A new Spanish project is preparing to take on the World Rally Championship’s new era, with WRT Rally1 Spain targeting Rally Croatia in 2027 as the first event for its all-new Rally1 car.
The project, a collaboration between RMC Motorsport and the Spanish motorsport federation RFEDA, is one of two new constructor programmes set to enter the WRC under the 2027 regulations. While the team is aiming for a debut in Croatia, it insists that the priority is not simply to get to the start line as early as possible, but to arrive with a properly developed and reliable car.
Croatia, which is expected to take place in April, is currently the team’s main target, according to DirtFish. If the development programme continues according to plan, WRT Rally1 Spain is also considering Rally Spain and Rally Portugal before potentially travelling to South America for the final part of the 2027 season.
The project is taking an ambitious approach from the technical side as well. Rather than purchasing an existing Rally2 engine, WRT Rally1 Spain has decided to develop its own power unit based on a production engine that has already been homologated under Group A regulations.
The decision is largely linked to engine availability. Although the new regulations allow independent constructors to use existing Rally2 engines, the team believes that current Rally2 manufacturers are not yet in a position to supply the number of units required for an independent WRC programme.
Developing its own engine should therefore give WRT greater control over production, supply and future development. The identity of the engine has not yet been revealed, with the team expected to provide more technical details at a later stage.
The challenge ahead, however, will be considerable. Toyota is currently the only major manufacturer developing a completely new car for the WRC27 regulations, meaning WRT Rally1 Spain will face a manufacturer operation with significantly greater financial, technical and human resources.
The Spanish outfit is nevertheless confident that the new regulations can create opportunities for independent constructors. With development restricted in several key areas and stronger cost-control measures introduced, WRT believes the performance gap between a private constructor and a factory team can be reduced.
The team does not expect to immediately match Toyota in terms of resources, but believes that engineering efficiency, innovation and driver quality could help close the gap.
Driver selection remains another important part of the project. WRT Rally1 Spain has confirmed that it is already speaking with experienced WRC drivers as well as promising young talents. While the involvement of Spanish drivers would be a natural part of the project given the RFEDA partnership, the team has not yet committed to a specific line-up.
The possibility of combining an established WRC driver with young Spanish talent has also been left open, with the team suggesting that different drivers could have complementary roles in development, testing and competition.
If the project reaches its targets, WRT Rally1 Spain could become one of the most interesting new additions to the WRC from 2027 onwards.
Source: DirtFish.com
Post a Comment