The World Rally Championship’s major 2022 technical rule changes will not be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, insists FIA rally chief Yves Matton.
A number of other major motorsport series have put technical revamps back amid the current global crisis, with Formula 1’s planned 2021 shake-up moved to 2022 and some teams pushing for a longer delay, and NASCAR putting its next-generation cars on ice even though testing ahead of their planned introduction next season had begun.
The World Rallycross Championship has also pushed back its move towards electric power.
The WRC is in a slightly different position to F1, World RX and NASCAR because its changes, which include adding a hybrid power element, are scheduled for 2022 rather than 2021.
But in a sign of how far ahead the consequences of this year’s disruption could be felt, some Formula E teams are pushing for its Gen3 cars – due to be introduced in mid-2022 – to be delayed, partly because 2020 could be so difficult for the industries involved in making components.
There are also concerns that the limitations in running cars and travel during 2020 will cost WRC teams test and preparation time with their 2022 machines.
Matton admitted there would be some impact in this regard but does not see it as a problem for teams.
“For sure they will lose a bit of time with the coronavirus and it’s difficult to know the level of time they will lose,” he told DirtFish.
“I understand they can work on the design of the car, this is the only aspect of the job they can do on home working.
“And the testing the car is [at present still] the normal duration. For the moment we are still in the timeline to design, produce and test the car for the 2022 season.”
He added that teams would always ideally want more time to test new cars, but suspected financial considerations would stop them doing so anyway.
“On the other hand it’s always part of the game for the teams and technical departments to have more time to develop the car,” said Matton.
“I can tell you, if you give them one more year to develop the car then they will be happy to design and produce the car for one more year, but I don’t think this will fit in the potential budget constraints.”
