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Dubbed WRC27, the new regulations have been proposed and agreed to by the WRC Commission at the World Motor Sport Council.
The commission is made up of current manufacturers competing in the WRC, the championship’s promoter, and representatives of the crews.
It’s expected the regulation cycle will last for 10 years to ensure stability and encourage long-term commitment.
The existing safety cell of the incumbent Rally1 cars is set to be simplified and refined into a common design that will reduce cost and complexity.
In theory, the design will allow for hatchbacks to compete against sedans and even SUVs should the manufacturer wish to.
According to the FIA, the cost of the car will be capped at $568,000 AUD (€345,000) and represents a 50 percent reduction compared to Rally1.
“These cost savings will be achieved through component cost specifications rather than financial regulations,” a statement read.
“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 facilities and increasing data connectivity to aid offsite engineering.”
Hybrid has been removed from Rally1 for 2025 and that will continue with the WRC27 regulations.
The FIA said cars will initially be powered by sustainable fuels before hybrid power is reintroduced. There is also scope for fully electric vehicles to compete.
The advent of WRC27 comes with the intention to have some crossover with the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
“The regulations that we have approved today are critical to the long-term growth of the FIA World Rally Championship,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“They lay the foundations for an exciting future with a focus on cost containment, sustainability and growing participation at the top level of rallying.”
M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson welcomed the new regulations.
“I think that the regulations approved today are the correct way to go for the WRC,” said Wilson.
“We need to have new entries, more teams and drivers competing at the top level, and these regulations for 2027 will encourage this.
“It will allow us to give more young drivers a chance, which is essential for the long-term success of the sport, and it’s also really important that we make the WRC more affordable, allowing teams to compete alongside manufacturers.”
2/4 – The World Motor Sport Council has today approved the Technical Regulations that will ensure a dynamic, flexible future for the FIA World Rally Championship.
The planned regulations cycle will last for ten years, ensuring a stable platform for manufacturers and teams to… pic.twitter.com/nXtr85chlF
— FIA (@fia) December 11, 2024
WRC rally winner turned Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala was also complimentary of the news.
“We have been working hard with the FIA to contribute as much as we can towards the 2027 regulations,” said Latvala.
“We believe the main headlines of draft regulations are well formulated and heading in the correct direction.
“We still believe there is important work to do in order to finalise and improve some of the details but at this stage that is totally normal.”
