Toyota’s team manager expects that the decisive decisions for the future of the World Rally Championship will be made later this year.
World Rally Championship in Chile 27.–29.9. First special exam on Friday from 14:35. Urheilu follows the events in this article.
The World Rally Championship is at a crossroads. At the beginning of the year, the World Series working group painted a picture of the future, but with the arrival of autumn, the sport is in a more familiar situation: no decisions have been made.
What is essential is what happens in the World Series from the 2027 season onwards, when the era of the current rally1 cars comes to an end. Competitive and technical rules should be ensured so that it would be possible to attract new stables.
It is not even certain that the current stables would be involved at that time. Hyundai announced that it will start operations in the WEC track series. It has been discussed in sports circles that as early as the 2026 season, Hyundai’s rally cars would be driven by a private team instead of a factory team in the World Championship.
Toyota team manager Jari-Matti Latvala is worried but hopeful at the same time.
– It’s not good news, but I believe that, like Toyota, they can participate in both series. A private team can also be successful, but the budget is the deciding factor. Riding solely on sponsors is not the same thing, Latvala thinks.
Listen to Latvala’s entire interview on Areena or on the player below.
The gap between Rally1 and Rally2 cars should be narrowed
Latvala believes that the competition rules for the 2027 season can be finalized in October. Regarding the technical rules, he hopes for a solution in December.
According to the teams, the current cars are too expensive. According to Latvala, the teams’ wishes are the same: costs must be restrained and future top-class cars must be brought closer to the current rally2 cars.
– The current difference between rally1 and rally2 cars has been about 1.5 seconds per kilometer. If the difference was a second kilometer, the situation would be better. That way, for example, the jump for a young driver would not be so big when moving to a top car, Latvala says.
Sports expert Henri Haapamäki reminds of the realities why locking down the rules has been so challenging.
– No team leaves because of the rules. The aim is to make them such that they please everyone. Rally1 cars came because the sport would interest car factories. Still, no new manufacturer came, Haapamäki reminds.
In Haapamäki’s opinion, Hyundai’s departure or transfer to a private team would be a severe blow to the series. Whatever the rules are, they must serve only one purpose.
– More stables are needed. If even the current stables are leaving, the sport is not doing very well, says Haapamäki.
You can listen to Haapamäki’s comments on Areena or on the player below.
The rally must attract private teams
According to Latvala, the World Rally Championship needs private teams. Young drivers are currently unable to access a top class car without significant support. For example, Latvia Martin Sesks has been able to debut in the main class only with the joint support of the series promoter, M-Sport, and its own partners.
Lower overall costs could enable participation in the main class also with the support of partners. Even if there were not several car brands involved, the series could have teams driving under different brands, as we are used to seeing in the F1 series.
– The decisive thing is that the price level remains reasonable. That’s when we get private teams involved, when a top-class car could also be rented by a promising driver or customer driver, Latvala emphasizes.
Whatever the decisions are, the decisions must be made – preferably right away.
– The faster decisions are made, the better it is. It helps car manufacturers to plan right away. At the moment, the rules are awaited, and no one dares to commit further, Latvala points out.
World Rally Championship in Chile 27.–29.9. First special exam on Friday from 14:35. Urheilu follows the events in this article.