Tag: WRC

Autosport international Show 2020 and the big BTCC catch up.

Stephen Hodges

The Autosport international show rolled in its traditional venue of the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham in the UK, once again providing fans the opportunity to get up close and personal with the cars, drivers and people behind many different championships.  There were a number of headline events for fans to enjoy, from the Live Action Arena where a huge variety of cars would complete demonstrations in one of the largest indoor areas in Europe, to driver forums and team and driver announcements ahead of the start of the 2020…

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WRC news: Ford M-Sport confirms 2020 driver line-up.

Stephen Hodges

After a long period of speculation within the WRC paddock and community, Ford M-Sport has confirmed its driver line up for the 2020 WRC season. Former Citroen driver Esapekka Lappi is confirmed as the teams new lead driver, replacing Elfyn Evans who completed the move to Toyota at the end of 2019. Ford confirmed that they will retain young Finnish driver Teemu Sunninen for a second season as their second driver. Sunninen showed flashes of brilliance in the 2019 season and Sunninen will likely build on the steady form he…

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Toyota confirms Ogier, Evans & Rovanpera for 2020 WRC season.

Stephen Hodges

Toyota have confirmed their driver line up for the 2020 season earlier this week, confirming the long held rumour that they had signed Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans. There was an additional surprise as Toyota also announced that they had signed Kalle Rovanpera as well, son of Harri Rovanpera and WRC2 ace for Skoda for the past couple of years. It is also sees Ogier & Evans reunited as team-mates once again, both drove together for Ford in 2018. Toyota has also signed Ogier, Evans & Rovanpera for the 2021…

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Citroen announces WRC departure, Ogier joining new team for 2020.

Stephen Hodges
Ogier

In a surprising turn of events, Citroen announced this morning that they will be discontinuing their WRC programme with immediate effect. The news came prematurely amid widespread speculation that Citroen would depart the WRC before the new 2022 hybrid regulations, but the shock came as Citroen announced they will not contest the 2020 season. Citroen cited the reason as being the departure of Sebastien Ogier from the team and the lack of a high quality driver to lead the team into 2020. There are background factors that may have influenced…

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WRC Rally Australia cancelled amid state of emergency due to wildfires

Stephen Hodges

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…

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WRC Rally Catalunya, Tanak crowned 2019 WRC champion, Neuville takes rally win.

Stephen Hodges

The penultimate round of the world rally championship sees the championship roll into one of the series most iconic events, Rally Catalunya. The rally represents a unique challenge as well being the only mixed surface event on the calendar, friday’s opening leg being run on gravel stages with the saturday and sunday run on the high speed tarmac stages. It means a quick change from full gravel spec and settings into full tarmac spec for the remaining two legs. The drivers championship can also be decided this weekend as well,…

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WRC Wales Rally GB, Tanak triumphs as the Championship comes into focus.

Stephen Hodges

The World Rally Championship roared back into life from October 3rd to October 6th with the championship arriving in North Wales for Wales Rally GB. This year the Rally sees a change, being based out of the seaside town of Llandudno as opposed to its traditional base out of Deeside. The scrutineering for the event took on a unique format, with the Workshops of North Wales Honda hosting scrutineering and the cars being pushed through the showroom, allowing fans a unique opportunity to get up close to the cars and…

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WRC Rally Turkey, Citroens 1-2 Turkish Delight.

Stephen Hodges
Ogier

Round 11 of the WRC took place on the second weekend of September on the fearsome rock strewn gravel stages around Marmaris and above the Turquoise coast. Blistering heat and a splash of heavy rain would furnish the drivers with a real challenge for both man and machine. The Thursday evening saw the opening stage of the rally, a short blast around the streets of Marmaris which saw Thierry Neuville & Andreas Mikkelsen to for first position, setting identical times trailed by Pontus Tidemand’s Ford Fiesta in third. The first…

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WRC Rally Germany, Toyota reigns supreme.

Stephen Hodges

Germany is the scene for the second asphalt round of the World Rally Championship in 2019, with the event exhibiting a broad challenge from the narrow vineyards around the River Mosel, to the high speed stages in the Saarland region and the punishing bumps and ruts of the Panzerplatte. The event got underway on Thursday evening with a single stage around on the winding roads near the service park on the St.Wendeler Land stage. Ott Tanak took victory on the opening stage, though his Toyota Yaris was missing both its…

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WRC Rally Finland 2019, Tanak triumphs in Finland.

Stephen Hodges

The World Rally Championship roared back into life after the July break over the first weekend of August in the forests of Finland, the fastest event on the calendar. During the summer break there were a few nuggets of news, the biggest of which is the FIA announcing officially that WRC will switch to Hybrid drivetrains from 2022 onwards. The details of the new hybrid and engine regulations have yet to be finalised, and it is unclear if the cars will deploy a spec hybrid system or if manufacturers will…

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WRC Rally Sardinia, the Sordo Shock.

Stephen Hodges

The Italian island of Sardinia played host to Round 8 of the World Rally Championship from June 14th to June 16th, the high temperature, dusty & tricky road conditions would catch a few of the drivers out, some more notable than others. The opening day of the rally threw up a few surprises and would also claim a very big scalp. Teemu Sunninen shocked his competitors by pacing the morning stages, though a spin would drop him into second behind a chasing Dani Sordo. Ott Tanak meanwhile gave chase in…

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