Paraguay in contention to join 2025 WRC calendar
The South American nation emerged as a candidate to host the WRC earlier this year as the championship aims to form a 14-round 2025 calendar, including two events in the South America region. The championship currently has a deal in place with Chile which expires at the end of the year, although discussions surrounding a […]
Toyota selects Ogier for WRC’s visit to Croatia
Toyota has announced that the eight-time world champion will pilot one of its three factory GR Yaris Rally 1 cars at the asphalt event, which hosts the fourth round of the WRC season, from 18-21 April. Read Also: Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais will join Toyota’s full-time drivers Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta for the […]
Lancia offers hint at future rally return
The famous Italian manufacturer has been linked with a return to the World Rally Championship following reports in Italian media last year. The marque is the most successful in WRC history winning 10 constructor titles (1974-1976, 1983, 1987-1992). Lancia is undergoing a revival as an automotive brand under the Stellantis Group and in February it […]
Snorkels to make top-tier return at WRC Safari Rally
Snorkels were famously adopted by WRC teams in previous editions of the event – prior to its WRC return in 2021 – to help cars navigate through sections of tricky terrain, preventing water and dust from entering the engine. The device made a re-appearance when the Safari Rally returned to the WRC, but regulations prohibited Rally1 cars […]
WRC and Dakar winner Kenjiro Shinozuka dies aged 75
Shinozuka shot to fame by becoming the first Japanese driver to claim outright victories in both the WRC and the gruelling Dakar Rally. Born in Tokyo, Shinozuka’s greatest success came as a factory Mitsubishi driver. In 1988, he claimed the inaugural Asia-Pacific championship alongside co-driver Fred Gocentas. The pair took the title scoring a solitary […]
Adjusting to hybrid-less WRC cars will be a “challenge”
The FIA announced last month that the WRC would drop hybrid power from its Rally1 class three years after its introduction in 2022. The change is part of the FIA’s roadmap for the future of top-level rallying, which will also see Rally1 cars undergo a reduction in aerodynamics and the car’s air restrictor, to cut […]
Neuville clarifies WRC future amid anger over FIA technical reforms
The Hyundai driver has moved to clarify his future after comments made in an interview with AutoHebdo this week suggested this season could be his last. The championship leader is in the final year of his contract with Hyundai and is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal. Neuville has previously told […]
More details needed for WRC Rally2 upgrade kit decision
As part of the FIA’s extensive vision for the future of top-level rallying, the world motorsport governing body announced plans for affordable upgrade kits to be made available for Rally2 cars next year to close the performance gap between Rally2 and Rally1 cars. These bolt-on upgrade kits will be priced at approximately €5,000, comprising a larger […]
The Rally1 inspiration behind the WRC’s latest customer weapon
For the past three years, Toyota has been the dominant force in the World Rally Championship, sweeping aside the opposition to win a stunning drivers’ and manufacturers’ treble. But this year the Japanese marque is taking on a new challenge and has entered the Rally2 customer sphere with the GR Yaris Rally2 – “the aggressive […]