WRC mainclass from 2027

[Fast Eddie WRC]

fia will screw rally2 too, i can feel it already

Yep. Spaceframe chassis for private teams to clothe isnt what rallying is for. You need road car relevance and who is going to determine which road car the skin is based on ?

[saco0o]

Yep. Spaceframe chassis for private teams to clothe isnt what rallying is for. You need road car relevance and who is going to determine which road car the skin is based on ?

i think that even if they choose to keep road based cars with the general upgrades on the safety structure, engines, aero etc (just like nowadays), they will have to move into SUVs because this is where the market is heading anyway. i also have a weird feeling that they may come up with some sort of 'spec' car for this rally2 class, like having msport being the official builder of these generic cars that may or may not looks like a Puma. i see this SPEC-cification in rallycross and i started wondering how long until it reaches rally2. spec classes are normally cheaper, which is good, and teams will get to different adjustments, but...eh... idk

[AndyRAC]

i think that even if they choose to keep road based cars with the general upgrades on the safety structure, engines, aero etc (just like nowadays), they will have to move into SUVs because this is where the market is heading anyway.

Which market? Going down the SUV route would be suicide - No other major series use them. Time for revolution/ re-think, and use another type of road car........

Rallycross is dying a death, Extreme E is at death's door - and the WRC isn't doing much better. Off-road motorsport is in serious trouble - and needs another direction.

[WRCStan]

Which market? Going down the SUV route would be suicide - No other major series use them. Time for revolution/ re-think, and use another type of road car........

Rallycross is dying a death, Extreme E is at death's door - and the WRC isn't doing much better. Off-road motorsport is in serious trouble - and needs another direction.

You want to use road cars for what you call off-road motorsport?

[saco0o]

Which market? Going down the SUV route would be suicide - No other major series use them. Time for revolution/ re-think, and use another type of road car........

Rallycross is dying a death, Extreme E is at death's door - and the WRC isn't doing much better. Off-road motorsport is in serious trouble - and needs another direction.

but if rally2 dont become SUV (road based or space frame, whatever) the only option left is doing like OMSE is doing in rallycross with the FC2 car. we'd probably get msport doing it...? a cheap decent car, that doesnt look like any actual road model but if ford wants to glue a sticker with the broncos grill and front lights, they can. (like dallara is doing in extreme-e too). cant see other options for rally2 right now if theres changes coming to '27

[saco0o]

ps: i confess i dont HATE these omse rx cars called fc1-x.
https://youtu.be/auum3ND-gcE?feature=shared
i mean, rallying cannot go full ev yet probably, but the idea of "well, the top class teams gotta buy this machine and thats it. if u get KIA or LANCIA to pay for a different nose sticker, fine! if no, just run the spec car. but at the same time i find spec cars kinda "souless". rallying fans would not accept that

[RS]

Yep. Spaceframe chassis for private teams to clothe isnt what rallying is for.

But we need spaceframe cars to bring the manufacturers in, like Rally1 (lol)

Being more serious though, this time there is a real problem to solve. Maybe not quite yet but probably from 2030 onwards there will not be any more small petrol cars on which to base a rally car. Not only for Rally1&2 but for the more junior categories too. So we'll either have to go spaceframe, but that still leaves the question as to whether manufacturers are going to want to promote ICE vehicles in this way or go with proper cars but with an electric powertrain.

Possibly more than any other motorsport, rallying really does face an existential crisis and if we want it to continue we might have to accept a radical change about
What it is.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Seems hybrid not full EV is now the future for many manufacturers...

https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-te...hanging-course

[saco0o]

im starting to think i wouldnt mind seeing my favorite class R5s going to something like this in the new cycle of rules:
- a 'spec' car built by one company (or two companies sharing the same blueprints? i think btcc does that for engines with neil brown and toca?), simple 4 (maybe 3??) cyl engines on synth fuel, tube frame cars, cheap, just that one (or two?) brand producing the general parts but with interested manufacturers being allowed to build different front bumpers to look more like their cars and allowing teams to develop some things too - as long as its under some joker strategy to avoid costs skyrocketing

this is a new rallycross idea that started this year in europe and in america. i thought i'd hate that but its been really interesting to watch the progress. i agree that its kinda "souless", but eh, its cheaper and its a simple "race car" focused on racing, not brand marketing. i know we need manufacturer money in motorsport, but im not sure rallying is in a good position for that right now, so it could be interesting to get a cheap thing focused on passionated people (privateers, small teams, etc) wanting to race on a top national/international class.
you cant use THIS ONE for rallying but im just suggesting the general ideia. thoughts? (this is more about next R5 class, not Rally1.)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AqXOcluzkNQ

[deephouse]

Seems hybrid not full EV is now the future for many manufacturers...

https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-te...hanging-course

Of course, we all knew they all would start crying... It's a matter of time when they will start taking u-turn on SUVs too.