FIA World Rally Championship announces technical regulations for 2027 onwards
WRC Promoter has welcomed the announcement of the technical regulations for the FIA World Rally Championship from 2027 onwards, which provide a clear roadmap for the pinnacle of rallying.
Approved by the World Motor Sport Council on 11 December, the updated technical regulations see a significant reduction in cost to manufacturers and more flexibility around bodywork, opening the sport up to a wider variety of production shapes and bespoke designs. The 2027 regulations are underpinned by a planned ten-year cycle, providing a stable platform for manufacturers and teams to invest in order to grow the sport.
The new regulations are a collaborative effort from various stakeholders through the WRC Technical Working Group and then the WRC Commission, which includes representatives of the FIA, WRC Promoter plus current Rally1 manufacturers and a representative of the crews.
“Working with FIA and other stakeholders, WRC Promoter has been an active contributor in the process which was leading to these new technical regulations for 2027,” expressed WRC Promoter’s Senior Director of Sport Peter Thul.
“The significant cost reduction is an important step to keep the current manufacturers in the championship and to encourage new manufacturers and brands to join the WRC.
“We thank all those involved from the FIA WRC Technical Working Group, and believe that there is now a clear vision for the future.”
Flexibility is central to the technical future of the WRC. With the automotive industry more diverse and dynamic than ever, the safety cell concept from the current generation of Rally1 cars has been refined into a common design that will reduce complexity and cost.
This then allows bodywork from almost any scaled production car to be fitted to the safety cell, meaning that hatchbacks could conceivably compete against saloons, SUVs, and there’s even the possibility for bespoke rally concept designs to take to the stages from 2027.
Cost control has been identified by WRC stakeholders as one of the key limiting factors on participation in the top level of the category, and therefore the 2027 costs will be capped at €345k for a basic car and €385k including the gravel and asphalt rally kits, ready to compete. This represents a more than 50 per cent reduction in costs when compared to the outgoing formula.
These cost savings will be achieved though component cost specifications rather than financial regulations. There will also be savings in the technical designs of certain components that will make them more durable over the course of a rally.
In addition to reducing the cost of the cars themselves, running costs for teams are set to be reduced by limiting personnel, reducing logistics transport costs, increasing the use of local infrastructure and increasing data connectivity to aid off-site engineering.
The new regulations also assure that the WRC will continue to be a trailblazer in innovative motorsport, exemplified by its pioneering approach to sustainable fuel in 2022. The 2027 regulations are designed to accommodate various powertrain technologies, including sustainably-fuelled internal combustion engines, hybrid systems, and fully electric solutions. While the initial focus is on competitors utilising sustainably-fuelled internal combustion engines in 2027, the framework allows for potential diversification into hybrid or fully electric technologies at a later stage, depending on future developments.
This is a reflection of the current automotive landscape, with a plethora of different configurations catering for different situations in different markets. By remaining open to all of these options while holding environmental sustainability at its core, the WRC will continue to be a trailblazer for technology.
There will be provisions within the regulations for the implementation of a torquemeter for manufacturer entries to limit engine development and synchronise performance between the different powertrain options as they develop.
“The regulations that we have approved today are critical to the long-term growth of the FIA World Rally Championship,” expressed FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem at Wednesday’s announcement in Kigali, Rwanda. “Just one year ago, we identified that there was the need for the rally stakeholders to come together and begin a more coordinated way of working. That we have published these regulations for 2027 highlights that the work we have done has been a success.”
Echoing the thoughts of President Ben Sulayem and Peter Thul was FIA President of the WRC Commission, Pernilla Solberg: “I would like to thank all the Commission members and the WRC Technical Working Group for the significant amount of work that has got us to this stage. We set some clear objectives based on what the competitors, organisers and fans were telling us, and this has resulted in a set of regulations that will massively reduce costs while giving the WRC the flexibility to remain relevant regardless of the shifting automotive landscape.
“We still have some work to do, but I’m really excited for this future.”
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The new regulations are a collaborative effort from various stakeholders through the WRC Technical Working Group and then the WRC Commission, which includes representatives of the FIA, WRC Promoter plus current Rally1 manufacturers and a representative of the crews.
“Working with FIA and other stakeholders, WRC Promoter has been an active contributor in the process which was leading to these new technical regulations for 2027,” expressed WRC Promoter’s Senior Director of Sport Peter Thul.
“The significant cost reduction is an important step to keep the current manufacturers in the championship and to encourage new manufacturers and brands to join the WRC.
“We thank all those involved from the FIA WRC Technical Working Group, and believe that there is now a clear vision for the future.”
Flexibility is central to the technical future of the WRC. With the automotive industry more diverse and dynamic than ever, the safety cell concept from the current generation of Rally1 cars has been refined into a common design that will reduce complexity and cost.
This then allows bodywork from almost any scaled production car to be fitted to the safety cell, meaning that hatchbacks could conceivably compete against saloons, SUVs, and there’s even the possibility for bespoke rally concept designs to take to the stages from 2027.
Cost control has been identified by WRC stakeholders as one of the key limiting factors on participation in the top level of the category, and therefore the 2027 costs will be capped at €345k for a basic car and €385k including the gravel and asphalt rally kits, ready to compete. This represents a more than 50 per cent reduction in costs when compared to the outgoing formula.
These cost savings will be achieved though component cost specifications rather than financial regulations. There will also be savings in the technical designs of certain components that will make them more durable over the course of a rally.
In addition to reducing the cost of the cars themselves, running costs for teams are set to be reduced by limiting personnel, reducing logistics transport costs, increasing the use of local infrastructure and increasing data connectivity to aid off-site engineering.
The new regulations also assure that the WRC will continue to be a trailblazer in innovative motorsport, exemplified by its pioneering approach to sustainable fuel in 2022. The 2027 regulations are designed to accommodate various powertrain technologies, including sustainably-fuelled internal combustion engines, hybrid systems, and fully electric solutions. While the initial focus is on competitors utilising sustainably-fuelled internal combustion engines in 2027, the framework allows for potential diversification into hybrid or fully electric technologies at a later stage, depending on future developments.
This is a reflection of the current automotive landscape, with a plethora of different configurations catering for different situations in different markets. By remaining open to all of these options while holding environmental sustainability at its core, the WRC will continue to be a trailblazer for technology.
There will be provisions within the regulations for the implementation of a torquemeter for manufacturer entries to limit engine development and synchronise performance between the different powertrain options as they develop.
“The regulations that we have approved today are critical to the long-term growth of the FIA World Rally Championship,” expressed FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem at Wednesday’s announcement in Kigali, Rwanda. “Just one year ago, we identified that there was the need for the rally stakeholders to come together and begin a more coordinated way of working. That we have published these regulations for 2027 highlights that the work we have done has been a success.”
Echoing the thoughts of President Ben Sulayem and Peter Thul was FIA President of the WRC Commission, Pernilla Solberg: “I would like to thank all the Commission members and the WRC Technical Working Group for the significant amount of work that has got us to this stage. We set some clear objectives based on what the competitors, organisers and fans were telling us, and this has resulted in a set of regulations that will massively reduce costs while giving the WRC the flexibility to remain relevant regardless of the shifting automotive landscape.
“We still have some work to do, but I’m really excited for this future.”
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