Written by William Stephens, Edited by Alexandra Campos
The world rally championship or WRC is one of the most prestigious series on the planet but it has a serious problem. A lack of manufacturer interest. Currently, Toyota and Hyundai are the only manufacturers with a sport not being a factory programme by Ford as they left in 2012, this lack of interest even in the new Rally1 era is a concerning problem the championship is facing. But why?
The lack of interest could be due to the complexity of the championship with the cars running on almost every surface possible. This means that developing a car mixed with the new complex hybrid systems the cars have, could cost more than what the returns could be.
Running across the world on almost every continent may also be a factor as that in itself boosts costs. Having to transport the cars and mechanics to each respective event or specific events, like if you deal with drivers who don't go to every event (like Sebastian Loeb) this season.
The newer, more focused, off-road racing series Extreme E has plenty of interest. It might be pulling people away from a possible WRC team, which for a championship with such an incredible history would be a real shame especially if one of the two current manufacturers do decide to leave.
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