Rally

The Japanese driver, once again partnered by stand-in co-driver Aaron Johnston, misjudged a tight Tarmac right-hander on the Vilaplana test resulting in a heavy impact with the barriers 18km into the 20km stage. Katsuta's Yaris suffered significant damage to the front left of the car, the suspension and wheel taking the brunt of the impact. Despite the damage, the Toyota development driver ...Keep readingView the full article

The Hyundai driver has been testing the Korean marque's i20 2022 prototype in recent weeks, adjusting to the new challenges of driving with a mandatory 100kW hybrid system. Neuville has been particularly outspoken against the WRC's new Rally1 regulations, which introduces hybrid in addition to reduced aerodynamic and suspension travel, while the centre differential is also removed. The ...Keep readingView the full article

The Ford squad confirmed the first piece of its 2022 driver line-up last week following the signing of part-time Hyundai driver Craig Breen to a two-year full-time contract. Breen's arrival leaves two seats to be filled as the British team looks to expand to three full-time entries with its all-new Rally1 hybrid Ford Puma. M-Sport has been an active player in the driver market this season ...Keep readingView the full article

Ogier could seal an eighth world title on the fast-sweeping tarmac roads if he can outscore in-form Toyota team-mate Evans by six points at the penultimate round of the season. Evans heads into Spain off the back of a second victory of the season last time out at Rally Finland, which reignited his title hopes by closing to within 24 points of the Frenchman. While seven-team champion Ogier ...Keep readingView the full article

The factory Toyota driver suffered back pain following a heavy impact with a pile of gravel after losing control of his Yaris on the Saturday of Rally Finland, two weeks ago. Rovanpera made a brief comeback on the Sunday of the event before sitting out the final Power Stage to assist his recovery. The 21-year-old winner of rallies in Estonia and Greece this year has been declared fit to ...Keep readingView the full article

Joined by navigator Mathieu Baumel, Al-Attiyah reigned supreme once again on Wednesday, winning his fourth stage (out of five) en route to a sixth victory in the last seven editions of the Moroccan rally. The Qatari driver was behind the wheel of the 2021 version of the Toyota Hilux, which will receive an upgrade as per the T1+ regulations in the Dakar Rally next January. He ...Keep readingView the full article

The Italian event has stepped in for the second consecutive year as host of the championship’s final round after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic forced organisers to cancel the proposed season ending Rally Japan (11-14 November). After Monza successfully hosted last year’s season decider, where Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier defeated Elfyn Evans to claim a seventh title, the pair could ...Keep readingView the full article

Prodrive wanted to drastically overhaul its Dakar project after its debut in 2021, which ended with a fifth place finish for Nani Roma and Alex Winocq and the withdrawal of Sebastien Loeb. As well as developing a modified vehicle to meet the demands of the new T1+ category, it will also introduce a more sustainable fuel in its 4x4 prototype. BRX announced on Wednesday that it has been ...Keep readingView the full article

Kristoffersson had to give second best to a resurgent Kevin Abbring in the Intermediate Classification, as the Renault Megane campaigner recovered from a first corner incident on Saturday afternoon to set the fastest time in Q4 and finish at the head of the qualifying order. But, while Abbring won the race to turn one in the first semi-final, his car was pushed into a spin at the Raidillon ...Keep readingView the full article

Having starred in the Swedish round of the series at Holjes, on another low-grip circuit, Abbring again shone in the Unkorrupted Renault Megane in the opening session at Spa, winning his race from the front in Q1 to better Kristoffersson and three-time Spa 24 hr winner Timo Scheider in the overall session times. Points leader Timmy Hansen was fifth behind brother Kevin in Q1, then won the ...Keep readingView the full article

Hyundai squad 2C Competition has drafted in Solans for next week’s penultimate round of the WRC on tarmac after Loubet was forced to sit out the remainder of the season, due to a broken hip incurred from being hit by a car in an accident. The 29-year-old Spaniard will bring a wealth of local knowledge to the team having raced in the Spanish Rally Championship last year, winning the gravel ...Keep readingView the full article

Sanz, 35, has been a constant presence on the Dakar since her 2011 debut, and holds the distinction of making it to the finish on all 11 of her starts in the legendary rally raid. Her best overall finish was the ninth place she achieved in 2015 aboard a KTM, but subsequent editions have proven more difficult for the Spaniard, who finished 17th for GasGas last year. Sanz has previously ...Keep readingView the full article

Ingrassia and Ogier have enjoyed a 16-year partnership beginning in 2006, competing in the French championship, before making their WRC debut in 2008, winning the Junior WRC title that year driving a Citroen C2. The duo moved up to the WRC's top tier with the Citroen Junior Team, winning their first rally in 2010 in Portugal and then finished third in the championship the following year. It ...Keep readingView the full article

The Japanese marque has today confirmed that as anticipated Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanpera have been retained to contest a full season next year in the all-new Toyota GR Yaris as the WRC ushers in new hybrid regulations. Joining the line-up is Lappi following the Finn’s successful run to fourth in an evaluation outing at last weekend’s Rally Finland. Lappi was tipped last month to ...Keep readingView the full article

While the EKS JC squad won the World RX team’s title in 2020, it was Swede Johan Kristoffersson who claimed his third drivers’ crown on his return to the series, with KMS running a works-built Volkswagen Polo Supercar. Kristoffersson has since switched to racing for the EKS JC team for 2021, where he is currently challenging for the crown together with his father Tommy as his spotter, but ...Keep readingView the full article

The pair will join Thierry Neuville and 2019 champion Ott Tanak to complete the Korean marque’s driver line-up for the WRC’s new hybrid Rally1 era. Solberg, the son of 2003 world champion Petter Solberg, had been tipped to make the step up to the third car after impressing in the WRC car in selected outings this season, with a third appearance set for Rally Spain later this ...Keep readingView the full article

As previously reported the Irishman has been heavily linked with the Cumbrian outfit this season, with his and co-driver Paul Nagle’s move to the Ford team now confirmed. A chance for a first full-time WRC drive in M-Sport’s all-new hybrid Ford Puma Rally1 car arrives after operating a part-time WRC programme with Hyundai since 2019. The 31-year-old has enjoyed a career-best run of form ...Keep readingView the full article

Top Performer – Elfyn Evans After delivering the best performance of his WRC career to date, Elfyn Evans thoroughly deserves the Top Performer award. The Toyota driver was simply supreme as he fended off Hyundai’s Ott Tanak and Craig Breen to win Rally Finland, becoming only the second British driver after Kris Meeke (2016) to conquer Finland’s unforgiving rollercoaster gravel ...Keep readingView the full article

The Frenchman revealed the news on social media on Tuesday morning, although details of the incident and exactly what happened remain scarce. Loubet has been driving selected rounds of the WRC for Hyundai's 2C Competition squad, sharing the car with Oliver Solberg across the season. The 24-year-old was set to be part of a five-car Hyundai entry for Rally Spain later this month, teaming up ...Keep readingView the full article

The Irishman has been operating as a part-time WRC campaign with Hyundai since 2019, but is desperate for a full season in the future. Breen stated before last weekend's run to third at Rally Finland that a "concrete" update regarding his future will be released within "a couple of weeks". The 31-year-old has emerged as a key figure in the WRC silly season and has been heavily linked to a ...Keep readingView the full article