VM
kalendern 2024 |
FIA World Rally Championship calendar 2024:
25 28 January Rallye Monte-Carlo (Asphalt/Ice)
15 18 February Rally Sweden (Snow)
28 31 March Safari Rally Kenya (Gravel)
18 21 April Croatia Rally (Asphalt)
9 12 May Vodafone Rally de Portugal (Gravel)
30 May 2 June Rally Italia Sardegna (Gravel)
27 30 June ORLEN 80th Rally Poland (Gravel)
18 21 July Tet Rally Latvia (Gravel)
1 4 August Secto Rally Finland (Gravel)
5 8 September EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (Gravel)
26 29 September Rally Chile Bio Bío (Gravel)
31 October 3 November Central European Rally (Asphalt)
21 24 November FORUM8 Rally Japan (Asphalt) |
24-07-21 : Taktisk och historisk
triumf för Solberg
Oliver Solberg kontrollerade tävlingen från start till mål
och säkrade en historisk VM-seger i Lettland på söndagen.
Fem år efter att han blivit den yngste vinnaren någonsin av en
EM-rallytävling i Lettland blev Solberg också den förste att
vinna en VM-omgång i WRC2-klassen på samma plats.
Den Liepaja-baserade tävlingen har en speciell plats i hjärtat av
WRC2-titelutmanaren.
En fantastisk känsla att äntligen få smaka seger igen.
Det var ett tag sedan sist. Det viktigaste är att farten är tillbaka,
sa Oliver Solberg.
154 dagar har gått sedan Solberg senast vann en VM-tävling i WRC2-klassen.
Det hände hemma i Sverige i februari. Sedan vann 22-åringen även
EM-tävlingen på hemmaplan i Karlstad i juni.
Han vann tolv av tävlingens 20 specialsträckor. På tävlingens
första dag vann han sju av åtta specialsträckor och ledde
med 31,1 sekunder.
Skoda-föraren kontrollerade avståndet till finska Toyota-utmanarna
Mikko Heikkilä och Sami Pajari på cirka en halv minut under resten
av tävlingen. Till sist var segermarginalen säkra 37,4 sekunder.
På tävlingens sista dag tog han 3 av 4 sträcksegrar.
Oliver Solberg ledar nu VM med finländaren Sami Pajari tre poeng bakom.
Fem VM-tävlingar återstår av säsongen.
2019 vann en 17-årig Oliver Solberg EM-tävlingen i Lettland, där
hans motorsportskarriär började på allvar. 22-åringen
har starka minnen från tävlingarna han körde där som
ung.
Solberg körde till andra plats i Polen senast. Nästa VM-tävling
är ännu ett fullfartsrally då det är dags för Rally
Finland i början av augusti.
24-07-21 Red-hot Rovanperä
storms to stunning Latvia WRC win
Finns untouchable streak continues but local hero Martin Sesks
suffers heartbreak on Sunday.
Kalle Rovanperä sealed a dominant start-to-finish victory at Tet Rally
Latvia on Sunday afternoon, wrapping up his second triumph in as many high-speed
gravel events.
Having started his first-ever rally on Latvias roads more than 10 years
ago aged 12, the Finnish driver rolled back the clocks to win the Baltic nation's
first FIA World Rally Championship round.
Rovanperä was never seriously challenged during the four-day fixture,
which started in the capital city Riga on Thursday evening before journeying
west to Liepaja. He built a comfortable lead during the first two legs in
his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 and eased through the finale to win the seasons
eighth round by 39.2sec.
Sébastien Ogier completed a 1-2 for the Japanese marque while Ott Tänak
stole the final podium spot from Martin Sesks after the local hero was
slowed by transmission fault in the Wolf Power Stage.
It has been a great weekend, said Rovanperä, whose victory
alongside co-driver Jonne Halttunen followed a similarly dominant performance
at the previous round in Poland. It is cool to have the first win here,
Latvia is an important place for me.
Big thanks to Jonne and the whole team, we have been stronger than we
expected. We are going to enjoy this one and then work hard [for the next
round] in Finland.
Sesks was cruelly deprived of what could have been a maiden podium on only
his second outing at rallyings top level. The 24-year-old won two stages
on Friday and entered the final test with 4.6sec in hand over Tänak despite
two overshoots earlier in the morning, but his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 developed
a transmission problem just one corner into the stage.
It was in the first corner, explained Sesks, who lost almost two
minutes and plummeted to seventh. We dont know if its a
differential problem or something like that, after that we understood that
it was over. I think we showed our pace and made everyone happy, it just wasn't
my time.
The drivers championship battle closed up as Tänak extracted maximum
points from Super Sunday and climbed to second in the drivers' championship
standings.
He now trails Hyundai i20 N Rally1 team-mate Thierry Neuville by just eight
points with five rounds remaining with Elfyn Evans, who slipped to third in
the standings, just five points further back. Neuville and Evans finished
eighth and fifth respectively and both struggled to recover from the time
loss they faced by opening the road in loose conditions on Friday.
M-Sport Ford man Adrien Fourmaux ended 27.0sec behind Tänak in fourth
despite encountering a small engine problem on the last two stages, with Toyota
star Evans finishing a further 11.2sec in arrears.
Takamoto Katsuta brought his GR Yaris home sixth ahead of Sesks and Neuville.
Grégoire Munster was ninth, gaining a position when the engine on Esapekka
Lappi's Hyundai cried enough after the final stage, while WRC2 winner Oliver
Solberg completed the leaderboard.
WRC remains in northern Europe for another fast gravel road fixture at Secto
Rally Finland next month. Round nine of the season is based in Jyväskylä
from 1 - 4 August.
Overall classification:
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 2h 31m 47.6s
2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +39.2s
3. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +1m 4.5s
4. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +1m 31.5s
5. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +1m 42.7s
6. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +2m 7.0s
Drivers' championship standings (after round 8 of 13):
1. T Neuville 145
2. O Tänak 137
3. E Evans 132
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-07-19 Advantage Rovanperä
but Sesks grabs the headlines on Friday
Youngsters reign supreme on first full day of action in Latvia.
Kalle Rovanperä opened up a 15.7sec lead over local rising star Martin
Sesks at Tet Rally Latvia as the two youngsters stole the show on Friday.
Latvias FIA World Rally Championship debut marks something of a homecoming
for the 23-year-old Finn, as it was on the Baltic nations roads that
he started his first-ever rally at the age of 12 in 2013.
Helped by his stage win on Thursdays opener at Bikernieki Track in Riga,
which attracted a sell-out crowd, Rovanperä was never headed on Friday
and won four of the days seven super-fast gravel road tests in his Toyota
GR Yaris Rally1.
But it was 24-year-old hotshot Sesks, contesting only his second event in
rallyings highest echelon and utilising hybrid power for the first time
in his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1, whose performance raised more eyebrows.
Sesks, who is co-driven by fellow Latvian Renars Francis, reaffirmed that
the future is here now when he grabbed his first-ever WRC stage win on the
days second stage at Tukums, passing eight-time world champion Sébastien
Ogier in the process. And, as if that werent enough, he backed it up
with another fastest time on the very next test.
Its amazing, said Sesks, who ended this 120km leg 5.9sec
clear of third-placed Toyota man Ogier. It's been so emotional today,
and yesterday as well. I think these next two days will be the same.
Takamoto Katsutas all-in approach to the Talsi finale helped the Toyota
driver pass Ott Tänak and claim fourth overall. He ended 11.6sec adrift
of Ogier with M-Sport Ford man Adrien Fourmaux, who also overtook Tänak
in the same stage, 5.3sec behind.
Tänak, meanwhile, fell from fourth to sixth after a challenging day.
The Estonian reported a lack of confidence early on as well as a brake issue
which he fixed on the roadside after the finish of the penultimate stage.
Elfyn Evans, currently second in the points, trailed the leaders by more than
50sec in seventh. Although he was not hit as hard as championship leader and
road-opener Thierry Neuville, the Toyota ace was second in the starting order
and struggled to find traction with no real clean line to follow.
Tyre damage cost Esapekka Lappi a handful of seconds on SS5 but the i20 N
driver was quick to point out that his main problems lay between the
steering wheel and the seat. He dropped back to 10th after SS8, languishing
behind Grégoire Munster and Neuville.
The action continues from 08:20 local time on Saturday when the first of eight
special stages, totalling 104 competitive kilometres, begins.
Leading positions after Friday:
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 1h 8m 44.5s
2. M Sesks / R Francis LVA Ford Puma +15.7s
3. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +21.6s
4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +33.2s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +38.5s
6. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +38.8s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-07-17 Latvia goes global
as WRCs speedfest continues
Baltic nation becomes the 37th country to host a WRC round.
Latvia will become the 37th country to host a round of the FIA World Rally
Championship when the WRCs European summer of speed continues at round
eight this week (18 21 July).
Excitement is building across the Baltic nation in anticipation of Thursday
evenings rally start in the capital city, Riga, when the worlds
best rally drivers and cars will do battle on Latvian soil for the first time.
The country boasts not only masses of passionate fans, but also home-grown
talent in the form of Martin Sesks.
Sesks, who is just 24 years old and grew up in Liepaja where the events
service park is based, finished an incredible fifth on his Rally1 debut in
Poland last month.
After driving without a plug-in hybrid unit last time out in order to adapt
to his Ford Puma Rally1, Sesks and co-driver Renars Francis will count on
hybrid power for their home event, which they won in 2022 and 2023 when it
was a round of the FIA European Rally Championship.
Coming to [my home event in] Latvia is always going to be exciting,"
said the youngster. I will do my best. Im hoping what we did in
Poland has helped the organisers to sell even more tickets for Latvia. Its
going to be exciting for the fans as well as for me to have
a local driver competing at this level.
Bookmarked on the calendar between Poland and Finland, Latvia makes up part
of the WRC's high-speed European summer, characterised by fast-paced gravel
roads with stomach-churning jumps and countless blind crests.
Its unique itinerary, which boasts very few repeated stages, poses a challenge
for Thierry Neuville, who currently tops the standings by 15 points. Driving
a Hyundai i20 N Rally1, the Belgian will have the task of opening the road
on Friday, clearing a faster line for those behind him.
Rally Latvia is going to be another challenging rally, and it is always
more difficult when you are first on the road and the first to discover the
conditions," he admitted. "The cleaning will be massive. Some stages
arent repeated, and a lot of fast part-time drivers will be there, so
while our expectations are not so high our motivation is to finish ahead of
our rivals is strong."
Neuvilles team-mates Ott Tänak and Esapekka Lappi have been preparing
with warm-up events; Tänak at Rally Estonia and Lappi at Lietuva Rally
in Lithuania. While Tänak faced a setback, crashing out on the first
day of his home rally, Lappi claimed victory on his test run.
Toyota GAZOO Racing brings a star-studded line-up of GR Yaris Rally1 cars
with Elfyn Evans, currently second in the points, joined by reigning world
champion Kalle Rovanperä and eight-time title-winner Sébastien
Ogier. Rovanperä clinched victory in Poland despite replacing Ogier just
48 hours before the rally. Takamoto Katsuta will also drive a Toyota but wont
score manufacturers championship points.
Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire Munster complete a three-pronged M-Sport
Ford Puma attack alongside Sesks, with Fourmaux fresh off the back of his
third podium of the season.
The opening test takes place at the Bikernieki Track in Riga on Thursday (18
July) evening. Crews face 20 special stages covering a timed distance of 300.13
km before the finish on Sunday afternoon.
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-07-17 Solberg jagar en historisk
uppföljare
Fem år efter att han blivit den yngste vinnaren någonsin av en
EM-rallytävling ska Oliver Solberg försöka vinna den första
VM-tävlingen någonsin på samma plats i Lettland.
Lettland är värd för landets första tävling någonsin
i World Rally Championship denna vecka.
2019 vann 17-åriga Oliver Solberg Rally Lettland. Den Liepaja-baserade
tävlingen har en speciell plats i hjärtat av den nu 22-årige
WRC2-titelutmanaren.
Karriären började i Lettland. Minnena från tävlingarna
jag körde där som ung är starka. Den största är förstås
vinsten i EM-tävlingen 2019. Att skriva historia på det sättet,
att bli den yngste föraren någonsin att vinna ett EM-rally, var
något fantastiskt för mig på den tiden. Jag kommer aldrig
att glömma det, säger Oliver Solberg.
Ännu en snabb tävling väntar efter ett fullspeed i Polen senast.
Där körde Solberg in till en andra plats.
Att komma tillbaka till Lettland är väldigt skönt. Människorna,
stödet och vägarna är väldigt speciella. På ett
sätt är allt lite mer seriöst nu än tidigare: Vi ska till
Liepaja och jaga poäng i WRC2 för att slåss om att ett världsmästerskap
som ska vinnas.
Vi har en ganska bra meritlista på snabba rallyvägar, och
segern i Finland förra året är definitivt en av höjdpunkterna
i vår karriär hittills. Vi kommer att slåss om segern även
i Lettland.
Rally Lettland är spritt över större delen av landet. Tävlingen
startar med en superspecial i Riga på torsdagskvällen. Tävlingen
avslutas på söndag efter 20 specialsträckor.
24-06-30 Rovanperä
powers to phenomenal Rally Poland victory
Finn defies all odds to win the WRCs seventh round on Sunday. Kalle
Rovanperä claimed one of the most remarkable victories in FIA World Rally
Championship history at ORLEN 80th Rally Poland on Sunday.
Reigning world champion Rovanperä, who is undertaking a selected programme
of events in 2024, had never even planned to start this rally but was called
upon by his Toyota GAZOO Racing team to replace Sébastien Ogier at
the final hour. Ogier was sidelined by an accident during reconnaissance on
Tuesday, leaving Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen with less than
48 hours to ready themselves.
Those frantic preparations didnt seem to affect the Finn too much as
he romped to his 13th career victory behind the wheel of a GR Yaris Rally1,
heading team-mate Elfyn Evans by 28.3sec in a Toyota 1-2 after Hyundai rival
Andreas Mikkelsen plummeted down the order on Sunday.
Rovanperä began the final leg 9.4sec in front of Mikkelsen, but the Hyundai
drivers bid for a second Rally Poland victory was foiled when he crawled
to the end of the opening stage with a tyre off the rim. He tumbled to sixth
by the finish as M-Sport Ford man Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium 14.4sec
behind Evans.
Its been quite an amazing week, smiled Rovanperä. Definitely
I have to say we have been working quite hard and we are really tired now.
I think the best thing is we came here, and it was not a bad idea to come.
We helped the team a lot and took a lot of points for the manufacturers
championship, so we didnt waste our time."
Mikkelsen was chasing his first victory since 2016 and led through Friday
before slipping behind Rovanperä in the penultimate leg. The flailing
rubber ripped his i20 N cars rear wheel arch apart and the Norwegian
chose to cruise through the closing stages.
It was sad what happened today, he said. We were really
unlucky. The right thing to do [after that] was to bring the car back for
the team.
The four-day rally was blessed with hot weather throughout and provided edge-of-the-seat
drama as drivers traded tenths of a second on blisteringly fast roads.
Barring a tyre delamination on Saturday and a slow puncture in the finale,
Evans fared well compared with his main title rivals. The Welshman overtook
Ott Tänak to reclaim second in the drivers championship and cut
Thierry Neuvilles lead to 15 points with six rounds remaining.
An unavoidable impact forced Tänaks retirement on Friday morning
but he restarted on the following days and was able to salvage 11 points from
Super Sunday. His Hyundai colleague Neuville, meanwhile, won the Wolf Power
Stage but finished fourth after sweeping the road clear of loose stones on
Friday.
Puma star Fourmaux, who scored his third podium of the season, ended the rally
28.1sec clear of Belgiums Neuville while Latvias Martin
Sesks delivered a mighty fifth-place finish on his top-flight debut. Sesks,
who ran as high as second early in the event, was driving a non-hybrid Puma
but will upgrade to a full-spec car for his home round next month.
Mikkelsen limped home over two minutes back from Rovanperä in sixth ahead
of Grégoire Munster and Takamoto Katsuta. Ninth place went to Sami
Pajari, winner of the WRC2 category, while Oliver Solberg capitalised on a
puncture for Robert Virves to sneak into the top 10.
The WRCs summer speedfest continues next month at Tet Rally Latvia,
a brand-new round for the championship, which is based in Liepaja from 18
- 21 July.
Overall classification:
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 2h 37m 7.6s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +28.3s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +42.7s
4. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +1m 10.8s
5. M Sesks / R Francis LVA Ford Puma +1m 47.0s
6. A Mikkelsen / T Eriksen NOR Hyundai i20 N +2m 16.6s
Drivers' Championship standings (after round 7 of 13):
1. T Neuville 136
2. E Evans 121
3. O Tänak 115
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-06-30 Viktiga polska poäng
för Solberg
Oliver Solberg kontrollerade säkert andraplatsen i Rally Polen och säkrade
värdefulla poäng i kampen om VM-titeln.
Oliver anlände till Polen direkt från sin vinst i EM-tävlingen
Royal Rally of Scandinavia på hemmaplan i Karlstad.
Efter fyra problemfria dagar i sin koda Fabia RS Rally2, tog Solberg
flera värdefulla poäng i jakten på WRC2-titeln.
Jag är nöjd med resultatet. Även om jag alltid vill
vinna så måste man se tävlingen som helhet, ta positionen
på vägen och allt annat i beaktande. Andraplatsen representerar
hoppet och förväntningarna vi hade inför tävlingen, sa
Oliver Solberg.
Tillsammans med kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson säkrade 22-åringen
sin fjärde platsplats på de fem senaste starterna.
Efter en jobbig fredag ??blev dagen därpå bättre. Bilen
gav mig lite mer självförtroende och saker fungerade mer som vi
vill ha dem. Vi började dagen på femte plats och kom ut i andra
änden på andra plats.
Han säkrade sex sträcksegrar på de 19 specialsträckorna.
Specialsträckorna sista dagen var inte riktigt lika snabba, men
lite mer komplicerade och tekniska. Vi var runt en halv minut från ledningen
och vi valde att vara vettiga i segerpressen. Vi kom hit för att samla
viktiga poäng, och det har vi gjort, sa Solberg.
Om två och en halv vecka åker världsmästerskapet i rally
till Lettland
24-06-29 Mikkelsen holds slender
lead in Poland
Leading trio blanketed by 2.0s as title contender Tänak retires on Friday.
Andreas Mikkelsen found himself leading an FIA World Rally Championship round
for the first time since 2019, heading Kalle Rovanperä by just 1.8sec
after Friday at ORLEN 80th Rally Poland.
Just 7.7sec blanketed the leading five drivers at the end of a frantic opening
day on super-fast gravel roads. Temperatures touched a humid 30°C in northern
Poland although two stage cancellations meant that tyre wear was not much
of a concern, even for those running soft compound rubber.
Mikkelsen set the early pace and stormed into the lead on the Stanczyki opener
as his title-hunting Hyundai colleague, Ott Tänak who had led
following Friday evenings super special retired with front-end
damage caused by an unavoidable impact.
The Norwegian star built a buffer of 7.4sec in his i20 N but came under attack
from Toyota GR Yaris drivers Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans on the repeated
afternoon loop when his late starting position offered less of an advantage
on tracks already swept clear of loose gravel.
I am happy with my day, said Mikkelsen, who last led a WRC rally
in Turkey in 2019. I was too careful on the first stage after regroup
so we will try to adjust for tomorrow.
Toyotas super-sub Rovanperä produced one of the drives of the day,
pipping team-mate Evans in the final stage to head the Welshman by two-tenths
of a second. The Finn was drafted in to replace Sébastien Ogier on
Tuesday evening and even collected two stage wins despite having less than
ideal pre-event preparations.
It's quite funny; last night I was watching a [reconnaissance] video
on the laptop and I fell asleep on the laptop, he said. I think
we did a good job today [considering] the situation we are in.
Evans posted top-three times for all but two stages and is currently poised
to close the gap to title rivals Tänak and Thierry Neuville, whom he
trailed coming into this seventh round of the season. Neuville, who currently
leads the championship, faced slippery conditions on road-sweeping duties
and ended down in seventh overall.
Martin Sesks made a stunning start to his Rally1 debut, stopping the
clock just 0.3sec adrift of Mikkelsens time on SS2 and holding second
overall until midday. Driving a non-hybrid Ford Puma, the 24-year-old Latvian
fell to fifth in the afternoon, trailing full-time M-Sport Ford driver Adrien
Fourmaux by 0.2sec after yielding position to the Frenchman in the finale.
Grégoire Munster, also driving a Puma, ended 21.3sec adrift of the
lead in sixth with Neuville a further 8.5sec behind. Eighth went to Takamoto
Katsuta, who struggled to find a comfortable rhythm in his Toyota, while WRC2
frontrunners Sami Pajari and Kajetan Kajetanowicz completed the top 10.
Crews face seven more stages covering 124.10km tomorrow, including a third
pass over the short super special stage next to the rallys Mikolajki
base.
Leading positions after Friday:
1. A Mikkelsen / T Eriksen NOR Hyundai i20 N 59m 47.3s
2. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris +1.8s
3. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +2.0s
4. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +7.5s
5. M Sesks / R Francis LVA Ford Puma +7.7s
6. G Munster / L Louka LUX Ford Puma +21.3s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-06-26 Rovanperä to
the rescue at ORLEN 80th Rally Poland
Kalle Rovanperä has been given just 48 hours to prepare for ORLEN 80th
Rally Poland (27 30 June) after he was called in to replace Toyota
team-mate Sébastien Ogier late on Tuesday.
While this weeks fixture did not originally form part of the Finnish
youngsters part-time 2024 WRC schedule, a dramatic Tuesday leading up
to the event resulted in Rovanperä and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen
boarding a plane late Tuesday evening to the rallys base in Mikolajki.
Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais were forced to withdraw from this seventh
round of the FIA World Rally Championship after being involved in a road traffic
collision during reconnaissance. Although Landais was discharged from the
hospital on the same day, Ogier remained under observation overnight, before
being discharged on Wednesday morning.
With the approval of the FIA and event stewards, Rovanperä will start
the rally instead joining GR Yaris Rally1 colleagues Elfyn Evans and
Takamoto Katsuta as the Japanese manufacturer squad bids to overturn its 13-point
deficit to championship leaders Hyundai. He has also been granted permission
to complete the reconnaissance in an additional time, running into Thursday
morning.
It was good to hear at midday that Séb and Vincent were OK, that
was the main thing, reflected Rovanperä, reliving his Tuesday.
Then I got the call from Kai [Lindström Toyota Gazoo Racing
WRT Sporting Director]. I was just changing some spark plugs on my jet-ski
to go on the lake and he called
I knew what it was about.
On a rally like this I would want to fight for the win, maybe this week
it is not really so easy to do, but we will of course do our best to bring
some good points for the team.
Back on the calendar following a seven-year hiatus, Polands super-fast
sandy roads host the first of three high-speed gravel rounds in a row. One
main aiming to pick up exactly where he left off is Thierry Neuville, winner
last time here and current leader of the championship.
Neuville, who teams up with Ott Tänak and Andreas Mikkelsen in a three-strong
Hyundai i20 N Rally1 attack, arrives to Mikolajki 18 points clear of Tänak
and Evans and is eager to make amends for an error at the previous round in
Italy.
Rally Poland is an event that I really enjoy, he affirmed. Starting
first could be a huge advantage or disadvantage depending on how much cleaning
of the road we will be doing, but we will have to see when we get there. We
expect to be consistent and fast to bring home some decent points for all
three championships.
M-Sport Ford has set its sights on a return to the podium after a strong opening
half of the year. In addition to Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire Munster,
the British team fields an additional Puma Rally1 car for Latvias Martin
Sesks on his top-level debut. Sesks, who was already showing off his skills
at a special demonstration event in Warsaw last Sunday, will drive a non-hybrid
Puma this week before upgrading to a full-spec car for his home round in Latvia
next month.
The rally begins Thursday evening and includes 19 special stages totalling
303.16km before Sunday afternoons finish.
24-06-23 WRC set for Paraguay
debut in 2025
WRC Promoter signs long-term agreement to bring the FIA World Rally Championship
to Paraguay.
Paraguay will become the 38th country to host a round of the FIA World Rally
Championship when the South American nation joins the calendar in 2025*.
The announcement was made on Saturday evening in the Paraguayan capital Asunción
by President Santiago Peña at the Ceremonial Start of Petrobras Rally
Transchaco 2024 the third round of the Paraguayan national championship.
Paraguay is big, and the world is in the process of discovering us and
hosting world-class events such as the WRC, is yet another way to show the
world our greatness, expressed President Peña.
The significant multi-year agreement realises WRC Promoter's long-held ambition
to returning to two events annually in South America.
Paraguay boasts a strong rallying heritage with the sport thriving in the
heart of South America. Gustavo Saba was a regular face in Argentinian rounds
of the WRC throughout the 2010s and, more recently, Fabrizio Zaldivar has
become an established WRC2 competitor while Diego Dominguez is among the Junior
WRC and WRC3 title favourites. The last 11 editions of the FIA CODASUR South
American Rally Championship have also been won by Paraguayan drivers.
WRC Promoters proactive approach in creating a more sustainable pathway
for the future of rallying played a major role in Paraguay bidding to be part
of the championship. Paraguay generates 100 per cent of its grid electricity
from sustainable resources, echoing the sustainable ethos of the WRC, which
sees all cars run on 100 per cent fossil-free fuel.
We have been in discussions with Paraguay already for a number of years
and I am incredibly pleased to see this agreement across the line, expressed
WRC Senior Event Director Simon Larkin, who was on-site to mark the special
announcement.
There is no questioning the nations passion for rallying and we
cannot wait to transmit this passion, as well as Paraguays spectacular
scenery, around the world.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: "Welcoming Paraguay to the FIA
World Rally Championship in 2025 is a fantastic opportunity for the series
and all its stakeholders to explore new horizons. I would like to extend my
sincere thanks to my friend Hugo R. Mersan Galli, Chairman of the Touring
y Automóvil Club Paraguayo, and his team, for their efforts in developing
our sport, to the organisers of Rally Paraguay and to the President of Paraguay
Mr Santiago Peña for his invaluable support."
Based out of the touristic southern city of Encarnacion on the Paraná
River, the rally is set to welcome masses of fans from across the border in
Argentina, as well as from across the South American continent. Stages will
take place throughout the Itapúa region which annually hosts a round
of the FIA CODASUR South American Rally Championship on red gravel roads running
parallel to the spectacularly stunning Parana River.
Exact dates will be confirmed in due course.
*Subject to World Motor Sport Council approval.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIAs premium rally series.
It showcases high-performance hybrid-powered cars and the worlds best
drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Swedens freezing
winter to Kenyas heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers
and manufacturers titles at 13 rallies. More information can be found
at
wrc.com
24-06-02 Tänak claims
shock Italy win in joint-closest WRC finish
Ogier finishes 0.2sec behind after heartbreak in Rally Italia Sardegnas
final stage on Sunday.
Ott Tänak claimed a shock victory at Rally Italia Sardegna on Sunday
afternoon after late agony for long-time leader Sébastien Ogier.
The Estonian, driving a Hyundai i20 N, celebrated his maiden success of the
season when a damaged tyre in the final rough road speed test denied Ogier
a third consecutive FIA World Rally Champonship victory.
Having traded blows with Tänak early in the rally, Ogier led since Saturday
afternoon in his Toyota GR Yaris. The Frenchman began the rally-closing Wolf
Power Stage with a 6.2sec advantage but ended 0.2sec behind after the deflation
slowed him in the closing kilometres.
"There is not much I can do," he said. "That's life. I think
we deserved more than that but at least Ott has done a good rally as well."
Today marks the joint-closest finish in WRC history, matching the result of
Rally Jordan in 2011. On that occasion, Ogier was on the other side of the
ledger and held off his now team boss Jari-Matti Latvala.
Tänak, who scored his previous win in Chile last year, was humble in
victory. He faced similar heartbreak on the very same stage in 2019 when a
power steering failure cost him a guaranteed win.
For the emotion its good, but obviously I am very sorry for Seb.
To lose a win like this is cruel and Ive been in exactly the same position
myself a couple of years ago.
Dani Sordo made it two Hyundai cars in the top three, helping the Korean marque
to remain in the lead of the manufacturers championship. The 41-year-old
was initially out of sorts but climbed the order as drivers ahead of him hit
trouble.
One of those drivers was his team-mate Thierry Neuville, whose podium bid
went awry when he slid off the road on SS8. Neuvilles consolation was
that he claimed the full 12 points from Super Sunday and retained the drivers
series lead.
Elfyn Evans feeling inside his GR Yaris was not optimal for the rough
gravel roads but, while he ended almost three minutes back from the lead in
fourth, the Welshman did succeed in reducing Neuvilles buffer from 24
to 18 points. He and Tänak now sit on identical scores.
Consistency rewarded Puma youngster Grégoire Munster with a fifth-place
finish. His M-Sport Ford team-mate Adrien Fourmaux ran as high as third early
in the rally before retiring in Fridays final test with an electrical
fault.
Such was the level of attrition that WRC2 machinery filled the remaining top
10 positions, with Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 driver Sami Pajari claiming the
WRC2 win and sixth overall. Behind him were Yohan Rossel, Jan Solans, Martin
Prokop and Kajetan Kajetanowicz.
High-speed action awaits the WRC drivers at ORLEN 80th Rally Poland later
this month. The gravel event returns to the series for the first time since
2017 and takes place from 27 30 June.
Overall classification:
1. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N 3h 06m 5.6s
2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +0.2s
3. D Sordo / C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +2m 25.8s
4. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +2m 37.8s
5. G Munster / L Louka LUX Ford Puma +6m 42.9s
6. S Pajari / E Mälkönen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +7m 13.4s
Drivers' Championship standings (after round 6 of 13):
1. T Neuville 122
2. O Tänak 104
3. E Evans 104
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-06-01 Ogiers Saturday
charge leaves Tänak trailing in Italy
Frenchman closes on third consecutive win as championship leader Neuville
crashes out.
Sébastien Ogier is on course to claim a remarkable third FIA World
Rally Championship victory in succession after distancing Ott Tänak on
Saturdays gruelling second leg at Rally Italia Sardegna.
The eight-time WRC champion will start Super Sunday with a 17.1sec advantage
over Hyundai i20 N rival Tänak after a turbulent day which included four
lead changes and saw championship leader Thierry Neuville bow into the retirement.
Fortune initially favoured Tänak when overnight leader Ogiers decision
to carry only one spare wheel for the morning tests backfired. A deflated
tyre forced him to use the same set of rubber for three increasingly rough
and abrasive stages and, after trading positions three times, he trailed the
Estonian by 3.5sec at the mid-leg tyre fitting zone.
In the afternoons legendary stages around Monte Lerno, however, Ogier
threw caution to the wind. With Tänaks pace fading and the 2019
title winner hinting that he was being instructed to play it safe, Ogier stormed
back into the lead after just one stage and proceeded to post a trio of benchmark
times in his GR Yaris.
A successful Sunday for Ogier would follow back-to-back victories in Croatia
and Portugal, and could see the Frenchman confirm his place as the most successful
driver in Rally Italia Sardegna history.
"It has been a positive day, and an even more positive afternoon,
he smiled. This morning's stages were very rough, but I enjoyed the
afternoon so much more and it was a pleasure to drive the car.
Thierry Neuville arrived in Sardinia with a 24-point championship lead over
Elfyn Evans and looked set to increase that margin after climbing from fifth
to third early in the day. However, his podium hopes went awry when he misjudged
a braking point in SS8, sliding his Hyundai off the road and into retirement.
Takamoto Katsuta was elevated to the podium as a result, but the Japanese
driver's time inside the top three was short-lived. His Toyota developed a
transmission issue which proved terminal on SS9.
The drama up front opened the door for Dani Sordo to complete the leading
trio in another Hyundai. Despite struggling to find his rhythm, the Spaniard
trailed team-mate Tänak by almost two minutes with Evans a further 30.5sec
behind. Grégoire Munster rounded out the top five in an M-Sport Ford
Puma while WRC2 leader Sami Pajari held sixth.
Sundays finale is based north-west of Alghero and includes two loops
of two tests, ending with the bonus points-paying Wolf Power Stage, which
finishes amid spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea. The four stages
cover 39.30km.
Leading positions after Saturday:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 2h 39m 43.2s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +17.1s
3. D Sordo / C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +2m 12.8s
4. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +2m 43.3s
5. G Munster / L Louka LUX Ford Puma +5m 28.8s
6. S Pajari / E Mälkönen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +5m 38.5s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-05-31 Ogier stars to
lead Rally Italia Sardegna on Friday
Frenchman carves out slender lead as championship frontrunners
Neuville and Evans struggle.
Sébastien Ogier delivered a near-perfect performance to lead Hyundai
Motorsport rival Ott Tänak after Fridays all-action opening leg
at Rally Italia Sardegna.
Ogier capitalised on the increased traction offered by his late starting position
to win two of the four sun-kissed gravel speed tests in his Toyota GR Yaris,
opening an early 4.5sec advantage over i20 N driver Tänak in this sixth
round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
The Frenchmans only blot on the day was an overly cautious first drive
through Sedini-Castelsardo, where he yielded 5.9sec to Tänak whilst trying
to conserve tyres. In the end, Pirellis hard compound rubber stood up
to the test of the Mediterranean holiday islands high heats and rocky
roads.
"It's good, smiled Ogier. Its been extremely rough
and demanding for the tyres and I am happy that we made it because it was
challenging with only five tyres.
Tänak went fastest on SS2 and, despite losing hybrid boost on two occasions,
second place overnight marks the Estonians strongest start to a rally
so far this season.
His team-mate Dani Sordo completed the podium a hefty 28.7sec behind after
grabbing the position when M-Sport Ford Puma hotshot Adrien Fourmaux suffered
a tyre delamination on SS3. Fourmaux later retired with an electrical issue.
While fourth went the way of Toyotas Takamoto Katsuta, it was a testing
afternoon for championship frontrunners Thierry Neuville and Elfyn Evans.
They held fifth and sixth respectively after starting first and second on
the sandy roads where grip was at its lowest.
A leaking tyre on his GR Yaris during SS1 only compounded Evans frustrations
as he ended the day almost one minute adrift of the lead.
That has definitely been the hardest day you could imagine to open the
road on in Sardinia, exhaled Hyundai star Neuville, who headed Evans
by 24 points in the drivers standings before this round. A tough
day for us, but [we will] carry on.
Grégoire Munster trailed Evans by 11.9sec in seventh overall while
Sami Pajari led the WRC2 category as well as holding eighth.
Saturday is the longest leg with 149km of competition and no opportunity for
midday service. The morning features double runs of Tempio Pausania and Tula,
while the afternoon includes stages in the Monte Lerno area with the breathtaking
Mickys Jump.
Leading positions after Friday:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 53m 43.1s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +4.5s
3. D Sordo / C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +33.2s
4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +34.5s
5. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +36.6s
6. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +57.3s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-05-12 Record-breaking Ogier
powers to sixth Portugal win
Frenchman keeps Ott Tänak at bay as Thierry Neuville extends WRC lead
on Sunday.
Sébastien Ogier became the first driver to achieve six Vodafone Rally
de Portugal victories on Sunday, powering to glory 7.9sec clear of his Hyundai
Motorsport rival Ott Tänak.
The Frenchman is now the most successful driver in the 56-year history of
the event, which was a founding round of the FIA World Rally Championship
back in 1973. Ogier previously shared the record with Finnish WRC legend Markku
Alén before his triumph today.
Five different drivers led the gruelling gravel fixture, which utilised roads
near the northern Portuguese cities of Porto and Matosinhos and drew attendance
from tens of thousands of passionate fans.
Ogier seized the top spot on a tumultuous Saturday, during which his Toyota
GR Yaris team-mate Kalle Rovanperä rolled out of the lead and Takamoto
Katsuta retired his similar car with shattered rear suspension.
He headed the i20 N car of Tänak by 11.9sec arriving into Sundays
four-stage finale and stayed cool to keep the Estonian at bay, soaring high
over the legendary Fafe jump to round out this fifth round of the season in
style.
"I had nothing against being tied with Markku Alén," Ogier
smiled. "He is a legend, but I heard for many years 'when will you beat
this record?'
"It was a not a great weekend for the whole team, but it was a good rally
for us and I am glad we could bring some points."
Second place marked Tänaks best result since re-joining Hyundai
at the beginning of the year. The additional seven points he earned for topping
the Super Sunday classification helped move him ahead of Adrien Fourmaux to
third in the championship standings.
Championship wise, it was also a strong weekend for Thierry Neuville, who
filled the final podium spot 1min 1.9sec behind his Hyundai colleague. Belgian
star Neuville extended his drivers series lead to 24 points over Elfyn
Evans after the Welshman endured a torrid week, finishing down in sixth having
nursed a coolant leakage late in the day.
Fourmaux climbed from fifth to fourth, passing the Hyundai of Dani Sordo on
SS19 and pulling more than a minute clear of the Spaniard by the end. The
M-Sport Ford youngster has finished all five rallies so far this year, gracing
the top five on all but one occasion.
Evans coolant leak forced him to crawl out of SS21 in EV mode and exacerbated
what had already been a challenging outing for the GR Yaris driver. On Friday
his co-driver Scott Martin resorted to reading pace notes from a mobile phone
after misplacing his physical book, and the crew failed to post a single top-three
stage time.
Citroën C3 Rally2 driver Nikolay Gryazin took seventh overall ahead of
Jan Solans, who was the best-placed WRC2-registered driver in eighth. Solans
edged Josh McErlean by just 3.2sec while Lauri Joona completed the top 10.
Competitors face more hot weather and rough roads as the WRC moves to the
Mediterranean island of Sardinia later this month. Rally Italia Sardegna is
based in Alghero from 30 May - 2 June.
Overall classification:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 3h 41m 32.3s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +7.9s
3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +1m 9.8s
4. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +1m 47.8s
5. D Sordo C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +2m 48.9s
6. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +6m 36.0s
Drivers' Championship standings (after round 5 of 13):
1. T Neuville 110 points
2. E Evans 86
3. O Tänak 79
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-05-12 Chaotic Saturday
puts Ogier in line for record sixth Portugal win
Frenchman surges ahead as Toyota team-mates hit trouble on penultimate day.
Sébastien Ogier stands on the cusp of surpassing Markku Aléns
Vodafone Rally de Portugal record - providing he can maintain his lead over
Hyundai Motorsport rival Ott Tänak on the events final day tomorrow
(Sunday).
A tumultuous Saturday at the 2024 FIA World Rally Championships fifth
round wreaked havoc among some of the series top drivers, reshuffling
the leaderboard and granting Ogier an 11.9-sec overnight lead.
The Frenchmans Toyota Gazoo Racing team began this penultimate leg with
all guns blazing, locking out the podium after a near-perfect opening day.
However, their fortunes took a dive early this morning when Kalle Rovanperä
and Takamoto Katsuta both faltered on the brutal gravel terrain.
Overnight leader Rovanperä looked poised to tighten his grip on the top
spot after blitzing the Felgueiras opener, but he misjudged a right-hander
in Montim shortly afterwards and rolled out of contention. Katsutas
exit was less dramatic but equally devastating: a rearward impact shattered
his GR Yaris Rally1 cars suspension as the Japanese driver battled for
third.
Toyotas hopes rested on Ogiers shoulders. He tussled for the lead
with Tänak and briefly relinquished the position on Amarante 1 before
going back in front when the Estonian nursed a deflated tyre in the following
stage.
Although Tänak maintained the pressure with benchmark times over the
first two stages of the repeated afternoon loop, Ogier responded with a brace
of stage wins to widen the gap.
Victory for Ogier on Sunday would be his sixth in Portugal. At present he
jointly tops the events roll of honour with Italian legend Markku Alén,
known for his dominance with Fiat and Lancia in the 1970s and 80s.
It's been a good day, said Ogier. A tricky one, we didn't
expect so many things happening today. Unfortunately on Toyotas side
it was not a perfect day. For me it was good, but we lost two cars.
We have to try and finish the job tomorrow now, he added.
The drama up ahead brought good news for Thierry Neuville, who ended the day
59.5sec behind team-mate Tänak having climbed from sixth to third. With
main title rival Elfyn Evans languishing in sixth, Neuville is poised to extend
his championship lead and his Saturday standing will earn him 13 points providing
he completes Super Sunday.
Neuville overtook Dani Sordo in the first stage of the day but the Spaniard
kept touch with his colleague, ending the day 14.2sec further back to make
it three Hyundais in the top four.
Behind Sordo by only 7.3sec was M-Sport Ford hotshot Adrien Fourmaux, who
held a comfortable buffer of almost two minutes to Evans. Evans struggled
to get into a rhythm with his GR Yaris, and an early spin exacerbated his
challenges.
Rally2 cars filled the remainder of the leaderboard, with Nikolay Gryazin
sitting seventh in his Citroën C3. Jan Solans was the first of the WRC2-registered
drivers while Josh McErlean and Yohan Rossel completed the top 10.
Leading positions after Saturday:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 3h 1m 55.8s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +11.9s
3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +1m 11.4s
4. D Sordo / C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +1m 25.6s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +1m 32.9s
6. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +3m 23.8s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-05-11 New agreement confirms
Portugal's continued WRC legacy
WRC Promoter commits to a further two years in Portugal.
WRC Promoter and Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP) have sealed a new
deal which guarantees Vodafone Rally de Portugal's position in the FIA World
Rally Championship calendar until at least 2026*.
The agreement, announced today (Friday 10 May), follows an electrifying opening
day of action at round five of the 2024 season that drew tens of thousands
of spectators to the stages in and around the vibrant northern Portuguese
cities of Matosinhos and Porto.
Vodafone Rally de Portugal stands as the pinnacle of sporting excellence in
the country, generating in excess 60 million Euros for the nation's economy.
With extensive free-to-air live coverage on Portugals national broadcaster
RTP and every stage broadcast on long-standing WRC partner SportTV, the event
captivates audiences nationwide.
Having been a cornerstone of the WRC since its inception in 1973, the rally
holds esteemed status as one of the championship's enduring classics and is
cherished by competitors and fans alike.
It is a big pleasure for me to confirm 2025 and 2026, asserted
ACP President Carlos Barbosa. "We have an exceptional relationship with
the promoter in terms of the event and the activations around it. Over the
past 20 years Rally Portugal has asserted itself as one of the best rallies
in the world."
Vodafone Rally de Portugal has once again earned its position on the
FIA World Rally Championship calendar. This is a deserved recognition and
we hope it continues for many years to come, added WRC Promoter Managing
Director Jona Siebel.
*Subject to approval by the FIA World Motorsport Council
24-05-10 Rovanperä swoops
to Friday lead in Rally de Portugal thriller
Finn heads Toyota podium lockout as top four blanketed by just 5.4sec.
Kalle Rovanperä overcame a challenging Friday to lead a frenzied see-saw
battle for the Vodafone Rally de Portugal top spot.
The Toyota-driving Finn topped the fifth round of the 2024 FIA World Rally
Championship by a mere 1.0sec from team-mate Sébastien Ogier on a day
marked by five different stage winners, resulting in the top four crews being
separated by just 5.4sec.
Rovanperä initially languished in fifth overall after a lacklustre opener
but posted top-three times in the remaining seven tests, confidently climbing
the standings despite reporting excessive understeer in his GR Yaris.
He seized the lead after overtaking early pacesetter Takamoto Katsuta on the
afternoon's second test at Lousã and went fastest on the penultimate
stage at Arganil, but Ogiers blistering run through the Mortágua
finale narrowed the gap and intensified the pressure.
It has been a great battle the whole day, admitted Rovanperä
I could not do much more [in the last one] because my tyres were in
such bad condition at the rear and it was just about surviving.
[The battle] is only fun if you are winning, so let's see!
Tyre management played a crucial role. Pirelli's soft compound rubber was
favoured for this morning's sandy surfaces, while hard tyres came into play
in the afternoon when the repeated stages were rougher and temperatures higher.
Ogiers late surge propelled him from fourth to second overall. He could
have potentially led overnight were it not for an intercom failure during
SS5 and a loss of hybrid power on SS8.
Katsuta lived up to his promise to push hard from the outset, clinching the
Mortágua 1 stage win as well as setting top-three times on both runs
of Arganil. He was happy to bring up the rear of a Toyota 1-2-3 overnight
despite falling 3.7sec behind Ogier, while Ott Tänak completed the day
just 0.7sec further back in fourth after admitting to a "not nice"
feeling behind the wheel of his Hyundai i20 N.
Although Toyota enjoyed a successful day, misfortune befell title-hunting
GR Yaris driver Elfyn Evans, whose co-driver Scott Martin resorted to using
his mobile phone to access a digital copy of their pace notes after misplacing
the physical book before SS7. Their frustrations were compounded by a tyre
being pushed off the wheel rim in the same stage, costing the British pair
almost a minute.
That turn of events was a boon for championship leader Thierry Neuville, who
headed Evans by six points before this round.
Despite facing the challenge of opening the road and sweeping a cleaner and
faster line for those running behind, Neuville managed to stay in touch with
the leaders and ended 0.2sec behind his Hyundai colleague Dani Sordo in sixth.
Sordo lost hybrid power for SS5 but still managed to win three of the day's
eight stages.
M-Sport Ford Puma hotshot Adrien Fourmaux headed Evans on his return to the
Matosinhos service park while Grégoire Munster and WRC2 leader Oliver
Solberg completed the top 10.
Saturday hosts the longest leg of the rally, with 145km of action packed into
two loops of four stages before the Lousada super special stage concludes
the day.
Leading positions after Friday:
1. K Rovanerä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 1h 25m 0.4s
2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +1.0s
3. T Katsuta / A Johnston Toyota GR Yaris JPN +4.7s
4. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +5.4s
5. D Sordo C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +17.9
6. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +18.1
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-05-08 Title-winning team-mates
go head-to-head in Portugal
Superstars Rovanperä and Ogier in action as Neuville bids to extend his
WRC lead.
Fireworks are guaranteed at Vodafone Rally de Portugal this week (9
12 May) as FIA World Rally Championship superstars Kalle Rovanperä and
Sébastien Ogier go head-to-head for the first time this season.
The title-winning team-mates form part of a four-strong Toyota Gazoo Racing
line-up for round five of 2024, which is based close to the city of Porto
and kicks off a run of seven gravel-based fixtures in a row.
Eight-time title holder Ogier, who received the Legion of Honour medal from
French President Emmanuel Macron last week, is a Rally de Portugal expert
and tops the events roll of honour with five victories to his name.
But Rovanperä, the reigning world champion for two years running, is
aiming to catch up to his colleague and has claimed victory in the rally's
past two editions.
They join Elfyn Evans, currently second in the points, and Takamoto Katsuta
in identical GR Yaris Rally cars, eager to extend Toyotas seven-point
lead in the manufacturers standings. Katsuta will score points for the
drivers' championship only.
Im excited to be returning to Portugal after a year away,
Ogier said. The atmosphere is always great there and I look forward
to that.
Of course, our aim will be to try and win again this year, but its
never easy, added Rovanperä. All of the top drivers know
the stages quite well, so the pace is usually pretty high and it can be quite
a close fight there.
At the top of the championship and leading Fridays running order is
Thierry Neuville, currently six points clear of Welshman Evans. The Belgian
is hoping for a wet start to the rally, as dry weather will mean he is tasked
with sweeping a cleaner and faster line for those following his Hyundai i20
N Rally1 onto the stages.
Road conditions and position will make a huge difference to how we perform,
he explained. Whenever its raining we will be fast, but when its
dry we will struggle more because everyone knows the stages well.
Neuville is joined in the team by 2019 WRC champion Ott Tänak plus Spains
Dani Sordo, who starts his first rally of the season and the 210th of his
career.
Adrien Fourmaux is looking to utilise the confidence he gained from his maiden
Wolf Power Stage win in Croatia last month to fuel his performance on the
Portuguese stages, which are characterised by roads that vary from soft and
sandy to rutted and rocky. He teams up with fellow youngster Grégoire
Munster, hailing from Luxembourg.
The rally starts on Thursday and coincides with the Beyond Rally Forum on
9 May, during which WRC Promoter will present an in-depth exploration of its
Sustainability Roadbook. This roadmap sets out actionable steps for sustainability
initiatives as the championship strives towards a sustainable future.
Competitors tackle 22 stages spanning nearly 340km before reaching the finish
on Sunday afternoon.
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-05-07 Mästerskapsledaren
Solberg vill slutföra jobbet
Oliver Solberg hoppas på en blöt start i Rally Portugal när
22-åringen kör för att överta tronen ensam i toppen av
mästerskapet.
Inför säsongens tredje VM-tävling är Oliver i delad VM-ledning
tillsammans med franska Yohan Rossel i mästerskapets näst största
klass.
Jag skulle vilja ha regn, speciellt den första dagen. Vi är
bland de första på vägen i vår klass och om det håller
sig torrt kommer greppet att bli bättre för våra konkurrenter
som startar senare än oss. Men blir det blött så blir förhållandena
mer likvärdiga, säger Oliver Solberg.
För ett år sedan ledde han VM-tävlingen i Portugal, men fick
en minuts tidsstraff för att ha brutit mot reglerna vid Lousadas specialsträcka.
Till sist förlorade han kampen om segern med 1,2 sekunder
Han förväntar sig en tuff fight om segern.
Konkurrensen i den här tävlingen är kanske den tuffaste
under hela säsongen. Många mycket duktiga förare deltar, några
av dem med nya bilar. Jag tror att vi har speeden vi behöver för
att vinna. Med ett toppresultat har vi goda chanser att ensamma leda mästerskapet.
Det är målet för helgen, säger 22-åringen.
Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson kör en Skoda Fabia RS
Rally2-bil i WRC2-klassen. Hittills i år har duon tagit seger i Sverige
och andraplats i Kenya.
Rally Portugal startar på torsdag och avslutas på söndag
efter 22 specialsträckor.
24-04-23 Ogier snatches Croatia
Rally victory on extraordinary Sunday
Frenchman pounces as Neuville and Evans suffer heartbreak on final day.
Sébastien Ogier jumped from third to first overall on a dramatic Sunday
at Croatia Rally, claiming a surprise win as Thierry Neuville and Elfyn Evans
faced heartbreak.
After three days of neck and neck competition on spectator-packed asphalt
roads around capital city Zagreb, victory looked set to be decided between
Neuville, driving a Hyundai i20 N, and Welshman Evans in a Toyota GR Yaris.
However, as they headed into the second stage of this final day separated
by just 2.6sec, the tables suddenly turned.
A late pace note meant overnight leader Neuville arrived too fast into a left-hander
and slid wide before riding up a bank and into a tree. The impact destroyed
his Hyundais rear aerodynamics package but, more importantly, cost him
almost 25sec.
Unaware of his rivals problem, Evans misjudged a tightening right-hand
bend in the very same stage and spun, dropping 20sec as he tried to get his
car pointing in the right direction. It meant that Ogier, who had occupied
third place since the opening stage on Friday morning, suddenly gained a 9.1sec
lead with two stages remaining.
Unlike his peers, Ogier would make no such errors and kept Toyota team-mate
Evans at bay celebrating his second Croatia Rally triumph by 9.7sec
along with a milestone 100th WRC podium.
"It's been a tough weekend, admitted Ogier, who was co-driven by
Vincent Landais. We knew coming here that our start position would be
an issue, but we never gave up and kept the pressure on for the whole weekend.
I dont think Ive ever had so many moments in one rally, but it's
nice to get the win for the team.
Toyotas 1-2 result extended the Japanese marque's lead in the manufacturers
championship to seven points over Hyundai. But all was not lost for Neuville,
who nursed his battered car to the end 36.1sec behind Evans in third.
The 18 points Neuville earned by leading on Saturday evening helped to retain
his drivers series lead, and he heads Evans by six points after round
four of 13.
It is what it is, Neuville reflected. We had a great few
days, but unfortunately today didn't go so well. At the end we're taking important
points so it's not so bad. We would have liked to push harder in the Power
Stage but these cars without a rear wing are undriveable.
Ott Tänak had a high-speed scare in SS18 when his Hyundai mounted a grass
embankment, but the Estonian recovered quickly to secure a fourth-place finish.
He initially faced pressure from M-Sport Ford hotshot Adrien Fourmaux before
the Frenchman plummeted down the order after damaging his Pumas steering,
hitting an anti-cut marker on the same test that caught out Neuville and Evans.
Takamoto Katsuta claimed the maximum seven points available for being the
fastest driver across Super Sunday, climbing to fifth in his Toyota after
Fourmauxs troubles. Andreas Mikkelsen and Grégoire Munster were
sixth and seventh while Rally2 runners Nikolay Gryazin, Yohan Rossel and Sami
Pajari completed the top 10.
WRC turns to gravel next month for Vodafone Rally de Portugal. Round five
of the season is based in Matosinhos and takes place from 9 12 May.
Overall classification:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 2h 40m 23.6s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +9.7s
3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +49.8s
4. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +58.6s
5. T Katsuta / A Johnston Toyota GR Yaris JPN +1m 55.5s
6. A Mikkelsen / T Eriksen Hyundai i20 N NOR +4m 1.0s
Drivers' championship standings (after round 4 of 13):
1. T Neuville 86pts
2. E Evans 80pts
3. A Fourmaux 59pts
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-04-17 WRC leader Thierry
Neuville seeks redemption at Croatia Rally
Belgian driver aims to shake off his recent slump in the Balkan capital city.
Points leader Thierry Neuville is in need of a change of fortunes if he is
to stay ahead of Toyota Gazoo Racing rival Elfyn Evans at Croatia Rally this
week (18 21 April), round four of the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship.
Neuville, who drives an i20 N Rally1 car for Hyundai Motorsport, opened his
season in fine fashion by winning Rallye Monte-Carlo, but issues in Sweden
and Kenya have prevented the Belgian from recording a podium finish since.
He arrives in the capital city Zagreb eager to reverse his fortunes and secure
a much-needed win to maintain his six-point lead over Welshman Evans, who
triumphed here last year.
Croatia is one of the most demanding Tposearmac rallies I have ever
competed in, he said. There are lots of blind corners, crests
and jumps something very unusual for a Tarmac event.
Finishing in the top three is crucial to maintaining the championship
lead, [but] our biggest target is to push for a top-step finish.
Attended by over 300,000 spectators in 2022 and 2023, Croatia Rally presents
a unique mix of surfaces ranging from smooth asphalt to badly broken concrete.
Fluctuating grip levels on the undulating roads pose a challenge and, despite
the overall high speeds, narrow passages and numerous blind crests and turns
demand a cautious approach from competitors. Weather adds another layer of
complexity to the already demanding conditions as, if it rains, the surface
becomes muddier and slipperier with each car that passes.
Its a rally that has previously suited Toyota well, with Japanese machinery
topping the podium in every edition since 2021. Eight-time world champion
and past winner Sébastien Ogier joins Evans in the GR Yaris line-up,
as does Takamoto Katsuta.
Hyundai fields three cars for Neuville, Ott Tänak and Andreas Mikkelsen
while M-Sport has entered a pair of Puma Rally1s for Adrien Fourmaux, currently
third in the points, and Grégoire Munster.
Just three years ago, Fourmaux raised eyebrows when he took a Fiesta World
Rally car to fifth overall on his top-flight debut in Croatia. This time he
starts the rally fresh from back-to-back podiums in Sweden and Kenya, eager
to net his maiden victory.
The rally starts in Zagreb on Thursday (18 April). Ahead lie 20 stages totalling
283.28km before Sunday afternoons finish.
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-03-31 Pride of the plains
Kalle Rovanperä takes dominant Safari Rally win
Toyota driver celebrates victory on Sunday after mastering Kenya's tough terrain
for the second time.
Kalle Rovanperä became a two-time winner of Safari Rally Kenya on Sunday
afternoon after he finished the legendary African fixture with a 1m 37.8s
victory margin having led since Friday morning.
In by far the most gruelling FIA World Rally Championship round so far this
season, it was Rovanperäs meticulous balance of both speed and
maturity that ultimately secured his 12th career victory.
The Finn, co-driven by Jonne Halttunen, built a lead of almost one minute
after winning all of Fridays rock-strewn stages around Lake Naivasha,
then kept his nose clean to end Saturday two minutes clear as the chasing
pack ran into mechanical troubles and tyre damage.
That buffer allowed the two-time WRC champion to drive for a finish in Sundays
final leg, which culminated amid stunning scenery at Hell's Gate with Kenyan
President William Ruto in attendance.
Takamoto Katstuta completed a Toyota GR Yaris 1-2 as the Japanese marque extended
its manufacturers championship lead to four points over Hyundai Motorsport,
while M-Sport Ford Puma hotshot Adrien Fourmaux bagged his second consecutive
podium 47.3s behind.
Its always special to win here, Rovanperä beamed. Also,
a legendary event for Toyota. Weve always been so good here and thats
continuing. Like they say in Africa: the car in front is always a Toyota!
A big thanks to the team, everybody made a big effort to make the car
work so well. I think me and Jonne did a good job, I dont think you
can have a better Safari Rally than we did. No issues, clever driving and
I think it was a good effort.
Elfyn Evans ended Friday in contention for a podium but a fraught Saturday,
which saw the Welshman stop twice to carry out stage-side wheel changes, meant
he finished over four minutes back from his team-mate Rovanperä in fourth
overall. He remains second in the drivers championship behind leader
Thierry Neuville, who trailed him by almost six minutes in fifth.
Neuville now heads Evans by six points but endured a troublesome week aboard
his Hyundai i20 N. Fuel pressure problems on Saturday cost the Belgian several
minutes and suspension damage on Sunday, inflicted by a rock on the racing
line, added insult to injury. His colleagues, Esapekka Lappi and Ott Tänak
fared worse.
Lappis problems included two broken gearboxes over the course of the
week while Tänak could only climb back to eighth overall behind WRC2
runners Gus Greensmith and Oliver Solberg after his car sustained broken suspension
on Friday.
Completing the top 10 were gentleman driver Jourdan Serderidis in a Puma and
koda Fabia Rally2 star Kajetan Kajetanowicz.
The WRC returns to asphalt for next month's Croatia Rally which takes place
from 18 - 21 April. The event is based in capital city Zagreb.
Overall classification:
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 3h 36m 4.4s
2. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +1m 37.8s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +2m 25.1s
4. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +4m 20.2s
5. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +10m 17.5s
6. G Greensmith / J Andersson GBR koda Fabia +18m 5.4s
Drivers' championship standings (after round 3 of 13):
1. T Neuville 67pts
2. E Evans 61pts
3. A Fourmaux 46pts
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-03-31 Punktering "grusade
chansen till seger, men utökad ledning
Två punkteringar skilde Oliver Solberg från segern i helgens Safari
Rally Kenya, men Solberg utökade sin totalledning i rally-VM.
Mästerskapsledaren Solberg var väl nöjd med Safari-prestationen
även om det inte blev någon seger.
Punktering på den tredje (1.51,5 minuter efter) och fjärde specialsträckan
(1.46,8) förstörde segerchansen. I mål var britten Gus Greensmith
med svenske kartläsaren Jonas Andersson 1.23,1 minuter snabbare än
Solberg. Teamkamraten i Skoda vann VM-tävlingen i näst största
klassen (WRC2).
Oliver Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson var snabbast eller näst
snabbast på varje etapp där de inte fick punktering. Av 17 problemfria
sträckor vann duon 11.
Jag får vara nöjd med det här resultatet, men jag är
förstås också är lite besviken. Jag kom hit för
att vinna, men samtidigt är det bra att öka ledningen i mästerskapet,
sa Oliver Solberg.
22-åringen vann förra VM-tävlingen på hemmaplan i Sverige.
Chansen till seger gick förlorad första dagen. Även
om punktering på två sträckor efter varandra är ren
otur, visste vi att Safari Rally bjuder på överraskningar och spänning.
Det är en del av den här tävlingen, sa han.
Solbergs nästa WRC2-start är inte helt fastställd. Det enda
som är klart är att 22-åringen inte kommer till start i nästa
tävling i VM-kalendern, Rally Kroatien.
Vi måste vara strategiska kring programmet. Jag vill verkligen
vinna titeln den här säsongen. Allt är riktat mot det målet.
På så sätt är andraplatsen i Kenya en framgång,
sa Oliver Solberg.
24-03-30 Kalle keeps it clean
on Saturday to close in on Safari triumph
Finn avoids trouble on drama-filled penultimate day in Kenya.
Kalle Rovanperä took a significant step towards clinching his second
Safari Rally Kenya victory, steering clear of trouble while his WRC counterparts
encountered difficulties on Saturday.
Amidst the most eventful day of this FIA World Rally Championship season thus
far, which was marked by fluctuating conditions ranging from dry and dusty
to wet and muddy, Rovanperä was one of few stars to enjoy a clean run.
He widened his lead to an impressive 2m 8.9s as drivers including Thierry
Neuville, Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta faced significant setbacks.
Despite dominating every stage the previous day, Rovanperä adopted a
more conservative approach on Saturday's roads near Lake Elmenteita, located
south of the rally's Naivasha base. He initially headed Toyota GR Yaris team-mates
Evans and Katsuta until the pair fell behind after sustaining punctures in
the morning.
Thierry Neuville emerged as Rovanperä's closest threat, but his challenge
was short-lived after his Hyundai i20 N encountered a fuel system issue during
the afternoons first stage at Soysambu. Neuville dropped more than two-and-a-half
minutes as he nursed the problem through the remaining two stages, which opened
the door for Katsuta to reclaim the runner-up spot ahead of M-Sport Ford Puma
man Adrien Fourmaux.
Rovanperäs Saturday standing will earn him 18 points provided he
completes Sundays stages. Katsuta will receive 15 while Fourmaux, who
ended 3m 13.3s off the lead, gets 13.
"The lead is now quite good, said the two time world champion,
so of course we took it carefully.
It's not so enjoyable when you have a big lead and in a stage like [Sleeping
Warrior] you just go around every rock, it's scary. Tomorrow is still a tough
day and we will try to finish the job.
Fourmaux survived a front-left tyre delamination in the final stage and is
now on track to secure his second top-three finish in consecutive rallies
following his maiden podium in Sweden. He led fourth-placed Evans, who suffered
a total of four punctures, by over two minutes.
A visibly upset Neuville completed the top five more than 11 minutes adrift
of the leading pace with WRC2 frontrunners Gus Greensmith and Oliver Solberg
behind.
Kajetan Kajetanowicz was eighth ahead of Jourdan Serderidis and Ott Tänak,
who restarted following his Friday retirement. Tänak faced further problems
which included a loose bonnet pin, malfunctioning intercom and excessive dust
inside his Hyundai, but remains within touching distance of the two drivers
ahead of him.
Sundays finale features three stages - each run twice - covering both
sides of Lake Naivasha.
Leading positions after Saturday:
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 2h 48m 50.2s
2. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +2m 8.9s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +3m 13.3s
4. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +5m 35.6s
5. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +11m 48.6s
6. G Greensmith / J Andersson GBR koda Fabia +15m 2.0s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
23-03-29 Unstoppable Rovanperä
leads Toyota top three in Kenya
Finnish star dominates Friday as Hyundai's Esapekka Lappi and Ott Tänak
retire.
Kalle Rovanperä dominated Fridays opening leg of Safari Rally Kenya
to build a 56.9-second lead on a dream day for his Toyota Gazoo Racing team.
The Finn, winner of the FIA World Rally Championship for two years running,
was simply untouchable as he and co-driver Jonne Halttunen romped to fastest
times on all six of Fridays rugged gravel speed tests around Lake Naivasha.
His team-mates Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta made it a GR Yaris 1-2-3,
the Japanese marque capitalising on what unravelled into a disastrous afternoon
for rival team Hyundai Motorsport after its drivers Esapekka Lappi and Ott
Tänak bowed into retirement.
Lappi had been Rovanperäs nearest challenger at the days
midpoint, but a transmission failure sidelined his i20 N car in the first
stage after service. That elevated Tänak to second until his similar
machine stopped in the following Geothermal test with broken steering after
hitting a rock.
Evans and Katsuta were on hand to pick up the pieces and complete Toyotas
podium lockout. They were split by just 3.9s after Evans moved ahead in the
final stage of the day.
I have to be happy with that, Rovanperä smiled. For
sure, on the last one the conditions were quite rough, and I think from every
car [the ruts] get a bit deeper in places. I didn't take any risks and I was
going around all the stones to try and keep the car in one piece. I would
have loved to go even faster, but at this point this is okay!
Championship leader Thierry Neuville became Hyundais only hope, although
the Belgian encountered troubles himself with tyre damage in SS3. The flailing
rubber punched a hole in his Hyundais bodywork, forcing the Belgian
and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe to don goggles and dust masks for the final
stage of the morning.
A more positive afternoon saw Neuville edge closer to podium position. Beaten
only by Rovanperä in Kedong 2, he trails Katsuta by a mere 6.5s heading
into Saturdays penultimate leg.
M-Sport Fords Adrien Fourmaux had to contend with his Puma surfing on
its sump guard in some of the rougher sections, but he coped well to hold
fifth after a relatively clean day. The Frenchman ended almost two minutes
back from the lead with team-mate Grégoire Munster contesting
his first Safari in Rally1 machinery a similar distance behind.
With Oliver Solberg hampered by tyre troubles, Gus Greensmith built a commanding
lead in WRC2 and also placed seventh overnight. Jourdan Serderidis, Kajetan
Kajetanowicz and Solberg completed the top 10.
Saturday is the longest day of the rally and features six stages totalling
160.96km. Up first is Soysambu, which starts at 08:01 (local).
Leading positions after Friday:
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 1h 16m 22.6s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +56.9s
3. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +1m 0.8s
4. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +1m 7.3s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +1m 46.6s
6. G Munster / L Louka LUX Ford Puma +3m 34.2s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-03-28 President William
Ruto welcomes WRC to Kenya
Head of state gets into the Safari Rally spirit as Thierry Neuville wins opening
stage on Thursday.
Kenyan President William Ruto launched the 71st edition of Safari Rally Kenya
from Nairobi, the capital city, today (Thursday 28 March). The event marks
the third round of this years FIA World Rally Championship.
Dressed for the occasion in WRC-branded racing overalls, Ruto flagged away
the leading crews as they drove over the ramp in downtown Nairobi. From there,
the cars headed to the rally-opening super special stage at the nearby Kasarani
Stadium where thousands of fans were vying for every possible vantage point.
Neuville, who carries a three-point championship lead into this round, edged
his Hyundai i20 N partner Ott Tänak by a single tenth over the 4.84km
opener, while reigning champion Kalle Rovanperä completed the top three
just 0.7s further back.
Having recorded two non-finishes in Kenya from three previous attempts, Neuville
is well aware that the going will get tougher from Friday onwards.
"It will be a challenging event, he affirmed. Our fingers
are crossed that, this time, we can get through without any technical problems
or mistakes. I think we are well prepared, and I am feeling good in the car,
so it's always good to start a rally like this.
Africa has been home to two of Takamoto Katsutas four WRC podiums. Driving
a Toyota GR Yaris identical to Rovanperäs, he dropped just 0.9s
whilst posting the fourth-best time ahead of Hyundai rival Esapekka Lappi.
Elfyn Evans, currently second in the points, went sixth-quickest in his Toyota
with M-Sport Ford Puma youngster Adrien Fourmaux following closely behind.
Gus Greensmith set the pace in WRC2, taking eighth overall in a koda
Fabia RS, while Grégoire Munster and Oliver Solberg completed the top
10.
The action resumes at 08:15 local time on Friday morning with the first of
the days six stages. The biggest challenge will be the 31.50km Kedong
test, which makes up the finale of the morning and afternoon loops.
Leading positions after Thursday:
1. T Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N 3m 19.9s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +0.1s
3. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +0.7s
4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +0.9s
5. E Lappi / J Ferm FIN Hyundai i20 N +1.5s
6. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +1.7s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-03-27 WRCs most gruelling
challenge awaits at Safari Rally Kenya
Africa beckons as the WRC hits gravel for the first time this season.
This week's Safari Rally Kenya (28 31 March) promises to deliver one
of the most arduous tests since its triumphant return to the FIA World Rally
Championship calendar three years ago.
After a six-week break since navigating the sub-zero forests of Sweden, drivers
and teams now face a completely different challenge as round three of the
season begins on Thursday amidst the captivating plains and vibrant wildlife
of Africa.
This years Safari Rally has been strategically moved forward in the
calendar to reclaim its historic March slot, aligning perfectly with Kenyas
rainy season. Pre-rally downpours muddied some of the roads during recce,
and many of the cars are running snorkels which allow the engine to
breathe - to deal with potentially flooded sections.
In Kenya, all eyes are on Toyota Gazoo Racing. The GR Yaris Rally1 team has
won every edition since 2021, and even claimed a sensational top-four sweep
here 12 months ago. Despite its formidable track record, however, Toyota is
still searching for its first triumph of the season.
Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and reigning world champion Kalle Rovanperä
will each hope to change that. Rovanperä topped the podium in 2022, while
Katsuta who hails from Japan has netted an impressive two podiums
from three Safari starts.
Hyundai Motorsport stands ready to challenge Toyota's African supremacy, and
to extend its success streak with i20 N drivers Thierry Neuville, Ott Tänak
and Esapekka Lappi. Rallye Monte-Carlo winner Neuville currently leads the
drivers championship by three points from Evans, while a hungry Lappi
recorded his second career victory last time out in Sweden.
M-Sport Ford enters Kenya on a high after young Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux
scored his maiden podium at the previous round. The British team fields a
trio of Puma Rally1 cars for Fourmaux, Grégoire Munster and gentleman
driver Jourdan Serderidis.
The rally starts in capital city Nairobi on Thursday lunchtime. Ahead lie
19 gruelling special stages around Lakes Naivasha and Elmenteita covering
367.76km before Sunday afternoon's finish in Naivasha.
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-03-25 WRC stars stunned
by Magical Kenya
Safari Rally Kenya launches with up-close wildlife encounters in the breathtaking
Maasai Mara.
The legendary Safari Rally Kenya began with a unique twist as the FIA World
Rally Championships (WRC) top drivers embarked on an extraordinary safari
adventure in the world-renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Leading drivers including current championship leader Thierry Neuville of
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team and second-placed Elfyn Evans of Toyota
Gazoo Racing World Rally Team immersed themselves in a complete two-day safari
experience alongside M-Sport Fords Grégoire Munster and the WRC2
pairing of Nicolas Ciamin and Yannick Roche.
Away from the intense rally schedules, the drivers bonded amidst Kenyas
breathtaking landscapes, immersing themselves in the rich and colourful Maasai
culture and indulging in once-in-a-lifetime encounters with the regions
iconic wildlife.
Highlights included a hot air balloon ride at sunrise, providing panoramic
views of rhinoceroses and elephants in their stunning natural habitat. They
were also treated to close-up encounters with lions, water buffalo, giraffes
and hippopotamuses, among other awe-inspiring creatures.
It has been a great experience, it was a really nice welcome,
expressed Neuville. The hot air balloon was the highlight. In such a
beautiful landscape it was very unique.
It was beautiful scenery and a great experience getting very close to
the elephants.
For Evans, it was an opportunity to do something out of the norm. He said:
It is a different experience to normally when we travel, especially
in Europe, so [it was] nice to do.
Meanwhile, Munster appreciated the chance to bond with his fellow competitors
outside of the rallying environment. The Luxemburg driver said: When
you are on the rally between stages you dont have a lot of time to really
socialise and you have a bit of pressure and a lot of mechanical stuff to
do. So here, having two days just to socialise and experience things you wouldnt
do normally, is quite nice.
Accompanying the WRC stars was Kenyas Principal Secretary of Tourism
John Ololtuaa, who emphasised the significance of showcasing Kenyas
natural beauty to the world.
It is important that [the drivers] came to the Maasai Mara. Ololtuaa
said. We wanted them to experience the beauty that is here. It becomes
part and parcel of projecting to the world what we have as Kenya.
The rally official starts on Thursday (28 March) from the Kenyatta International
Conference Centre in Nairobi.
24-03-23 Oliver Solberg vill
nå toppen ensam
Seger i tävlingen och utökad ledning i rally-VM är
Oliver Solbergs mål i kommande helgens Safari Rally Kenya.
Skoda-fabriksföraren och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson anländer
till Naivasha i Kenya i delad ledning i mästerskapets näst största
klass (WRC2).
Fransmannen Yohan Rossel vann säsongens första VM-tävling i
Monte-Carlo och delar förstaplatsen med Solberg.
Grundliga förberedelser och intensiva ansträngningar på varenda
specialsträcka krävs för att säkra de eftertraktade 25
VM-poängen som en seger ger.
Safari Rallyt är en unikt tävling på VM-kalendern.
Det gör en enorm skillnad att ersätta snö i Sverige med extrem
värme i Afrika. Varje sträcka kan upplevas som helt olika tävlingar,
säger Oliver Solberg.
Solberg vann förra VM-tävlingen. På sin hemmatävlingen
i Sverige skapade han också rallyhistoria genom att bli den första
WRC2-föraren att avsluta en tävlingsdag (första dagen) bland
de tre bästa totalt i tävlingen.
VM-tävlingen i Afrika är säsongens tredje av 13. Den körs
över 19 specialsträckor och 368 kilometer fördelade på
tre dagar. 22-åringen har startat Safari Rally Kenya tre gånger.
Två av dem slutade han bland de tio bästa totalt i respektive klass.
24-03-11 Rally Islas Canarias
set to join WRC Calendar in 2025
The FIA World Rally Championship is set to visit Canary Islands in the next
two seasons, marking the championship's return to Spain.*
The FIA World Rally Championship is set to return to Spain next season to
take on the fast-paced asphalt roads of the Canary Islands, it was announced
today (Monday 11 March).
Following in the footsteps of Tet Rally Latvia and ORLEN 80th Rally Poland,
both of which have used the pathway of the FIA European Rally Championship
(ERC) to join WRC in 2024, Rally Islas Canarias will move from the ERC to
WRC in 2025 and 2026.
First run in 1977, Rally Islas Canarias has continuously been part of the
ERC since 2016 and in 2026 will celebrate its 50th edition, as part of the
pinnacle of rallying. It is intended to run exclusively on Gran Canaria in
2025, before expanding to include other islands for its 50th anniversary.
Today's announcement was made in front of media on Gran Canaria and, in addition
to WRC Promoter and Todo Sport, was attended among others by Canary Islands
President Fernando Clavijo, President of the Island Council of Gran Canaria
Antonio Morales and FIA World Motor Sport Council Member and Real Federación
Española de Automovilismo (RFEDA) President Manuel Aviñó.
Bringing the Rally Islas Canarias to the WRC has been the reward for
many years of work. It was a goal desired by several generations, and now,
together with WRC Promoter, it has become within reach, expressed Germán
Morales, CEO of the event promoter Club Deportivo Todo Sport.
Since adding the European Rally Championship to our portfolio of championships,
we have been left with little doubts about the capabilities of the rally management
team to run this rally next year on the WRC calendar, expressed WRC
Promoter Managing Director Jona Siebel.
We are enthusiastic about having Spain back on the WRC calendar and
are encouraged to see our clearly defined strategy to have an opportunity
for ERC events to have a pathway to WRC coming to fruition as Rally Islas
Canarias follows on from Latvia and Poland in 2024.
Moving from the ERC to WRC calendar will have the added benefit of the expected
influx of thousands of fans who will make their way to the popular European
holiday destination, combining the fast-paced action on the blistering-quick
stages with a kickstart to their summer.
The rally promises smooth, twisting asphalt surfaces which rise and dip across
the volcanic inlands. While coastal temperatures are renowned for favourable
year-round beach-going weather, drivers need to be prepared for changeable
weather conditions as the stages snake their way through the islands
mountainous interiors.
The WRC most recently visited Spain in 2022 when the rally was based out of
the Catalunyan beachside resort of Salou.
*Pending World Motor Sport Council approval
24-01-28 Masterful Neuville
opens 2024 campaign with victory in Monte-Carlo
Belgian keeps Sébastien Ogier at bay to bank his 20th FIA World Rally
Championship win.
Thierry Neuville celebrated his 20th world rally win at Rallye Monte-Carlo
on Sunday afternoon, banking a perfect score of 30 points alongside co-driver
Martijn Wydaeghe.
The Hyundai i20 N star opened his 2024 FIA World Rally Championship title
bid with a sublime performance in the French Alps, mastering the ice-patched
mountain roads to head Toyota Gazoo Racing rival Sébastien Ogier by
16.1sec.
Neuville shrugged aside early engine issues before launching an attack on
Saturday, overtaking both Ogier and his GR Yaris team-mate Elfyn Evans to
storm into the lead with a slender 3.3sec advantage. A clean sweep of fastest
times in Sundays final leg cemented his position ahead of the nine-time
Rallye Monte-Carlo winner.
"I don't have the words, to be honest, beamed an elated Neuville
after finishing the final stage on the iconic Col de Turini. It was
just so great this weekend, I felt so comfortable in the car.
The whole team was doing an amazing job and I think the whole package
was working really well. There are always things to improve so of course we
need to continue working, but we are very happy to win this rally, he
added.
Ogier led for a single stage on Saturday afternoon, but the Frenchman could
not repel Neuville despite his best efforts. It's been a nice battle
with Thierry. Well done to him, he has been really fast this weekend,
he admitted.
Evans held the upper hand after the first two legs but time ebbed away from
him on Saturday, not helped by a hybrid unit problem. He eventually finished
29.1sec behind his team-mate Ogier.
Ott Tänak placed fourth on his first rally back in Hyundai colours. Mystery
engine problems hindered the 2019 WRC champion throughout the rally although
a stage win on Saturday morning proved his potential with the i20 N car.
Adrien Fourmaux equalled his career-best result by finishing fifth overall
in his M-Sport Ford Puma. Behind him was Hyundais Andreas Mikkelsen,
with Takamoto Katsuta almost three minutes further back after sliding off
the road on Friday.
Yohan Rossel claimed the WRC2 victory with a last-gasp Wolf Power Stage push,
climbing to eighth overall in the process. He passed Pepe López in
the finale while Nikolay Gryazin rounded out the top 10. Jan Cerný
took victory in WRC3 and Mauro Miele won the WRC Masters Cup, while López
topped the WRC2 Challenger standings.
Round two of the WRC takes place on the snow and ice of Sweden. The series'
only pure winter fixture is based in Umeå on 15 18 February.
Overall classification:
1. T Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N 3h 9m 30.9s
2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +16.1s
3. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +45.2s
4. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +1m 59.8s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +3m 36.9s
6. A Mikkelsen / T Eriksen NOR Hyundai i20 N +5m 34.6s
Drivers' championship standings (after round 1 of 13):
1. T Neuville 30pts
2. S Ogier 24pts
3. E Evans 21pts
24-01-28 Oflyt i VM-genrepet
för Oliver Solberg
Oliver Solberg visade upp sig med fyra sträcksegrar i Rally Monte-Carlo,
men två punkteringar förstörde chansen till en topplacering
i genrepet till fighten om VM-titeln.
22-åringen fortsatte att imponera i säsongens första VM-tävling
som avslutades i hamnen i Monaco på söndagseftermiddagen.
Tävlingen i Monte-Carlo räknades inte med i mästerskapet för
Oliver Solberg, så ett sämre resultat i helgen påverkar alltså
inte hans mästerskapssäsong.
Under fredagen tog Skoda-föraren fyra segrar på de totalt sex specialsträckorna
med sin Fabia RS Rally2 och höll en fjärdeplats totalt i den näst
största klassen. Men dagen efter bjöds på två punkteringar
i snabb följd och bara ett reservhjul.
Det var vårt eget val att bara ta med ett reservhjul. Om vi ??hade
haft två hade det varit bra och vi kunde ha fortsatt tävlingen.
Men reglerna är tydliga; du måste ha fyra däck med luft på
bilen, sa Oliver Solberg.
Tävlingen tjuvstartade med två specialsträckor i mörker
på torsdagen.
Det var utmanande att hitta komforten och känslan i bilen. Vi
gjorde lite ändringar efteråt och i fredags var bilen riktigt fin
att köra. Att vinna sträckor är bra, men jag tror att vi fortfarande
hade mer i oss. Vi var långt ifrån maxgränsen för vad
vi kan prestera.
Solbergs officiella säsongspremiär i WRC2-mästerskapet äger
rum i hemmatävlingen Rally Sweden i Umeå den 15-18 februari.
24-01-27 Neuville heads Ogier
in Rallye Monte-Carlo thriller
Belgian ends Saturday with 3.3s lead over eight-time WRC champion.
Thierry Neuville has set up the perfect Sunday showdown at Rallye Monte-Carlo
after dethroning Sébastien Ogier in Saturdays final stage, provisionally
netting himself 18 points.
Hyundai i20 N star Neuville was undoubtedly the man to beat in the morning.
Having held third last night, he pinched second place from Ogier on the days
first ice-patched speed test and stormed into the top spot before midday as
time ebbed away from overnight leader Elfyn Evans.
Ogier seized control by reeling off back-to-back stage wins early in the repeated
afternoon loop, but Neuville retaliated by outpacing the Toyota GR Yaris-driving
Frenchman in the closing kilometres to carry a 3.3sec advantage into Sunday.
With Rallye Monte-Carlo marking the debut of the all-new WRC points structure,
Neuvilles late charge will earn him 18 points providing he completes
Sundays stages. Ogier will receive 15 while Evans, who ended the day
34.9sec off the lead in third, gets 13.
"It was perfection, Neuville said of his drive on Pellafol - Agnières-en-Dévoluy.
Everything went well and I really enjoyed the car - it was incredible.
It was important to take the points tonight but we also needed to keep
the car on the road. I had a good feeling, so I went for it and it seems like
it paid off," he added.
Ogiers stage win at Les Nonières - Chichilianne was the 700th
of his career. That feat moved him ahead of Finnish legend Juha Kankkunen
(699 stage wins) into fourth on the all-time WRC list of stagewinners.
"I have been trying since the beginning of the rally, basically,
admitted the nine-time Rallye Monte-Carlo winner. This [final stage]
was no different, but Thierry did a good stage. It looks like we need to try
harder tomorrow.
Super Sunday brings the opportunity for the top performers over the course
of the final day to collect up to seven points, in addition to the five bonus
points also up for grabs in the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage.
Evans completed SS10 with no hybrid boost on his GR Yaris. Even with the issue
fixed, he could not find an answer to the sudden speed of his peers. I
dont know what's going on, the Welshman admitted after yielding
16.9sec in SS12. It didn't feel great, but thats chronic.
Hyundai man Ott Tänaks hold on fourth was strengthened as he pulled
away from his closest challenger Adrien Fourmaux, helped by his stage win
on Pellafol / Agnières-en-Dévoluy. The pair were split by over
one minute at close of play, with Fourmaux doubling down on his conservative
approach after seeing his M-Sport Ford Puma colleague Grégoire Munster
off the road in SS12.
Munsters demise allowed Andreas Mikkelsen to claim sixth in his Hyundai,
while Takamoto Katsuta climbed up to seventh following his costly ditch excursion
on Friday.
Eighth place went to Nikolay Gryazin, who currently heads Pepe López
in a thrilling duel for WRC2 supremacy. Yohan Rossel is also involved in the
support category scrap and completed the top 10.
Sunday's final leg features three stages as crews journey south to Monaco.
The trio add up to 52.12km before the rally finishes in the principality.
Leading positions after Saturday:
1. T Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N 2h 37m 58.5s
2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +3.3s
3. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +34.9s
4. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +1m 46.9s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +2m 54.0s
6. A Mikkelsen / T Eriksen NOR Hyundai i20 N +4m 21.2s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-01-26 Leader Evans under
attack from Rallye Monte-Carlo expert Ogier
Toyota pair split by just 4.5s after leg
two of WRC season opener.
Elfyn Evans leads Rallye Monte-Carlo after Fridays second leg, but
the Welshman is under increasing pressure from his Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate
Sébastien Ogier.
Evans had been 21.6sec clear of his GR Yaris Rally1 colleague after Thursdays
night-time loop, but Ogier is now looming large in the Welshmans rear
mirror after a stunning drive over Fridays French Alps roads near Gap
saw him whittle that deficit down to just 4.5sec.
Ogier won two of the mornings three speed tests and climbed from third
to second after Hyundais Thierry Neuville spun his i20 N in SS4. The
Frenchman had moved to within 10.7sec of Evans by the days midpoint,
with the bulk of the time being gained over the ice-patched special stage
from La Bréole to Selonnet.
The pair were closely matched for much of the repeated afternoon loop, but
it was again at La Bréole / Selonnet held in darkness on its
second run where Ogier shone, outpacing his colleague by 4.1sec to
set-up a thrilling showdown going into Saturdays penultimate leg.
It was a difficult start to the rally, but we expected that with our
start position, said Ogier, a nine-time winner of this event. Now
I am glad that we managed to be very close - tomorrow will be fun.
Evans, who was never outside the top three times, admitted that conditions
had been difficult to read.
It never gets easier, this rally, he explained. [The last
stage was] very difficult in the dark. I had a lot of information, but I couldn't
see a lot of it to be honest - I just had to trust it. It's very difficult
to read the conditions on the road. I'm happy to get through today without
any issues.
Neuville remained very much in the fight at the sharp-end and trailed Ogier
by 11.6sec in third. He won three of the days six special stages and
enjoyed a trouble-free run aside from his early-morning spin.
Ott Tänak was lucky to end the day 57.5sec further back in fourth after
ice on a right-hander sent his Hyundai sliding into a ditch during SS3. It
took spectators just 40sec to get the Estonian back on the road. Grégoire
Munster and Takamoto Katsuta also went off at the same location, with the
latter dropping more than five minutes.
Adrien Fourmaux repaid M-Sport Fords faith in him by delivering an impressive
third-best time in SS5. The 28-year-old is returning to the WRCs top
level having contested WRC2 in 2023, and he completed the top five aboard
a Puma.
Andreas Mikkelsen, also returning to the top-flight for the first time since
2019, ended the day over one minute back from Fourmaux in sixth overall. Driving
a Hyundai, the Norwegian found it difficult to trust the information in his
pace notes with surface conditions changing constantly.
Seventh-placed Munster reached the overnight halt 28.2sec further back in
his Puma, while WRC2 contenders Nikolay Gryazin, Pepe López and Yohan
Rossel completed the top 10.
Saturday brings another full-on schedule with Esparron / Ozenet launching
the day at 08.05. Les Nonières / Chichilianne and Pellafol / Agnières-en-Dévoluy
follow before the trio are repeated, bringing the day's total competitive
distance to 120.40km.
Leading positions after Friday:
1. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris 1h 25m 28.9s
2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +4.5s
3. T Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +16.1s
4. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +1m 13.6s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +1m 38.0s
6. A Mikkelsen / T Eriksen NOR Hyundai i20 N +2m 58.9s
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
24-01-23 Legendary Rallye Monte-Carlo
opens 52nd WRC season
It's a fresh start for the WRC stars as a new season begins in the French
Alps.
The curtain rises on a brand-new FIA World Rally Championship season this
week as the worlds toughest motorsport series roars back into action
at the legendary Rallye Monte-Carlo (25 28 January).
Thirteen rounds await across four continents during the WRCs 52nd season.
Kicking off the new year in style, this weeks famous fixture has attracted
a capacity entry of 70 cars.
Rallye Monte-Carlo, the oldest fixture on the WRC calendar and arguably the
most unpredictable rally of the year, moves its base away from the Principality
of Monaco and back into the French alpine town of Gap, where it was most recently
based in 2021. The relatively straightforward asphalt roads high in the mountains
are complicated by winter weather, placing an emphasis on cunning tyre choices.
Tactical twists: New points structure adds fresh dimension
The WRC now features a revamped points system that brings more excitement
and intrigue to the rallys closing stages on Sunday morning. The structure
awards up to 18 points based on the general classification after Saturday,
up to a further seven points for performances on Sunday, and maintains the
traditional five bonus points for the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage.
These updates maintain the core concept of determining an overall rally victor.
As always, the crew with the lowest total time across the entire event will
be crowned the winner.
Driver line-ups: Market shuffles and fresh faces
Reigning manufacturers champion Toyota Gazoo Racing fields three cars
for the season opener, led by last years runner-up Elfyn Evans who is
starting his fifth season with the team. The Welshman is joined by Japans
Takamoto Katsuta, who steps up to a full-time seat in one of Toyotas
point-scoring GR Yaris Rally1 cars. Nine-time Monte-Carlo winner Sébastien
Ogier pilots the third Yaris while reigning world champion Kalle Rovanperä
will complete a partial programme for Toyota in 2024, starting in Sweden next
month.
Hyundai Motorsport has re-signed Ott Tänak after the Estonian spent last
season with M-Sport Ford. Tänak won nine rallies with the Korean manufacturer
between 2020 and 2022. Now he aims to make history and land a maiden drivers
crown for the marque, having previously claimed the title himself behind the
wheel of a Yaris in 2019.
Five-time championship runner-up Thierry Neuville of Belgium leads the i20
N Rally1 attack with Tänak, while reigning WRC2 champion Andreas Mikkelsen
back at WRCs top level for the first time since 2019 - returns
to pilot the teams third car this week. He will alternate drives with
Spains Dani Sordo and Finlands Esapekka Lappi throughout the season.
M-Sport Ford fields a youthful line-up with Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire
Munster both tackling full campaigns aboard Puma Rally1 cars. Frenchman Fourmaux
returns full-time to Rally1 with M-Sport, having competed in WRC2 the
WRCs main support category - in 2023, while 2024 marks Munsters
first full season at the pinnacle of rallying, making him the first Luxembourger
to achieve the feat.
Monte master Ogier aims to break records
Ogier bids for a record 10th Rallye Monte-Carlo victory on roads close to
his birthplace near the host town of Gap. But the 40-year-old is taking nothing
for granted, knowing exactly how challenging the roads can be.
For me this is a must-do event and theres a lot of hopes for this
first rally, he said. I think its the rally that you need
to respect more than any other as the conditions can be so challenging, which
means that nothing is guaranteed. Numbers are never my main motivation, but
if I could get a 10th win on this event it would be something very special.
The rally starts in Monacos Casino Square on Thursday afternoon. Competitors
face 17 speed tests covering 324.44km before Sunday afternoons finish
back in downtown Monaco.
The official Home of World Rallying:
wrc.com
.