The final round of the WRC, scheduled to take place in the area of New South Wales in Australia, headquartered out of Coffs Harbour has been cancelled. As many will have seen, New South Wales and other parts of Australia are being ravaged by the worst wildfires seen in decades, with conditions in some regions being described as ‘catastrophic’ with serious danger to life and property.
Earlier in the week, the event organisers, FIA, Emergency Services, Government and the local community liaised as a collective to determine whether the event would go ahead. Initially there was potential for the event to go ahead with a reduced schedule, but due to the worsening wildfires, the decision was taken to completely cancel the event, the risk to thousands of staff, marshalls & spectators simply being too great.
The wildfires so far have claimed at least 3 lives and have destroyed more than 150 homes and have left a trail of misery and devastation in their wake, the situation is not being helped by high winds fanning the fires. The New South Wales area where Rally Australia will have been taking place is under a state of emergency, with many fires burning out of control and rapidly spreading.
The cancellation of the event sees the standings unchanged, Hyundai claims the Teams Championship by default. The WRC end of season gala overlooking Darling Harbour has also been cancelled.
For those who wish to help out, Red Cross Australia are fielding the Register.Find.Reunite campaign for those affected and donations to the Red Cross can be made via their website, or by contacting 1800-RED-CROSS (733 276.) Red Cross staff are on the ground working diligently with emergency services to assist those affected, the link below provides more information on how to make a donation to help those affected, and if you’re local to the area, how to best prepare.
https://www.redcross.org.au/news-and-media/news/red-cross-responds-to-bushfires-in-victoria-and-ne
Racing 24-7’s thoughts are with those affected by the terrible events unfolding in Australia at this time, and for those near the fires, be prepared and stay safe.
Final Driver standings:
- Ott Tanak: 263 points
- Thierry Neuville: 227 points
- Sebastien Ogier: 217 points
- Andreas Mikkelsen: 102 points
- Elfyn Evans: 102 points
- Kris Meeke: 98 points
- Jari-Matti Latvala: 94 points
- Dani Sordo: 89 points
- Teemu Sunninen: 89 points
- Esapekka Lappi: 83 points
- Sebastien Loeb: 51 points
Final Teams Standings:
- Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team: 380 points
- Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT: 362 points
- Citroen Total WRT: 284 points
- M-Sport Ford World Rally Team: 218 points
