The 2025 Rally1s are simpler, lighter and more economical. Find out about the main technical innovations presented at the Vodafone Rally de Portugal.
Rally1 cars are sophisticated machines that gobble up kilometers with impressive speed and ease. Visually, they are very similar to last year's cars; the differences are under the body. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has introduced significant changes, the most important of which is the elimination of the 130 kW hybrid system, an overly expensive and complex solution that had been in place since 2022.
The engines are still 1.6 turbocharged four-cylinders, but the diameter of the intake air restrictor has been reduced to 35 mm (- 1 mm) to maintain the power-to-weight ratio of the 2024 cars. Without the plug-in hybrid unit, maximum power has dropped from 500 to 380 hp and the Rally1s are 80 kg lighter, with a minimum weight of 1,180 kg. It should be noted that the thermal engines continue to use 100% sustainable fuel.
The FIA has changed its supplier and at the Vodafone Rally de Portugal the drivers will use TotalEnergies fuel, produced from waste and residues from the circular economy, which guarantees high performance while respecting the environment.
Another novelty has to do with the tires. The South Korean manufacturer Hankook will be the official supplier for all WRC categories until 2027, replacing Pirelli, which has left rallying. This is the first dirt rally in Europe and the drivers must quickly understand the characteristics of the Dynapro tires with three types of compound (hard, medium and soft) to make the cars effective in the Portuguese forests. The Rally1 drivers can use 36 tires during the rally, including the shakedown, eight more than in the Safari Rally, where there were numerous punctures. It's important to know which tires to use and when to change them in order to achieve a good final result.