Federação Internacional of Automobilismo made Project Rally One official as the first independent constructor to develop a vehicle for Campeonato Mundial of Rally from the 2027 season onwards. Motorsport’s governing body confirmed the team’s registration under the category’s new set of technical regulations. The project marks the official opening of the championship for private trainers. The initiative allows independent companies to compete on equal terms with large traditional manufacturers in the automotive sector.
The new regulatory framework aims to reduce operating costs and increase the number of participants in the sport’s premier class. The spending ceiling established for the production of each car was set at 345 thousand euros. The power of the engines will be around 300 horsepower. The announcement of the new team’s entry took place in December 2025. The statement highlighted the advanced stage of development of the prototype. Até At this time, Toyota was the only manufacturer confirmed to build a vehicle within this new technical specification.
Mudança drastic in costs and technical specifications
The WRC27 class vehicles will feature an architecture based on a tubular chassis equipped with an integrated safety cell. The suspension system will use the double wishbone format. All-wheel drive remains a mandatory standard for the main category. Engineers will incorporate several mechanical components derived from the current Rally2 class. The powertrain will feature a 1.6-liter turbo engine mated to a five-speed transmission.
The financial limit of 345 thousand euros represents a cut of more than 50% compared to the amounts spent on current Rally1 class models. The drastic reduction in development and maintenance costs is the central pillar of the new regulation. Power close to 300 horsepower focuses on the durability of mechanical components. Financial accessibility has the direct objective of attracting a greater volume of participants to the championship.
The technical changes implemented by Federação Internacional from Automobilismo cover a 10-year regulatory cycle. The measure provides long-term stability for investors. The format avoids sudden changes that tend to inflate the budgets of competition teams.
The union of experts in the creation of the new vehicle
The Project Rally One was born from direct collaboration between professionals with a long history in international motorsport. Engineer Lionel Hansen and specialist Yves Matton lead the technical and sporting development of the new operation. The duo recently worked together on the development process of the Porsche 992 Rally GT. The German model received its official approval this year.
The two executives joined forces with the company Prospeed to enable the creation of a car capable of competing for victories in the world championship. The initiative represents the first cutting-edge effort led exclusively by an independent preparer under the new WRC structure. The regulatory body emphasizes that the current rules create the necessary environment for private projects to face factory teams at the highest level of the sport.
The team structure has already completed the virtual design phase and the physical construction of the first tubular chassis. The complete assembly of the prototype is progressing at the company’s facilities. The official schedule foresees the first shakedown being carried out during the European spring of 2026. The initial test will serve to check the vehicle’s basic systems before the intensive sessions.
Cronograma testing and approval requirements
The engineering team programmed a load of more than 6 thousand kilometers of practical tests. Sessions will take place on gravel and asphalt roads in different regions of Europa. Accumulating mileage is a fundamental requirement before requesting final approval from Federação Internacional of Automobilismo. The process requires meeting strict production and supply targets.
- Produção minimum of 10 cars within 24 months of approval.
- Obrigatoriedade to line up two cars in at least 50% of the races in the first year.
- Comercialização of the complete vehicle and associated components for private customers.
- Participação in full season from the second year of operation.
The rules unify the status of traditional manufacturers and independent preparers under the single nomenclature of builder. The requirement to make at least 10 vehicles available annually for racing ensures that the model is not the exclusive project of a single team. The format fosters the creation of a customer market within the main Campeonato Mundial and Rally category.
The competitive landscape and the role of Toyota
WRC27 class regulations allow cars of the new specification to share stages with Rally2 models in the main category in 2027. The organizing body will apply weight adjustments and restrictors to ensure performance parity between the different mechanical concepts. The mix of vehicles aims to fill the entry lists with high-performance machines.
The visual concepts released so far show varied body options that can be adapted over the standard tubular chassis. Simplified aerodynamics visually and technically differentiate the new cars from the current Rally1 models. Reducing aerodynamic appendages reduces reliance on wind tunnels and complex fluid simulations.
Toyota maintains its position as the only traditional car manufacturer with a confirmed presence in the parallel development of a WRC27 vehicle. The Japanese brand works on its own interpretation of the regulations. The scenario places Project Rally One as the main independent counterpoint to the dominance of established manufacturers in the championship.
Repercussão among sport leaders
Lionel Hansen publicly expressed the team’s pride in being a pioneer in this phase of the WRC. The engineer highlighted that the current rule book allows the development of a car from scratch with financial viability. The ability to compete on equal terms was the determining factor for Prospeed’s investment in the project.
The technical director of Federação Internacional of Automobilismo, Xavier Mestelan Pinon, declared that the progress of the project validates the vision of accessibility outlined by the entity. Malcolm Wilson, the organization’s vice president for sport, pointed out that attracting new entrants is an essential element for the commercial and sporting growth of the category in the coming years.
The Campeonato Mundial promoter of Rally assesses that the input of independent builders generates the necessary potential for a deeper grid. Mixing WRC27 cars with existing Rally2 models creates a structured transition. The focus on controlled costs and technical flexibility seek to diversify the brands and teams involved at the top of the world rally pyramid.