MOTORSPORT: Wilder beasts for WRC
More power, less weight and wilder aerodynamics are on the wayWorld rally cars will be a whole more aggressive from 2017. New WRC rules announced at the weekend will make them more powerful, lighter and with better, more aggressive aerodynamic bodywork.
Under the rules maximum power from the 1.6-litre turbocharged engines will increase from 224 (300) to 283kW (380hp) via an increase in the size of turbo restrictors from 33 to 36mm. The minimum weight of the cars will drop 25kg to 1175kg.
Bigger rear wings, side skirts and extended front and rear overhangs will also be allowed to boost aerodynamic advantages over donor cars.
The changes are evoking memories of the wild Group B machines of the early to mid-1980s.
Toyota last week announced that Finnish four-time world champion driver Tommi Makinen will be its team principal when it returns to the WRC with its Yaris model the year after next. The manufacturers already participating at the top level of rallying are Volkswagen, Citroen, Hyundai and Ford.
Ahead of the changes, Citroen is hopeful of enticing its nine-time world champion driver Sebastien Loeb back to the WRC, at least part-time. Now competing in the World Touring Car Championship for the French manufacturer, 41-year-old Loeb made a one-off appearance in the Monte Carlo Rally at the start of this season and was the leader early.
“We have to talk about what he [Loeb] wants to do next year,” said Citroen’s WRC team principal Yves Matton.
“The main weakness of the WRC for the moment is that you only have two drivers who are able to be champion or to win events on a regular basis. One of them is doing the championship [Sebastien Ogier, another Frenchman and dual world champion with VW] and the other is in the WTCC [Loeb],” Matton stated.
Loeb set the record up America’s Pikes Peak hillclimb for fellow French manufacturer Peugeot since retiring from full-time WRC competition and recently has tested Peugeot’s Dakar Rally machine, the 2008.
A marathon rally campaign, including the Dakar in South America, could work better with a part-time WRC return for Loeb than continuing in the WTCC.
Meanwhile, Ogier has welcomed the new WRC rules, calling them “good for the show”.
“The extra power will definitely make the driving more spectacular for the fans,” Ogier said.
“The larger wing and new aerodynamics will give the cars a bit more downforce, more grip and more speed going into the corners.”
Australia hosts a round of the WRC, with this year’s Rally Australia on the Coffs Coast of NSW on September 11-13.
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