighted to continue this adventure for the next three years across both our championships. It will definitely add a new sporting challenge to the ERC, and we think it will appeal to not just our regular ERC competitors, but likely some WRC teams as well.

“We’d like to thank the Croatian Government at all levels – led by Sports Minister Tonci Glavina – as well as Daniel Saskin, the President of the Organising Committee, for their unwavering support of this project.”

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Saskin added: “With the support of the Croatian government and our partners, Croatia will host the ERC next year and welcome the WRC back in subsequent years. 

“I also thank WRC Promoter for recognising the quality of our organisation and choosing to continue hosting these motorsport competitions in Croatia. Through our experience and successful organisation, we continue to position Croatia as a motorsport hub.”

Croatia’s inclusion on the 2026 WRC calendar ensures there will be at least four asphalt rounds on the schedule, joining Monte Carlo, Canary Islands and Japan, the latter having signed a new three-year deal last month. 

The WRC has indicated that it would like to add a fifth asphalt round to its 2026 calendar, with Ireland among the candidates hoping to fill that berth.

Read Also:



Source link

Hyundai’s 2025 WRC car will feature «reasonable change» as testing ramps up

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Hyundai’s revised 2025 World Rally Championship car will feature “some reasonable change” as the testing phase of upgrades continued last weekend.

The Korean manufacturer had planned to homologate a practically all-new version of its i20 N Rally1 for next year before plans were abandoned amid uncertainty over the 2025 regulations.

Following the FIA’s U-turn on 2025 technical regulations after pushback from the teams, Hyundai has been able to salvage part of its i20 N development plans courtesy of an agreement to bring forward its 2026 development jokers to be used for the 2025 campaign.

It means the team has four jokers it will utilise to complete a raft of updates to its car that are yet to be disclosed.

Hyundai has been testing its revised car in recent months, with that project continuing at last weekend’s Rally La Nucia-Mediterraneo where championship leader Thierry Neuville was evaluating some of the upgrades.

Neuville was joined by team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen, who was running s 2024 spec i20 N, as the pair also logged valuable asphalt mileage ahead of the season finale in Japan next week. Rally Japan will decide both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles with Neuville leading Tanak by 25 points, while Hyundai has a 15-point lead over Toyota.

Hyundai’s WRC programme manager Christian Loriaulx was tight-lipped on the details of the changes for next year’s car but hinted that there would be some significant differences.

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Fabien Dufour / Hyundai Motorsport

“We don’t want to say too much what we are doing for next year,” Loriaulx told Motorsport.com.

“It was a preparation for Japan for Mikkelsen and for Thierry, we are looking at some stuff for next year.

“We have submitted the homologation papers and it is still in the testing phase but for next year and 2026 we have four jokers. I would say we are looking at some reasonable change but I can’t say more.

“We are in the phase of testing it and it is quite busy as we need to prove reliability and gain performance.

«We know that what we will do will result in a good weight-saving gain but we have to work on the reliability. We have been testing it in very hard conditions and it has been reliable so far. Now we are working on the set-up and will see how it goes.”

Hyundai will once again field full-time entries for Neuville and Ott Tanak next year while its plans for its third car are expected to be announced following the Japan season finale. M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux has been heavily tipped to take up the drive.

Hyundai’s future in the WRC beyond 2025 is also yet to be confirmed following the brand’s move into the World Endurance Championship for 2026 under the Genesis banner.



Source link

WRC champion Rovanpera tests Red Bull F1 car

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Reigning two-time world rally champion Kalle Rovanpera swapped a rally car for a Red Bull RB8 Formula 1 car in a test at the Red Bull Ring.

Suggestions the 15-time WRC rally winner could drive an F1 car emerged earlier this season while a picture posted on his Instagram of a visit to the Red Bull Racing workshop in Milton Keynes last month further fanned speculation.

Read Also:

To prepare for the outing, Rovanpera visited Red Bull Racing’s headquarters for a seat fitting before taking part in a session on the team’s simulator.

«We did the seat fitting for the car to check I have everything well in the cockpit for the test and then we did a morning session on the simulator trying different smaller category formula cars building up to the bigger ones. I was able to get a hang of the track and stuff,» Rovanpera told Motorsport.com prior to the event. 

“I’m still a race driver so I want to show my potential and try to do well.»

Last week, Rovanpera headed to the Austrian Grand Prix venue, where he made his single-seater debut – first driving Formula 4 and Formula Renault 3.5 machinery, before stepping up to an older-generation Red Bull F1 car. 

Kalle Rovanpera test in a Red Bull Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring 

Kalle Rovanpera test in a Red Bull Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring 

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

The Finn completed between 40 and 50 laps at the circuit where he raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux series this year. 

“It was a great day, I got to drive three different formula cars. I got quite a few laps in and, of course, the F1 was something I had been looking forward to for a long time, so it was really cool to finally get to drive it. The day went well, and I was left with very good feelings,” said Rovanpera.

“The biggest differences between rally and F1 are obviously that a rally car moves a lot more from the body – F1 is a bit like a karting car, it doesn’t move much from its suspension, but it has an incredible amount of grip – and of course, F1 has a huge amount of downforce, which allows you to drive much faster in corners. It’s also physically quite different. 

“There’s a lot more lateral G-force, the car stops much more and turns more — it feels very different to the driver, there are a lot more G-forces and the car has an incredible amount of grip.

Kalle Rovanpera test in a Red Bull Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring 

Kalle Rovanpera test in a Red Bull Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring 

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“Indeed, the first time you sit in there, it feels quite different than in a rally car — you also sit in such a different position that it feels quite different — but it was really cool to get to feel it today.”

This year Rovanpera has expanded his motorsport horizons by venturing into circuit racing having opted to contest a partial World Rally Championship campaign for Toyota, ahead of a return to full-time competition next year.

Rovanpera’s circuit racing exploits have included a part campaign in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux series, which has yielded three race wins. The Finn also contested a round of the Italian Carrera Cup series at Monza last month. 

The 24-year-old is also a regular on the drifting scene, performing all over the world, and has revealed ambitions to one day compete at the Le Mans 24 Hours World Endurance Championship event.

Kalle Rovanpera test in a Red Bull Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring 

Kalle Rovanpera test in a Red Bull Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring 

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Rovanpera isn’t the first WRC star to pilot an F1 car, with 1995 champion Colin McRae and nine-time champion Sebastien Loeb famously enjoying outings. 

McRae piloted a 1996 Jordan F1 car at Silverstone as part of a car swap stunt that saw then-Jordan driver Martin Brundle drive McRae’s WRC Subaru Impreza. 

In 2007, Loeb drove a Renault F1 show car at the Paul Ricard Circuit before joining Red Bull at an F1 winter test in Barcelona 2008, where he set the eighth-fastest time driving a Red Bull RB4.



Source link

What Lancia needs to do to transform its rally return to the WRC

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Lancia’s sporting director Eugenio Franzetti has explained why the brand is making its rally return in Rally4 and what is required to make a comeback to the World Rally Championship.

Lancia, the winner of a record 10 WRC constructors’ titles (1974-1976, 1983, 1987-1992), is set to return to the rally stages next year with its all-new Ypsilon Rally4 car. Officially launched last month, the car will compete in the Italian Rally Championship and the newly created one-make Lancia Rally Trophy.  

The creation of the two-wheel drive Ypsilon Rally4 marks a return to rally for Lancia, 50 years after it won its first WRC title with the legendary Stratos in 1974. 

While Lancia’s emergence has created much fanfare, there had been speculation it would consider a Rally2 programme. It ultimately confirmed a Rally4 project that will see the brand contest the 2026 European Rally Championship.

Lancia has not ruled out a future WRC comeback and would consider forming a business plan once the WRC has announced its 2027 technical regulations. The FIA is expected to reveal its new regulations in December this year.

According to Franzetti, the stability of the Rally4 regulations was among the considerations that swayed the car maker to make its return at the lower end of the rally pyramid.  

“What we need is to have the rules [2027 regulations], we need to know how the Rally2 of the future will be made and how the Rally1 of the future will be made. Once we understand this, in a few months we can also understand how much it costs to make them and how much. And then once we understand the rules, we can create a business plan,” Franzetti told Motorsport.com’s Italian edition. 

“Once the business plan has been created, we can put the costs on one side of the scale, and the value of visibility and the revenue on the other side, and understand if this scale is a scale that is positive. 

«We do motorsport and there is a return on investment. The return on investment is given on one hand by the technical and logistical costs of doing it, on the other hand it is substantially the value of visibility, which has a great significance. This visibility also brings you sponsors, partners and so on. All this clearly must be extremely positive. 

“Today the only certain rule is Rally4. We know how it is made, how much it costs and everything. That’s why Lancia is back with a Rally4. The only certain thing we know is the regulation, it’s clear, it’s an extraordinary product, interesting from a racing point of view and from a commercial point of view.”

Lancia Ypsilon Rally4

Lancia Ypsilon Rally4

Photo by: Lancia

Lowering costs and the introduction of a cost cap are factors that could interest Lancia to rejoin the WRC. 

Franzetti also admitted to be an admirer of the Rally2 class, which Lancia’s owner the Stellantis Group is already visible in through the Citroen C3 Rally2 programme.   

“Let’s try to create championships that cost a little less and that have a cost cap, after which, staying within it, you do what you want,” he added. 

“You have to make a championship with a finite number of millions, after which the engineers can unleash their imagination, knowing that motorsport is used as a promotional tool and therefore in any case everyone will bring what they know how to do also in terms and in the end it’s a show case. 

“Today we are all moving towards hybrid, electric, electrified. I imagine that everyone wants to demonstrate that they know how to do that thing there. But a cost cap would be enough and then leave space for the others.

«The Rally2 is a very interesting car because it’s fast, it lets you win [national] championships, obviously the European championship, which allows you to go very fast also in WRC. 

“Today, with few Rally1s [in WRC], if you have a Rally2 you can also get into the top 10, even get close to the top five and you have crazy visibility. And then it’s a commercial product, it’s a product that you sell and whoever buys it is happy, it [the car] runs well, has an acceptable cost per kilometre and so on. The Rally2 was an extremely clever specification.”

Read Also:



Source link