Folks, 2017 WRC season is upon us: new cars, new challenge, quoi.

It got me thinking here: how will these new winglets on wheels fare against old WRC machinery? Will the C3 WRC invade teenage dreams, their fragile eggshell minds and adorn teenage room walls around the world? Or even be used as a wallpaper on teenage smartphones around the world? It’s a tough question to answer, this one! Especially if you consider the current generation of the WRC machinery resembles a crossover between IndyCar and DTM vehicles, resulting from a passionate one night stand, interbreeding and forming previously unknown wrc-ean species.

IndyCar – the Founding Father of 2017 WRC cars.

Screengrab @indycar

DTM – the Founding Mutti of 2017 WRC cars.

Screengrab @DTM

In any case, we tend to agree with the FIA that 2011-2016 cars had reached their limit and had to go, more of the same would’ve been quite boring. Change is the name of the world.

We, however, would’ve preferred a sleeker, less winglety design, inspired on pre-2011 WRC efforts. Horses for courses though.

This sends us back to an almost anecdotal situation that took place in the great Portuguese city of Porto way back in 2010: many F1 fans would surely be shocked to see their idol, the mighty #Kimi7, walking carelessly the streets of Porto, consuming ice-cream and taking part in a roadshow event together with rally drivers, Séb Loeb included. Seems unthinkable now, but it did in fact happen!

There was something about those cars, their streamlined shape and the sound of their engines. It turned people on.

Let’s hope #WRC2017 does the same to us all!

To be confirmed at Rally Portugal later in the year. Until then, enjoy #rallyemontecarlo and everything in-between.