Unveiled at Rally Islas Canarias in April 2026, the WRT Rally1 Spain project aims to return a Spanish-built car to the World Rally Championship’s top class in 2027, after an absence of more than 25 years. Led by RMC Motorsport and backed by the Real Federación Española de Automovilismo, the project aims to put Spanish engineering back on the world stage.
The project responds directly to the FIA’s new technical rules for 2027, which cut entry costs and open competition to independent teams. The WRC27 regulations cap the price at 345,000 euros per car and require a tubular chassis, making the top class more accessible than in the outgoing hybrid Rally1 era. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has pushed for the changes. Toyota is the only major manufacturer signed up so far. Two private teams, Belgium’s Project Rally One and RMC Motorsport from León, are building cars. Motorsport.com and other industry sources say the rules aim to lower the bar for privateers and draw more teams into the WRC’s top level. The official homologation date for the first WRC27 cars is November 1, 2026. Project Rally One and RMC Motorsport are both targeting that deadline, Motorsport.com reports.
RMC Motorsport did not reach this point by luck. Roberto Méndez founded the workshop in 2004 in Caboalles de Abajo. Since then, the team has built and prepared race cars, including its own N5 models since 2017. The WRT Rally1 Spain project has technical backing from the national federation and support from the Consejo Superior de Deportes. At the launch, federation president Manuel Aviñó noted that Spain is the first national body to back a program like this. FIA vice president Malcolm Wilson called the move “unprecedented in the championship.”
The engineering is in experienced hands. FDC, led by Javier Ciabattari, who has worked in Formula 1 and Hyundai WRC, is responsible for the car’s design. Julián Piedrafita is advising on electronics and suspension. The rules call for a 1.6-liter turbo engine running on sustainable fuel. The car will have all-wheel lead, with double wishbone suspension and a five-speed sequential gearbox. RMC has already built two chassis at its Villablino shop, and both have FIA approval. The final bodywork design remains under wraps.
Testing begins with Javi Villa, 38, from Asturias. He has raced in GP2 and the World Touring Car Championship. He has also won twelve Spanish hillclimb titles. Villa has just finished second in the Toyota GR Iberian Cup and will be the lead development driver. Two more testers are planned. The goal is to have two Spanish drivers in the car by 2027. The plan fits the federation’s long-term effort to develop local talent through programs such as Rallye Team Spain.
The timeline is tight. Technical director Fernando Álvarez says the team wants the car running by October 2026 but will not promise a fixed date. The FIA has made clear that entry to the WRC depends on completing the program and securing full homologation under the new rules. If RMC Motorsport succeeds, the team could race in at least half of the 2027 season. Making the Monte Carlo opener will be a tough ask.
SEAT Sport was the last Spanish constructor in the WRC’s top class. Its involvement ended after 2000. Now a team from León’s mining region is taking on the major manufacturers. RMC Motorsport is listed alongside Toyota in the FIA’s plans, reflecting how much the sport has changed. The car still has to prove itself on the stages, but the FIA has recognized the project.
Spain’s car scene has seen big moments before. One example is the classic car rally in Burgos reported earlier. WRT Rally1 Spain is in the future, aiming to show that Spanish engineering can compete at the top under the new rules. If the team delivers, it will be more than a technical win; it will mark Spain’s return to world rallying.
