WRC champion Evans: new 2027 Rally1 cars will bring surprises
World Rally Championship (WRC) title winner Elfyn Evans said after testing Toyota's new car in Portugal that the 2027 season will be a step into the unknown. The new rules cut car costs by about 70%, but also reduce engine power and aerodynamic downforce.
Elfyn Evans, the reigning World Rally Championship (WRC) champion from Wales, has said that defending his title in 2027 will be a step into the unknown. He made the comments after testing Toyota's new car in Portugal, built to the technical regulations that take effect next year. The car was run on both gravel and tarmac.
What the new rules change
Under the new requirements, top-class Rally1 cars will move closer to the lower Rally2 category in technical specification and key components. They will cost roughly 70% less, but will have reduced engine power and less aerodynamic downforce. Because of these changes in performance and aerodynamics, the future is hard to predict.
Evans said the changes would be felt on every type of stage. He noted that performance takes a step backwards, but that the other side of the equation is cars that are considerably cheaper than those used until now.
Uncertainty over jumps
The driver has already been through a switch to lower-powered machinery earlier in his career, in 2016. This time he highlighted a large number of unknowns, especially on fast stages and over jumps. In his view, next year's cars may bring some surprises, as happens with any technical rule change, and the team will have to adapt.
Compare with Rally2
According to Evans, comparing the new cars with this season's Rally1 generation would not be fair, because they will be quite different and will demand a new driving style. He believes they should instead be compared with Rally2 machinery. The champion stressed that the team knows what it has and should think about it positively.
