What next after hybrid power: Understanding the impact of FIA, WRC’s decision on Safari Rally

After an internal row in the world rally scene, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the World Rally Championship (WRC) teams have decided to discontinue hybrid power after just three years with the technology.

While the future remains unknown, the sport is entering a new era; how will that influence the racing spectacle, and how are local drivers affected by next year’s Safari Rally?

^{How did we get here?}

Earlier this year, a back-and-forth ensued between the FIA, Compact Dynamics (the supplier of the hybrid units) and the WRC itself.

In a plan to revamp the sport and reduce the ever-rising costs associated with hybrid energy, the FIA recommended ditching the hybrid units for 2025, two years earlier than contracted with Compact Dynamics.

The teams, however, pushed back as they had invested heavily in the technology and wanted to see it through until the end of 2026 as planned. There were also fears that a loss of hybrid technology would set them behind the ever-developing motor industry.

Just a few months ago, it was understood that the hybrid systems would stay, but Compact Dynamics later introduced some new safety measures that would become effective from September’s Rally Greece—a change that would drastically impact the teams’ financial and logistical operations.

Since the introduction of hybrid energy to WRC Rally1 cars in 2022, engineers have been able to reset shock errors on the units if they exceed a certain amount of G-force (G) and continue the rally.

Compact Dynamics, however, wanted to put an end to that due to safety concerns. Their updated safety guidelines ordered the units to be returned to Compact Dynamics for a full repair if they suffered three shock errors over 15G or one error over 25G.

The process could take months, potentially forcing the teams to add new hybrid systems to the pool.

FIA Road Sports Direction Andrew Wheatley said, “Once [the units] got shocks, they need to be inspected, and it’s a big job. Inspecting them is not just opening the top and checking inside; you have to go into the battery, and that's really destructive.”

The teams estimated that the changes could cost them over a million Euros a year, so it was swiftly agreed that hybrid would no longer play a part in WRC in its current rendition.

Compact Dynamics managing director Johannes Kloetzl, in reaction to the decision, said he “regrets” the decision by the FIA and the WRC to phase out hybrid technology.

“We started [in] 2022 with the aim of using our hybrid system to drive the further development of sustainable powertrains in racing.

“We share the FIA’s mission to make racing affordable and accessible and recognise the economic concerns of the WRC teams”, Kloetzl added.

What this means for the sport

The hybrid units created an additional part of the car that could ‘go wrong’, and was occasionally the cause of some early requirements. Returning to a more traditional setup may reduce the number of mechanical retirements in the future.

With the loss of the 100KW battery, though, the drivers will lose around 130 horsepower. In terms of performance, this could be countered somewhat by the significant reduction in weight to 1180kg, down from 1260kg.

2021 Kenyan National Division One Rally Champion Aakif Virani says the drivers will notice the difference.

“Without [the hybrid systems], you’ll see the cars being lighter, dynamic, agile and turn quicker.”

“Also, if you notice all the cars when they brake, they’re dipping the front, and they oscillate among their central gravity point, so I'd say you’d notice more fluid movement in the cars, especially on jumps, accelerations and through the corners. It will be quicker”, he added

The changes only affect the drivers and teams in the top Rally 1 division, so Kenyan drivers who compete in Rally 2 or 3 will be unaffected by the changes as they never had hybrid energy to begin with.

Long-term impacts

These latest developments do not necessarily mark the death of hybrid energy in the WRC, as significant rule changes are expected for 2027, which could see its return.

If they were to come back, though, the teams – Hyundai, Toyota, Ford and any others who’d like to join – would likely prefer to develop their own systems to accelerate their innovation and market their technology for their road cars.

WRC 1 cars will be propelled solely on the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine for the next two years, powered with 100% sustainable fuels.