▁of ▁a ▁contract ▁they ▁made ▁with ▁the ▁FI A ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁which ▁allowed ▁them ▁to ▁run ▁the ▁old ▁specification ▁Lanc ers ). ▁The ▁model ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁then - new ▁e ighth ▁generation ▁C edia ▁model , ▁of ▁which ▁the ▁road - going ▁E volution ▁VII ▁is ▁based ▁on . ▁The ▁W RC ▁rules ▁allowed ▁more ▁freedom ▁in ▁most ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁car , ▁therefore ▁the ▁engine ers ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁make ▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁car ▁they ▁couldn ' t ▁do ▁to ▁the ▁older ▁Group ▁A ▁Lanc ers . ▁These ▁changes ▁included ▁modifications ▁to ▁the ▁engine ▁and ▁its ▁surr ound ings ▁( l ighter ▁internal ▁parts , ▁more ▁rear ward ▁t ilt ▁to ▁optimize ▁the ▁front ▁weight ▁distribution , ▁new ▁tur bo ▁and ▁new ▁exhaust ▁system ), ▁but ▁the ▁most ▁significant ▁change ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁the ▁susp ensions : ▁now ▁both ▁the ▁front ▁and ▁rear ▁susp ensions ▁were ▁Mac Ph ers ons , ▁and ▁also ▁bigger ▁wheel ▁arch es ▁were ▁impl anted , ▁allowing ▁more ▁susp ension ▁travel . ▁However , ▁the ▁driv et rain ▁remained ▁the ▁same ▁as ▁before , ▁and ▁when ▁Tom mi ▁M ä k inen ▁left ▁the ▁team ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁new ▁drivers ▁couldn ' t ▁get ▁on ▁with ▁this ▁special ▁transmission , ▁which ▁required ▁an ▁ag gress ive ▁left - foot ▁bra king ▁approach . ▁The ▁original ▁E vo ▁W RC ▁( s ometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁Step 1 ) ▁was ▁replaced ▁with ▁the