On eve of 2025 WRC season opener, Ott Tänak glad to see end of hybrid rules

Estonian rally star Ott Tänak has said he is delighted with this season's rally car specifications.
änak returns for Hyundai at this week's Monte Carlo Rally after coming close to winning a second WRC title last season; his teammate, Thierry Neuville (Belgium), took his maiden title after many years of trying.
One of the big rule changes affecting the Hyundai i20, and affecting all cars entering, is doing away with the controversial hybrid powertrain and hybrid rules, something Tänak expressed dissatisfaction with when introduced the season before last.
Tänak is in favor of the new setup.
"In terms of driving, I like it. This is what a rally car should be like," the Estonian said.
"The car is lighter, and that's a good thing in motorsport because weight determines everything. A lighter car is more playful, which is a positive," he continued.
Tänak has changed teams several times during his career – he won his only world title, so far, for Toyota in 2019, before going to Hyundai, then M-Sport Ford for a year, then back to Hyundai.
He says he is now more confident heading into the season than he did a year ago.
"We're already familiar with both the car and the team, and we're certainly better prepared than last year," Tänak said.
"I feel pretty good in the car, and at the end of last season, I felt quite comfortable, especially on asphalt, where I had much more confidence."
The 2025 season, as per tradition, begins with the Monte Carlo Rally; according to Tänak, it used to be more fun to drive there in the past.
"In the hybrid era, it has been demanding, but I've been switching teams, driving a new car, and working with a new crew every year, so the start of the season has been tough," the driver continued.
"This year, we're returning with the same car we've learned about in the past, so that helps a lot," he added.
WRC Rally1 class cars, now without hybrids, have 130 less horsepower but are 87 kilograms lighter, making them lighter to handle.
Tänak noted: "The concept of a rally car is now much simpler again, as before, we had all sorts of different strategies and had to figure out how and when to use the hybrid on each stage and include this information in the notes."
"Now, we're back to a fairly straightforward car, like in years past. It's much simpler and easier to drive," he added.
"With the turbo restrictor, we lost a millimeter, and less power isn't ideal for the driver, but overall, the big picture isn't bad."
The Monte Carlo Rally starts Thursday and finishes on Sunday.
The removal of the Compact Dynamics-supplied hybrid kit will reduce the minimum weight of Rally1 cars from 1260kg to 1180kg for 2025. Additionally, the air restrictor will be reduced from 36mm to 35mm to maintain a similar power-to-weight ratio from this season to the next. The cars are expected to produce around 380bhp, rally portal DirtFish reported at the end of last season.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Andrew Whyte