The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, has today announced that FIA member club the Real Federación Española de Automovilismo (RFEDA) and RMC Motorsport will partner to develop a 2027 Rally1 car for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), becoming the second new constructor to join the championship under its new regulatory era from 2027, and the first from Spain.

In a first-of-its-kind partnership, RFEDA and renowned constructor RMC Motorsport will develop a new 2027 Rally1 car, with the support and collaboration of the Spanish Sports Council (CSD) bringing new technical capability, engineering expertise and sporting ambition to the WRC. The project marks an important step for Spanish motor sport and reflects a shared ambition between RFEDA and RMC Motorsport to establish a new Spanish presence in the championship from 2027.

The car will be designed to meet the WRC27 technical regulations, which establish a cost-controlled platform capped at €345,000 and mandate a tubular safety cell, double-wishbone suspension, four-wheel-drive configuration and a sustainably fuelled 1.6-litre turbocharged internal combustion engine. Developed under the leadership of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the WRC27 regulatory framework was designed to open the championship to both traditional manufacturers and independent tuners, creating a unique pathway for entries such as that of RFEDA and RMC Motorsport to compete at the highest level of the sport.

RMC Motorsport will design, manufacture and develop the car, building on nearly a decade of experience in the development of Group N5 rally cars, which have competed across national and international championships. That experience now provides the foundation for the company's step up to the highest level of international rallying.

For RFEDA, the project supports two key strategic objectives: strengthening Spain's motor sport and automotive engineering ecosystem and creating a clearer pathway for Spanish talent to compete at the highest level of international rallying. In backing this project, RFEDA also becomes the first FIA member club to actively support a constructor's entry into the WRC, a landmark moment that reflects the Federation's determination to play an active role in shaping the future of the championship.

As with all new projects, participation within the championship remains subject to the programme being carried out to completion and the successful homologation of the car in line with the WRC27 technical regulations. However, the RFEDA and RMC Motorsport entry already represents an important early milestone in the transition to the FIA World Rally Championship's new regulatory era in 2027, illustrating how a framework built around affordability, accessibility and flexibility can attract new entrants to the championship.

FIA Deputy President for Sport, Malcolm Wilson OBE, commented: "The project led by RFEDA and RMC Motorsport is another encouraging sign for the future of the FIA World Rally Championship. Under the direction of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the FIA has worked hard to deliver a regulatory package that allows independent projects such as this to compete on equal terms with manufacturers, and it is rewarding to see that work attracting new entrants to the championship. What makes this project particularly noteworthy is that it is backed by an FIA member club, a first for the championship, and a clear sign of the confidence federations have in the direction the WRC is taking."

FIA Vice-President for Sport, Europe and President of the Real Federación Española de Automovilismo, Manuel Aviñó said: “We could not pass up the opportunity offered by the FIA to incorporate tuners such as RMC into the manufacture of 2027 Rally1 cars. This agreement with RMC also fulfills several of the objectives I set at the beginning of my tenure at RFEDA. As President, it is a source of great pride to be part of a project that will undoubtedly strengthen the quality and recognition of the Spanish Motorsport industry, while also serving as a reference and inspiration for our drivers in their sporting careers. I would especially like to thank Roberto Méndez for his determination in taking on such a demanding challenge.

RMC Motorsport founder Roberto Méndez added: “This project represents the professional culmination of RMC’s journey. With the extensive experience gained from building N5 vehicles competing across several continents, we now approach the opportunity to develop the new FIA 2027 Rally1 car with great enthusiasm. The support of RFEDA, under the leadership of Manuel Aviñó, is key to the project’s success. We are working intensively and will soon be able to share more detailed technical information about the new car."