WRC
FIA: WRC regulations debate won’t affect 2025 tyre development
The current uncertainty regarding the World Rally Championship technical regulations for next year won’t affect the planned roll-out of Hankook’s new control tyres, according to the FIA.
Tom Howard
Edited: Apr 29, 2024, 10:07 AM
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Korean tyre firm Hankook was announced as the WRC's new official tyre supplier in December last year, securing a contract from 2025-2027, to take over from Pirelli, whose deal expires at the end of the year.
Since winning the FIA's tender, Hankook has been busily developing rubber for next year testing prototypes with WRC teams as early as February this year, before the world motorsport governing body unveiled its vision for the future of the WRC.
The vision includes proposed changes to the technical rules for next season with the FIA intending to remove hybrid power from Rally1 cars in addition to a reduction in aerodynamics via a modified rear wing and a decrease in power caused by a smaller air restrictor.
These changes are currently at the centre of a debate after WRC teams wrote to the FIA requesting of the current Rally1 regulations to remain in place until the end of 2026.
Motorsport.com understands a compromise on regulations for next year is being discussed with a solution likely to be communicated to teams next month.
With the 2025 rules in a state of flux, FIA road sport director Andrew Wheatley is confident it won't affect Hankook as it continues to develop its 2025 tyres.
Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images
"I think the tyre manufacturers are doing a great job to bridge that gap," said Wheatley in a media roundtable including Motorsport.com.
"The tyre is designed to be fairly flexible. At the moment, one of the targets from Hankook is to make the tyre between Rally1 and Rally2 as close as possible.
"It might be that there are some changes on different surfaces, but I don't think it is in the discussion at the moment.
"First of all, the small detail changes can be applied quite quickly in terms of the development, and it is being designed with a fairly wide window. I think we have a solution for that, and it is not an issue."
Hankook has declined to comment on the development of its WRC tyres while Pirelli remains the championship's control tyre supplier.
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