The World Rally Championship used to be one of the most iconic motorsports, second only to Formula 1 for public attention, in Europe at least. But the race series has fallen from its former glory more recently. WRC has just hosted its annual race weekend in Finland, the spiritual home of rallying, so I talked to the team about how the sport could remain relevant in a world where sustainability is becoming central for automotive technology.
There’s no sign that WRC will be going all-electric anytime soon, either. “We will drive with a hybrid system with our three existing manufacturers for the next two years, 25 and 26,” says Siebel. “For 27 onwards we need more cars. The fact that the whole automotive industry is in a big transformation process, and nobody knows exactly which technology will be relevant in a few years, doesn't help.
“We are offering both worlds,” argues Siebel. “That means we have full sustainable fuel and hybridization, which will be the future for at least two thirds of the car passenger car markets, until 2045. Even Akio Toyoda said by 2035 only one third of cars will be fully electric, so what to do with other two thirds? We have the answer. We have full sustainable fuel plus hybridization. Once pure electrification is ready to get enough range, power, and safety, maybe we can run both alongside.