he World Rally Championship (WRC) is on the cusp of a major shakeup as stakeholders prepare to vote on whether to scrap hybrid technology from the Rally1 cars as early as the 2025 season. This decision comes in response to mounting concerns over the system’s reliability and the skyrocketing costs associated with its maintenance.
An inside source revealed, “When we’ve heard drivers coming out of stages and talking about hybrid not working and needing a reset, the understanding is that this reset will now be a repair costing at least €50,000. This has sparked intense debate about whether hybrid technology should continue into next season.”
The vote, expected to take place electronically among key stakeholders by the end of the week, could set the stage for a significant departure from the WRC’s recent technical direction. If the outcome favors dropping hybrid systems, the decision would then move to the WRC Commission and ultimately the World Motor Sport Council for ratification later this month.
This dramatic shift arrives just months after the FIA committed to retaining the existing technical regulations through 2026. However, the escalating costs and persistent issues with hybrid reliability have forced a rethink, potentially overturning the FIA’s prior stance.
As the WRC braces for this pivotal vote, all eyes are on the future direction of Rally1 cars and whether the championship will revert to conventional powertrains or continue to push for hybrid integration despite the challenges.
