Tom Fowler can see the all-new 2027 regulations delivering a significant shake-up in the World Rally Championship
Photography by Red Bull
Words by David Evans, DirtFish Head of Media
On the day the FIA provided more detail about the World Rally Championship’s next homologation cycle, Toyota technical director Tom Fowler has told DirtFish he expects this to be the biggest opportunity for privateers in a generation.
The World Motor Sport Council offered an insight into the scope for bodywork to be fitted to the tubular chassis which will be retained from Rally1 cars into 2027. As expected, the FIA is keen to open the WRC’s doors to manufacturers wanting to produce scalable SUVs, hatchbacks, saloon cars or even completely bespoke designs.
In its communication from the meeting, the FIA stated: “The WRC27 ruleset, given the green light by the World Council in December 2024, has been undergoing its final refinements and updates over the past six months, and today the confirmation of the reference volumes for bodywork cements the commitment set out by the FIA to put flexibility at the core of these regulations.
“To achieve this, the rules define a zone in which all of the bodywork panels must be located, but within this volume, manufacturers and constructors have the freedom to scale and integrate almost any design.”
And that homologation cycle will run until 2037.
The FIA has clarified the space available for bodywork on top of the spaceframe chassis
The FIA’s big picture is to offer a chassis which is capable of running a wide variety of powertrains, from internal combustion through hybrid or hydrogen to full EV.
But for 2027, sustainably fuelled internal combustion is the only option – and that engine must be a Rally2 specification production motor. As part of a target to cost cap these cars at €345,000, the top level of WRC will be fought out between Rally1 cars with Rally2 componentry in the engine, transmission, suspension and brakes.
Why this works for privateers? As well as slashing the cost of a top-level Rally1 car in half, the FIA has opened the door for Rally2 privateers to chase overall victories next season.
Fowler said: “I think drivers of Rally2 cars will very quickly see the potential for winning WRC rounds. When we get to 2027, we’re going to have an interesting combination of manufacturer [Rally1] cars and plenty of Rally2 machinery out there.
“The number of possible winners at [WRC] rounds will be higher than it is now.”
Fowler added that the potential for upset would be at its highest in the early part of the 2027 season.
“Look at this really simplistically,” he said. “Right now, I don’t have a ’27 car. But a Škoda Rally2 car exists and has been driving for more than a decade in different forms. So, when we get to the Safari Rally in 2027, I wouldn’t bet that a car which doesn’t exist today has a better chance of getting to the end faster compared with one which has already done this event and existed for more than a decade – and has the same technical and performance specification.
“Yes, of course we’re aiming at delivering the most reliable car we possibly can for the start of 2027, but look at 2022 – that car wasn’t as reliable as it was after two years’ development going into 2024.
“The first year is always difficult, no matter how good job you do, you always find stuff. And that stuff, that moment is when your Rally2 car is going to be in the good position. This will bring back that opportunity for national heroes to come to the fore, it will add another dimension to the competition.
“There’s no doubt, for 2027, private teams and private drivers will have a real opportunity, be it in a Rally2 car or in a more affordable Rally1.”
Words:David Evans
Tags: FIA, Tom Fowler, Toyota, World Motor Sport Council, WRC 2027, WRC27
Publish Date June 10, 2025 DirtFish 
https://dirtfish-editorial.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2025/06/r3qoLssI-GR-Yaris-Rally2-780x520.jpeg June 10, 2025
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