Rally1 2025 cars are what “rally cars” ought to be

According to Ott Tanak from Hyundai Motorsport, the 2025 World Rally Championship cars with out a hybrid drive are much “simpler” and “much easier” to drive.

The WRC will introduce latest technical regulations this season after the FIA ​​decided to phase out hybrid drive from its Rally1 cars, which is able to now be powered by a brand new control tire supplied by Hankook.

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As a results of the rule change, it is anticipated that Rally1 cars will now be slower, minus the extra 130 horsepower generated by the hybrid unit combined with the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine. However, removing the hybrid drive also makes the cars roughly 87 kilograms lighter and subsequently more agile.

This week, through the season opener in Monte Carlo, 2025 cars will have the ability to participate within the WRC competition for the primary time.

WRC crews have been testing non-hybrid versions of their cars since late last 12 months and throughout the pre-season to adapt to the changes while collecting beneficial data on the brand new tires.

Tanak believes that the most recent specification of the Rally1 automotive is “what a rally car should look like” and that the reduction in power has made the automotive no less exciting to drive.

“It was a huge job to adapt the car to the regulation change,” said the 2019 world champion.

Ott Tänak, Hyundai World Rally Team

Photo: Vincent Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport

“The rally automotive concept is far simpler again because we had different strategies before after which we needed to mess around with the hybrid and work out how and when to make use of it at each stage after which add that to our pace notes. It's now back to pretty basic [car] and the way it was years ago.

“It's much simpler. I feel it's a bit of easier to drive, nevertheless it's also loads easier to drive.

“In terms of handling, I prefer it, it's what a rally automotive should appear to be. The automotive is lighter which is great as in motorsport, weight is every thing and whether it is lighter the automotive is more fun which is positive.

“We lost one millimeter on the turbo limiter, which is not very positive for the driver with less power, but overall the concept is not that bad.”

Despite many unknowns regarding the performance of the brand new Hankook tires, Tanak feels more comfortable in his i20 N initially of the 2025 season in comparison with last 12 months.

“First of all, we definitely feel much more confident going into the season than last year,” he added.

“We already know the automotive and the team and we’re actually significantly better prepared than last 12 months. I feel quite good within the automotive, and particularly at the top of last 12 months on the asphalt I felt good within the automotive and I had loads more confidence.

“This [Monte Carlo] it's a rally that would have been more fun up to now. During the hybrid period it was demanding, but I rotated inside the teams, so yearly I used to be driving a brand new automotive with a brand new team, so starting the season was a challenge.

“This year, coming back with the same car, we have learned from the past, so that helps a lot.”