Hyundai Motorsport driver Craig Breen can see the sense in scaling back 2022 Rally1 cars and using a Rally2 base for the sport’s next generation.
Despite a broad agreement between stakeholders on the regulations for 2022, with Rally1 set to replace the current World Rally Car category, there are voices in the service park who feel that the global economic climate has changed so dramatically since coronavirus that there needs to be a technical rethink on the new cars.
DirtFish’s own Spin – The Rally Pod prompted further debate when former Subaru sporting director and Toyota team manager George Donaldson urged rallying to give consideration to running Rally2 cars.
Breen told DirtFish: “I can see George’s thinking on this. OK, I know this is the World Rally Championship and it’s a good bit further ahead but if you look at the TCR [racing] formula, it’s worked as a base [for the World Touring Car Cup].
“There’s no doubt, as drivers, we’re all after the fastest cars and right now we’ve got them. But, at the same time, we have to make the job sustainable – both economically and environmentally.
“If you look back at one of the golden eras of rallying, it’s when privateer drivers could get the chance to take their car to their home WRC round and have a crack at the world champions. Whether this is back in the days of the Mk2 Escort or two-litre World Rally Cars, it was great to see privateers getting a chance.
“With these current cars, there are not many privateers who could afford them and nine times out of 10, they’ll be too busy earning the money to pay for them to have the time to actually drive the things. Rally2, with some work on it, could work.
“Once we’re out of the COVID situation, the world is going to be looking like a different place and we have to be ready to adapt.”
In addition to a limited WRC program with Hyundai, Breen’s 2020 schedule was to include this year’s European Rally Championship competing in a Hyundai i20 R5.
