Racecar Engineering – September 2019

36 http://www.racecar-engineering.com SEPTEMBER 2019

WRC – 2022 REGULATIONS

Thereis notmuchinthewayofdetailasyet

anddiscussionsbetweenthemanufacturers,

asa group,andtheFIAcontinue.It is clear,

however,thatthenewtubularspaceframe

conceptandthe‘scalingtomandatory

dimensions’optionopensthedoortoexisting

WRCmanufacturerswhichmightwishtofield

C segmentWRCcars,orevenSUVs.Atthe

presenttimeit is lookinglikeToyotawishesto

stickwiththeB segmentYaris,whileM-Sport/

Ford,HyundaiandCitroenfavourlargermodels.

Currentaffairs

Citroenhasstatedit willnotcontinueinWRC

if hybridsandzeroemissionzonesarenot

included.Rightnowthatseemstobetheway

it’sgoing,butthequestionofwhetherit willbe

highorlowvoltageelectricpowerhasstilltobe

addressed.CitroenRacingchiefengineerOlivier

Marosellisays:‘Theproblemwithlowvoltageis

youaretalkingabout[sucha]highcurrentthat

youneedhugecablesandyouaregoingaway

fromallthecurrenttrendsinhybridisation.

‘Byinternationalrules,above 60 voltsyou’re

basicallyswitchingtoa high-voltagesystem

intermsofsafetyissues,becausewhenyou

areabove 60 voltsthereis a riskofelectric

shock,whichis basicallyonlyrelatedtovoltage,’

Maroselliadds.‘Sixtyvoltsis verylowfora

high-endhybridora fullyelectriccar;whichare

runningmorethan300,400,upto 800 volts–

thehigherthevoltagethelesscurrentforthe

samepowerandthena lightersystem.Citroen

wanthybridtobemandatoryandfullelectricfor

somesections[ofthestages],aswell.Sothatis

somethingwehave[tohave]togetthe[board’s]

permissiontocarryonwiththesport.’

Maroselli’scalculationsindicatetheelectric

driveline;thebattery,theelectricmotor,the

inverter,willweighabout100kg.Currently

theFIAplanstostayatthecurrent1190kg

minimumcarweightwiththenewcarsand

allowextrabodylightening,butdiscussions

aredifficultascarweightis a secretsubject

betweenteams,becauseofballastingbenefits.

Butthereis excitementaboutthisprospect:

‘Forsureit willbethebiggestchangeinthe

WRCsincethestartofitshistory,’saysMaroselli.

ToyotaGazooRacingWRCchiefengineer

TomFowleralsobelievesthechoicebetween

WRC manufacturers might

wish to field C segment

cars or even SUVs

Working on hybrid/electric rally cars will bring added complications but most in the WRC believe safety will not be an issue

Citroen has made it clear that its future in the WRC depends on some element of hybrid/electric power in the new regulations and so it will not be disappointed with the FIA proposals