Project Rally One Prepares Maiden WRC27 Car Test for August 2026

Can a new constructor build a competitive World Rally Championship car from scratch in under two years? Project Rally One is about to find out.

The outfit has become the first tuner operation to commit to the WRC’s 2027 regulations. Founded by motorsport engineer Lionel Hansen, former FIA rally director and Citroën WRC boss Yves Matton, and Prospeed, the team announced its ambitions in December last year. Spain’s RMC Motorsport is the only other operation to have made the same commitment to the new technical framework.

The championship’s next regulatory cycle kicks off in December 2027. Project Rally One isn’t wasting time. The first car should roll off the assembly line in July 2026, heading straight into its maiden test the following month. Both cars are slated for completion by year’s end.

The first tubular chassis built for 2027 homologation is already in its final manufacturing phase. The car still needs FIA homologation, though.

Under the 2027 technical regulations, the WRC now allows tuners to become constructors—a shift that opens the door for new teams. Project Rally One has put together a focused squad with serious pedigree. Seventeen specialists handle design and development. Alain Penasse, who managed Hyundai’s WRC effort from 2013–2021, oversees sporting management and strategy. Jeremy Chevallereau owns all technical coordination. The design office and vehicle development fall to Florent Biard, working alongside engineers at Faster Racing. Jean-Claude Vaucard—who designed cars for Peugeot, Citroën, and Volkswagen’s WRC programs—serves as principal technical adviser.

August’s test will be the moment of truth. Everything depends on those first laps.