World Rally Championship drivers have delivered a mixed reaction to the news that hybrids will be removed from the top-class Rally1 cars from 2025.
An e-vote during a meeting of FIA’s World Motor Sport Council earlier this month elected to drop the 100kW units, which have been part of the Rally1 regulations since its inception in 2022.
To counteract the drop in power, the minimum weight of Rally1 cars will be lowered from 1260kg to 1180kg, but the air restrictor will also be trimmed from 36 to 35mm in order to maintain a similar power-to-weight ratio, with an expected output of around 380bhp.
Hybrid unit supplier Compact Dynamics signed a contract extension last September that would cover both the 2025 and ’26 seasons, but it’s understood changes (made effective at this year’s Acropolis Rally Greece) to how hybrid units are serviced led to the decision to remove hybrid.
Changes made to how hybrid units were serviced at this year's Acropolis was the beginning of the end
In a statement provided to DirtFish, Compact Dynamics managing director Johannes Kloetzl said the firm can “recognize the economic concerns of the WRC teams” but “at the same time, we can never prioritise economics and profitability over the safety of drivers, teams and uninvolved people”.
Speaking to DirtFish during last week’s Rally Japan, the drivers have now had their say:
For removing hybrid
Hyundai’s Andreas Mikkelsen was the loudest supporter of the FIA and WRC’s decision to remove hybrids from next season.
The 2021 and 2023 WRC2 champion experienced hybrid power for the first time this season, agreeing a deal for a part-time season in an i20 N Rally1.
The Norwegian believes hybrid is technology the WRC “should have” but not in its current form where issues dominate the headlines.
“What we’ve seen with so many issues we have with them, 100% it’s the right decision,” Mikkelsen said.
Mikkelsen thinks hybrid caused more problems than it solved
“We should have had hybrids. I think we should have it, but it should be working all the time, you know.
“And now it’s just a huge expense. And we have so many people just complaining on live television, so it’s really bad for the sport. As long as we don’t have the technology or the ones cannot deliver how they should be, then we shouldn’t have it.”
Takamoto Katsuta was slightly less convinced, immediately responding “I don’t know” when asked about the decision.
But on balance, the Toyota drivers feels the decision should help bring more young drivers into the top category which is a big positive.
“If this hybrid removal helps a bit budget-wise, then if it brings more young drivers or gives more. opportunity for the other drivers, if this happens, definitely better,” Katsuta said.
“But, like, a bit sad because we have been working a lot with this system so a bit sad to be losing some horsepower. But nowadays we have an even bigger issue I’d say, so I hope this movement gives more opportunity to enter the manufacturer or other drivers.”
Against removing hybrid
Ogier thinks the WRC needs to be more innovative and show itself to be at the forefront of technology
The WRC’s two Frenchmen, Sébastien Ogier and Adrien Fourmaux, don’t agree with the decision, however.
Eight-time world champion Ogier told DirtFish during last month’s Central European Rally that he wanted hybrid to remain part of the championship, otherwise the WRC could face a potential image problem.
Unsurprisingly, that stance has not changed.
“I think I told you my point of view already on that,” Ogier said. “I think it’s a shame to stop like this in the middle of a plan. I think it’s never really good in terms of image.
“My point of view would be: I think it is needed to bring back in a way to the sport some innovation that really brings excitement to manufacturers joining the sport, having a clear technical view of the future and trying to bring something where you can make a story out of it.
We were just p***ed when it was not working. But it's because we liked it that we were p***ed when it doesn't workAdrien Fourmaux
“We also are aware that this hybrid was more marketing things than anything and that was not… at the end of the day, I want that, if we want our sport to survive, we need to make a real impact and to really go into the direction the whole world needs to go right now.
“And that’s probably what we need. I think it’s easier to say than to do. So in my position, I just say what I think. I don’t say it’s easy to do, but I wish we could find a solution like this in many ways.
“And even for tires, I’ve heard Michelin had the idea to bring maybe some new technology, new tires without air, whatever. Bring some new stories which are exciting and bring something into the future. That’s probably things which will maybe motivate manufacturers joining the sport again.”
M-Sport’s Fourmaux feels hybrid technology is still relevant to manufacturers, and argued drivers enjoyed using it despite the common frustration when the units failed.
He said: “It’s not really an issue until Greece this year, to be fair. So it’s quite frustrating for that because I think it was going well and I think most of the cars now that you sell every day, it’s an hybrid. Even the Ferrari cars are hybrids.
“So I think it was good to also have this technology. We were just p***ed when it was not working. But it’s because we liked it that we were p***ed when it doesn’t work.”
Non-hybrid cars have featured in the WRC already
Fourmaux has tested a non-hybrid car before, and also drove stages at CER without hybrid.
“It’s a very good car,” he admitted. “So on gravel, fast rallies, it’s OK. Performance-wise, it was not so different.
“But on Tarmac, it’s a big step [back]. But last year, they removed weight etc, so they need to compensate.”
Indifferent about removing hybrid
Not every driver has a strong or defined stance on the situation though.
New WRC2 champion Sami Pajari, who’ll step up to a Rally1 car full-time in 2025, believes there have been some “issues in the big picture” with hybrid but “for the driver it was nice to have the hybrid, it was giving quite a lot of power in some places so the car was amazing to drive without it”.
The Finn concluded: “But I guess it still can be quick without it, so I don’t really know what would have been the correct choice, but that’s the way it is, and you need to go without in the future.”
Tänak isn't too opinionated on this specific topic
2019 world champion Ott Tänak admitted he hadn’t been following the situation too closely.
“I didn’t go too deep into it, to be honest,” he said. “I don’t know about details and what was the background behind this decision, but in the end, if it’s like this, it’s like this, and it’s the same for everyone. Let’s hope it makes it more consistent for the next two years at least.”
Elfyn Evans added: “It’s quite a last minute surprise, let’s say. Of course we all understand that the change was circumstantial rather than aimed for let’s say, so there’s not a lot we can do about it anyway, but I still think with the weight reduction that we have, the cars will still perform pretty well and it should be OK.”
Additional reporting by David Evans.
