The FIA has provided clarity on how Rally2 cars will compete for next year’s World Rally Championship.
News came out of Tuesday’s Macau meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, with confirmation of a homologated kit of parts costing no more than €7500 to enable current Rally2 machinery to compete at the sport’s highest level.
With Toyota the only confirmed manufacturer to be building an all-new WRC27-specification car, the FIA is keen to offer current series manufacturers Hyundai and M-Sport Ford – as well as private drivers – the opportunity to participate at the forefront of the sport for the next two seasons.
FIA deputy president for sport Malcolm Wilson said: “More competition at the top level is the driving force behind everything we are doing with WRC27, and these changes approved today by the World Motor Sport Council will help us to deliver a greater spectacle for the fans over the next two years.
“By creating a pathway for eligible Rally2 cars to enter the top class, the regulations will support larger fields, increase competitive depth and help deliver a fantastic contest at the highest level of rallying.”
The FIA has demonstrated how Rally2 will look side-by-side with its WRC27 competition next year
The Rally2-WRC-Kit can be fitted to cars homologated before December 31, 2026 and will be eligible for competition against WRC27 cars during the 2027 and 2028 seasons. The kit must be homologated by a manufacturer registered as a constructor and the car must compete in all events listed on the WRC calendar, with at least two cars.
According to the FIA’s communication, the kit is designed to “support greater aerodynamic parity” between Rally2 and WRC27.
The communication added: “The kit will comprise new homologated front fenders, a front bumper and a rear aerodynamic device, with a maximum cost of €7,500.
“The regulations also define the technical framework for Rally2-WRC-Kit cars, including a total weight of 1220kg. Each Rally2-WRC-Kit will be permitted one joker for bodywork parts homologated as part of the kit, with only one Rally2-WRC-Kit extension authorised per Rally2 homologation form during the 2027-2028 period.
“Eligibility for Rally2-WRC-Kit cars in the FIA World Rally Championship’s top category will end on 31 December 2028, providing a defined two-year transition period as the WRC27 regulations are introduced.
“The new framework is designed to strengthen competition in the championship’s top category during the opening years of the WRC27 cycle, allowing Rally2-WRC-Kit cars to compete alongside the new-generation WRC27 cars.”
