Land of opportunity or world of confusion?
DirtFish understands there will be no change to the running order in next year’s World Rally Championship. That means the continuation of a regulation dictating that P1 (Priority One, currently manufacturer Rally1 car) drivers run in championship order on day one, before their overall classification is reversed for the weekend.
It’s been the same since 2017, so what makes this a bigger deal for next year?
The difference for next year is going to come with defining the drivers who will have their classification reversed for Saturday and Sunday. It’s quite likely – certain, in fact – Toyota will be the only automotive manufacturer competing with a WRC27 Rally1 specification car. Yes, we will have two constructor entries, but the Toyota will be the only true factory car.
After that, we have Rally2 WRC Kit entries from M-Sport Ford and then a plethora of Rally2 hardware from Škoda, Toyota, Hyundai and Lancia.
The big question: who will be included in the reverse order?
M-Sport will currently be the only outfit running a Rally2 Kit in 2027
Toyota, Škoda, Hyundai and Lancia have all, so far, indicated they won’t be taking up the kit option – which has to be homologated before the end of this year – for 2027 and 2028.
If that situation remains, drivers of those cars would not – under current regulations – be reversed, meaning only M-Sport and Toyota drivers would be subject to that rule.
If, on the other hand, the rule is broadened to include front-running Rally2 machinery, where does that end?
For example, if Gus Greensmith elected to chase the drivers’ title in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 next season and did not register for WRC2 or any other support series, then he could quite conceivably expect to be included in the reverse order. That would open the field up to a significant number of well-driven Rally2 cars and, on warm, dry gravel rallies, there’s definite possibility of new winners and some random results.
And if it is only Toyota, M-Sport (and the new constructor projects on the events they do contest) that are reseeded, this still leaves the door open to a fast Rally2 car running outside of that process to stir things up. If you start further down the order, you’re likely to be reseeded first of the non-priority drivers, which would leave you maybe 10th on the road for Saturday and Sunday. Is that not the best place to be?
One source close to the decision-making process told DirtFish: “This could be the best thing that happens for private drivers – this is nice, like the FIA is wanting to bring opportunity for local heroes and these kind of guys.
“But, what is this saying for M-Sport and for Toyota? Especially for Toyota, you make the new car and then you have the top drivers who are penalized for the whole rally. Don’t forget, you go to Greece and start first because you lead the championship, you are killed on day one and if you have 15 good drivers in good Rally2 cars ahead of you, next year you can not do nothing because – even if you’re Oliver Solberg or Elfyn Evans – you’re still in a Rally2 car with a fancy body on it.
“It’s going to be interesting.”
There had been hopes of a first return of the qualifying stage format, last used in the WRC in 2013, but that plan appears to have faded in favour of retaining the current plan.
So, land of opportunity or world of confusion?
If non-registered Rally2 crews are included in any running order change, then next year could be a land of opportunity. Equally, is this something of a kick in the teeth for Toyota, the only manufacturer which has complied with the FIA’s full regulation change for next season?
