According to the 2025 specification, it is “very simple” and “very easy” to run World Rally Championship cars without hybrid power. Hyundai Motorsport‘S oat tanak,
WRC to introduce new technical rules after this season FIA decides to remove hybrid power from Rally1 carswhich will now also run on a New control tire supplied by Hankook,
As a result of the regulation change, Rally1 cars are now expected to be slower except for the additional 130 horsepower generated by the hybrid unit attached to the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine. However, removing hybrid power made the cars lighter by approximately 87 kg and therefore more agile.
This week’s season opener in Monte Carlo will see the 2025 cars in competitive WRC action for the first time.
WRC crews have been testing non-hybrid versions of their cars since late last year and in pre-season to adapt to the change while gathering valuable data about the new tyres.
Tanak believes that this latest specification of the Rally1 car “is exactly what a rally car should be” and that the lack of power has made the car no less exciting to drive.
“Adapting the car to the regulation changes has been a huge task,” said the 2019 world champion.
Ott Tanak, Hyundai World Rally Team
Photo by: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport
“The concept of the rally car is again very simple, because first we had all kinds of strategies and then we had to play with the hybrid and figure out how and when to use it for every stage, and add it to our pacenotes. It Now it’s just back to the basics (car) and how it used to be years ago.
“It’s a lot more simple. I think it’s a little easier to drive a car but it’s also a lot easier to drive a car.”
“Driving-wise I like it, it should be like a rally car. The car is light which is great as in motorsport, weight is everything and if it’s light the car is more playful, which is positive.
“We lost a millimeter on the turbo restrictor, which isn’t that positive for a low-powered driver, but overall the concept isn’t too bad.”
Despite a lot of unknowns regarding the performance of the new Hankook tires, Tunç actually feels more at home in his i20 N at the start of the 2025 season than last year.
“First of all, we definitely feel more comfortable going into the season than last year,” he said.
“We already know the car and the team and we are definitely much more prepared than we were a year ago. I feel quite good in the car and especially on the tarmac at the end of last year I really felt The car felt good and I was very confident.
“This (Monte Carlo) is a rally that probably used to be a bit more fun in the past. The hybrid has been demanding in the times but I’ve been going back and forth within the teams, so every year I’m looking for a new car. I live with a new team so it has been challenging to start the season.
“Coming back into the same car this year we’ve learned something from the past, so that helps a lot.”
in this article
tom howard
wrc
oat tanak
Hyundai Motorsport
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