At the 2022 WRC Monte Carlo Rally at the beginning of the year, 47-year-old Sebastian Loeb won the 80th WRC title of his career with outstanding performances. There is no doubt that Loeb is definitely the most dazzling "king driver" in this field, and he is the first person in the history of the World Rally Championship (WRC). Of course, in addition to Loeb, who used his "spare time" to run a race and won the championship, in the opening game of this season, the new version of the car that was officially unveiled for the first time also became the focus of many people's attention. Starting in the 2022 season, the WRC World Rally Championship will enter the hybrid era, with the new plug-in hybrid Raly1 car running on 100% biofuel, while some major changes and far-reaching effects follow.
The dynamic rules created by current events have changed dramatically
In fact, as early as the FIA confirmed that it would introduce a hybrid system of oil and electricity in the 2022 season, only the teams of Toyota, Hyundai and Ford expressed their willingness to join. Think about it, a major purpose of manufacturer teams participating in automobile racing is to "advertise" their own brands. Although the hybrid system has become a very common form of power today, and many car brands have used it in their own products, the WRC's power regularization and reform created by current events this time is not the same. In view of the fact that the hybrid system introduced by WRC will have uniform specifications, and the electric units will be provided by a third-party company, not only will there be no advertising benefits for the manufacturers, but the factory teams can only passively cooperate, and the increased operating costs can only be paid by themselves.
It must be emphasized that the opening of the hybrid era of WRC events is more like going with the flow in the big environment, not subjective progress or change, more or less "forced" taste. This is especially true for the three factory teams participating in the Rally1 group, where the hybrid system used in the car is not its own technology, but a standard component supplied uniformly, and if you want to continue to participate in this group, you must comply with the relevant regulations of the FIA.
Rally1 racing car adds plug-in hybrid module
From an optimistic point of view, the addition of plug-in hybrid systems will not only make the car more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, but also make the race more exciting and interesting. The release strategy of electric energy will be written by the fleet in advance to the electronic control unit of the hybrid device, and the specific release of electrical energy cannot be controlled by the driver, which is considered to be no additional burden on the driver. In different stages, the team will write a variety of different power release strategy procedures, which will undoubtedly have a certain impact on the final result, which will test the team's ability to cooperate with the drivers.
In terms of configuration, the hybrid unit of the WRC Rally1 group of racing cars will have warning lights exclusive to the electric module, which is independent of the vehicle's electrical system. In addition, the vehicle is equipped with a separation system, if there is any problem with the hybrid device during the race, the car can still continue to run, although the performance may be affected, but it will not directly lead to withdrawal. In fact, the hybrid system used by WRC was "troublesome" when it was handed over to the teams last year, whether it is the stability of the new technology or the problems faced by the team adjustment, it is quite tricky, but after the joint efforts of many parties, the 2022 season finally became the first year of the WRC's hybrid.
100% sustainable fuels and other adjustments
While the addition of the hybrid system is remarkable, the new Rally1 car has also made significant improvements in other areas. Although the engine displacement has not changed in any way, it is still a 1.6T turbocharged engine, but it uses 100% sustainable fuel, which is a leap forward in energy conservation and emission reduction. In addition, the main structure of the body has also been optimized in a targeted manner, and the safety of the vehicle has been significantly improved. In fact, in the new car test and the first race, there are still many accidents, including even major safety accidents. However, although the car was hit a bit badly, the structure of the carriage was still very strong, and it did not cause any substantial damage to the driver and navigator.
summary
While the new energy wave swept the world, not only the automotive industry ushered in a reshuffle, but even auto racing began to face necessary reforms. In addition to the nascent pure electric events such as PE, including the traditional top events such as F1, WRC and WTCR, they have also begun to "move the knife" in the power system, such as the engine displacement of F1, which has been reduced again and again, and now it is only the configuration of the 1.6T+ hybrid system. To be honest, the WRC's dynamic reform process is actually late, although it is relatively passive, and all parties are not so willing, but fortunately, it has finally come. The 2022 season will surely go down in history, as the first year of the WRC's hybrid, the curtain has been lifted, are you ready?