Метка: wrc

Hyundai’s 2026 WRC decision likely to shape Neuville’s long-term future

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Thierry Neuville says his World Rally Championship future beyond 2025 will likely be determined by Hyundai’s WRC plans as he doesn’t see himself “going on with another brand”.

The WRC points leader has signed a new one-year extension that will take him into a 12th season with the Korean marque.

However, the Belgian’s WRC future beyond 2025 is unclear with Hyundai yet to confirm its commitment to the WRC for 2026, amid speculation the brand could leave the championship and join the World Endurance Championship.

Neuville has previously stated a desire to sign a two-year deal but it appears Hyundai’s uncertain future has resulted in only a one-year extension. The 36-year-old, while happy to secure his future for another season, admitted that there were even some initial worries about securing this new contract.

“It is great news. I’m very happy to continue my preferred sport with the passion and the enthusiasm I still have, so I’m looking forward to it,” Neuville told Motorsport.com.

“Obviously the fact that the contract is signed is a good point and I don’t need to worry about that anymore.

“At some point, sure, I think we were all worried. However, now it’s official, we’re going to continue, and I think it’s also important news for the team members as well.”

Podium: Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Podium: Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport

When asked if there was an option of a two-year deal, he revealed that there is the possibility he could be with the team longer than his new terms of his new agreement.

“We don’t go into more details, but opportunities will be there, but it will not depend on us, so I believe that we will have to see what the future of the team is. We could be there for longer,” he said.

Pressed on if he had started to think about his future beyond 2025, he replied: “Not at all, because, like I said, there might be opportunity for more. At the moment, it’s too early to know what will be the future of the teams in WRC and the category itself. So I believe that it’s too early to know.”

However, given the uncertainty around Hyundai’s WRC future beyond 2025, Neuville said that the brand’s decision whether to stay or leave the WRC could ultimately decide the future of his own rallying career in the top flight.

“Obviously, for me it wouldn’t be a disaster not to be there anymore after so many years, but on the other hand, if obviously Hyundai retire it would probably be a point for me to retire as well. I have done so long with them and I have enjoyed that time. At the moment I don’t see myself going on with another brand, but who knows?”

Neuville has previously shown interest in competing in categories outside of the WRC, having raced in TCR Germany in 2019. While he revealed that at some point he could consider an alternative to rally, the WRC is where he wishes to compete in the near future.

“At some point [I could consider Rally Raid or circuit racing], but honestly speaking, if I do something I want to do it professionally. At the moment where I can make the best of is still in WRC. It’s where I’m the best and where the team needs me the most. So, that’s the place to be at the moment,» he said.

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Looking ahead to next season, Neuville will drive a heavily upgraded i20 N Rally, thanks to the deployment of homologation jokers, as the team aims to resurrect some of the plans it had for its new car project that was abandoned amid the 2025 FIA technical rules U-turn earlier this year.

Neuville has already begun testing some of the updates ahead of their 2025 debut.

“The target of the team to be competitive next year. So I think if they carry on with signing fast drivers it’s because they want to be competitive and that is why they have decided to put some jokers on the car,” he added.



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Neuville signs new Hyundai deal to join Tanak for 2025 WRC

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Thierry Neuville has signed a one-year contract extension to remain with Hyundai, alongside Ott Tanak, to contest the 2025 World Rally Championship.

The current WRC points leader had entered into the final year of his current deal with the Korean marque this season, before reaching a new agreement that will take the five-time title runner-up into a 12th year with the team in WRC.

Neuville will once again continue alongside co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe, while Hyundai has exercised an option on 2019 world champion pairing Tanak and Martin Jarvoeja for next year. Tanak scored victory in Sardinia this year in his second spell with the team after spending 2023 driving for M-Sport-Ford.

Neuville joined Hyundai in 2014 when the car maker embarked on its second stint as a factory team in the WRC. The Belgian scored his and Hyundai’s first outright WRC win in Germany in their maiden season — the win is one of 20 Neuville has scored for the Alzenau outfit.

The 36-year-old told Autosport last year that he would like to sign a two-year deal to take him into 2026. However, Hyundai’s future in the WRC beyond 2025 is yet to be confirmed amid speculation the marque could leave the championship, amid expected plans to join the World Endurance Championship in 2026.

“I am very happy to extend my contract with Hyundai Motorsport for the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship season,” said Neuville on the eve of this weekend’s Acropolis Rally in Greece.

“There are not many partnerships in motorsport that have spanned as long as ours, but since 2014 we have achieved great success together.

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“I’ve said before that this team has become a second family to me, and our ambition and motivation has only grown year after year. It would be a great honour to win our first drivers’ title with them at the end of this season, and to carry that forward into a 12th year together. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.”

Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul added: “We are pleased to confirm Thierry Neuville alongside Ott Tanak for our 2025 FIA World Rally Championship campaign.

“The decision to maintain this competitive pairing at Hyundai Motorsport underscores our commitment to the series in 2025, where we will once again be targeting all three championship titles.

“Thierry has been with Hyundai Motorsport since the very start, proving invaluable to the team both on the stages and in the factory over the past 11 years.

“With him and his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe now locked in for next season, we have all of the ingredients needed to continue fighting at the very pinnacle of our sport.”

Hyundai is yet to announce who will pilot its third i20 N Rally1 next year. Abiteboul has previously stated that the team is “exploring scenarios” for this entry having chosen to split the car across Esapekka Lappi, Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo.

M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux has however been heavily linked to the drive, although the British squad is eager to keep its lead driver for 2025.

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Can Rali Ceredigion act as a catalyst for a WRC Rally GB revival?

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


International rallying returned to Britain for the first time since 2019 last weekend as Rali Ceredigion made a resoundingly successful debut as part of the European Rally Championship. The event certainly filled British rally fans with hope and, just maybe, could be a catalyst for a Rally GB revival.

Last weekend marked yet another impressive step for the Welsh asphalt rally that has achieved ERC status and put Britain back on the international rally sphere in only its fourth running. It’s been achieved thanks to the tireless efforts of a team led by event director Charlie Jukes who has managed to unite a community, securing funding from local councils and businesses to bring an idea to reality, through an army of 1250 volunteers.

These individuals deserve huge credit for achieving this and even more recognition after Rali Ceredigion made a seamless step up to ERC level, showcasing British rallying on an international stage through a slick and professionally organised rally. Fans once again flocked to the stages held around the Welsh town of Aberystwyth and there was a buzz about the region, rekindling memories when Wales last hosted the World Rally Championship in 2019. The vision of rally cars flying across bumpy narrow lanes in the beautiful Welsh countryside and running around Aberystwyth castle was a great advert for the Welsh tourism board.

It begs an important question. Is a closed road asphalt rally, instead of the historical forestry gravel stages of the past, the future of Rally GB?

Factory Toyota WRC driver Elfyn Evans attended the event before flying to prepare for this week’s Acropolis Rally Greece. The Welshman believes Rali Ceredigion has the potential to grow to WRC status but admits that, while an asphalt rally would suffice, the ultimate goal would be for a gravel Rally GB.

“It gives us hope I think,” Evans told Motorsport.com. “There is no reason why this event can’t grow to even World Rally Championship status. Perhaps accommodation would be the biggest challenge here in Aberystwyth, but definitely the roads and the organisation are capable of it. It is a credit to the organisers that have put in the effort since the launch of this rally back in 2019.

Ceredigion gave British rallying talents an opportunity to tackle some of Europe's biggest names on home soil

Ceredigion gave British rallying talents an opportunity to tackle some of Europe’s biggest names on home soil

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“I think it would add something quite unique to the [world] championship, but still deep down I think everybody wants to see the classic Welsh forest back. That would be the ultimate, but I think this would be a viable option for the future.”

The view espoused by Evans is among the majority. However, Rali Ceredigion is conveniently located not far from the hallowed gravel roads of Hafren forest or Sweet Lamb, so it is feasible for a ‘best of both worlds’ split surface rally — a concept the FIA is open to reviving if there is such a case. It is an option that should be seriously entertained.

Nicky Grist, former co-driver to Colin McRae, was among the star names that turned out to watch the event unfold. He was among those who felt Rali Ceredigion represents a positive “stepping stone” for the future and further adds to the case for a Rally GB bid.

«We think that there are interesting business models, that have been adopted by other WRC events around the world that can narrow that [funding] gap»
Hugh Chambers

“With the demise of Rally GB, I have got to hand it to the organisers that have made it happen,” Grist tells Motorsport.com. “It is not backed, maybe a little bit by Welsh government, but it is not cheap to get the ERC and then you have got to run the rally to a set standard. It has taken a big commitment and a lot of hard work and effort to pull in sponsors.

“Rally GB is a different thing, that is something for the governing body in the UK to make sure it happens. It seems that, up to a point, they haven’t necessarily backed it up.

“Now the WRC more than ever is more about money than the event and I think if anybody has got a passion and a budget to make it happen, then it is entertained seriously. Gone are the days that it is always in the championship, and it should always be in and it is going to stay.

The WRC has changed a great deal since Rally GB was last on the calendar in 2019

The WRC has changed a great deal since Rally GB was last on the calendar in 2019

Photo by: McKlein/Motorsport Images

“You have got to pay the money, do what is required as far as the promoters are concerned, and then you get the opportunity to be a round of the championship. Now, having got rid of it, I think [Rally GB] will be a far more costly event to run than it was in the past. There are always options, but it has to be driven from the top and they have got to have a passion to do it.”

Grist is correct that if Rally GB returns, it will require leadership from Motorsport UK. However, what has been achieved by the Rali Ceredigion organisers has not gone unnoticed by Motorsport UK. Its CEO Hugh Chambers and chairman David Richards witnessed proceedings first-hand when they toured the event on Sunday.

Motorsport UK has stated for several years that it wishes for the WRC to return to these shores, but securing funding from third parties has proved and continues to be a hurdle. The budget to secure the WRC is larger than the ERC at roughly £4.2 million (€5 million). But according to Chambers, there is hope.

“We’re looking at a number of different options to bring the WRC back to the UK, not just in Wales, but also across the other home nations,” Chambers tells Motorsport.com. “We are really in a much better position now to be able to achieve that than we have done for a number of years.

“The typical budget for WRC events around the world now is in the region of €5 million. There are some outliers, but it’s around about €5 million. If we go back to Wales Rally GB, it was probably close to €3-3.5 [million when it was on the calendar] and there has been a significant increase since 2019 [in costs that would make it more expensive today].

“At the same time, we think that there are interesting business models, that have been adopted by other WRC events around the world that can narrow that [funding] gap. At some point we will need to have significant third-party funding in order to make it viable.

“The [Rali Ceredigion] organisers have done an incredible job stepping up to this next level. There is the potential for this [event] to be able to grow, but there are certain infrastructure challenges and not least accommodation. But, that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. I’d rather celebrate the fact we’re in the ERC and really build on that success and have this fantastic event on a multi-year basis.”

Chambers wants to see the UK back in the WRC, but recognises there are greater funding obstacles than for ERC

Chambers wants to see the UK back in the WRC, but recognises there are greater funding obstacles than for ERC

Photo by: JEP

When asked if Motorsport UK could help with extra funding for Rali Ceredigion in the future, Chambers adds: “We are already providing assistance with the event, we work very very closely with the organisers, and we recognise that it’s incredibly important for us to have a round of the ERC in the UK and we’ll continue to work with them in any way that we can.”

While Chambers has not ruled out the future of a closed road tarmac Rally GB, he admits that the DNA of a Rally GB is «probably» gravel and, if that can return, the event will have “that distinctive heritage place within the calendar”.

There is no doubt that the only aspect holding Rali Ceredigion back from the WRC is perhaps the infrastructure and accommodation surrounding Aberystwyth, which as Chambers notes is not insurmountable. But what the event certainly showcased is the power of a united community. Surely there are lessons to be learned by Motorsport UK from what has been achieved by a group of volunteers?

«The standout element of this is the way that the local community has got behind the rally; whether it’s businesses, the council, other stakeholders, the university. They’ve all really understood the importance of this event» Hugh Chambers

“Undoubtedly,” replies Chambers. “But it also did apply to Wales Rally GB back in 2019. A lot of the elements that we see here, such as the STEM exhibition, are elements that we had as part of that.

“The standout element of this is the way that the local community has got behind the rally; whether it’s businesses, the council, other stakeholders, the university. They’ve all really understood the importance of this event for the local economy, the local community, and it really has worked incredibly well.”

Rali Ceredigion may or may not be the future of Rally GB, but it has certainly helped the cause to bring the WRC back.

Will the success of Ceredigion be the spur needed to get a UK event back on the WRC schedule?

Will the success of Ceredigion be the spur needed to get a UK event back on the WRC schedule?

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool



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Ogier, Rovanpera selected to help Toyota WRC title bid in Chile

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


World champions Sebastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanpera will feature for Toyota to help the Japanese marque’s World Rally Championship title bid at Rally Chile.

Toyota will therefore field four GR Yaris Rally1 cars for the final gravel round of the season held in the South American nation from 26-29 September.

Ogier and Rovanpera have both been contesting partial campaigns this season although it appears the former is likely to start 10 of the 13 rounds this year. Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala asked Ogier to commit to the remainder of the season last month.

Ogier is currently Toyota’s best hope at securing the drivers’ title, with the eight-time world champion sitting 27 points adrift of Hyundai’s standings leader Thierry Neuville heading into this weekend’s Acropolis Rally Greece.

The Frenchman has scored three wins (Croatia, Portugal, Finland) and three second place finishes (Monte Carlo, Sardinia, Latvia) from his six starts to date.

Rovanpera’s outing in Chile will be his seventh start of a campaign that has included victories in Kenya, Poland and Latvia. The Finn was on course to take a fourth win in Finland last time out before rolling out of a commanding lead on the penultimate stage.

The decision to add Ogier and Rovanpera to a Chile line-up that includes its full-time drivers Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta should help Toyota as it seeks to close the gap to rivals Hyundai in the manufacturers title battle.

Toyota heads to Greece sitting 20 points adrift of Hyundai, despite winning six of the nine rallies so far.

Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Confirmation of the Rally Chile entry list sees Esapekka Lappi rejoin Hyundai to pilot the third i20 N Rally1 car.

Lappi kicked off the season with a victory in Sweden, but has failed to finish inside the top 10 in his last three outings in Kenya, Latvia and Finland.

It has already been confirmed that M-Sport-Ford will expand its line-up for the event to three cars, with Martins Sesks returning to the championship to pilot a non-hybrid version of the Ford Puma.

The Latvian, who finished fifth in Poland and seventh at his home event, will join regulars Adrien Fourmaux and Gregoire Munster.

WRC2 championship leader Oliver Solberg will make the trip alongside one of his title rivals Yohan Rossel as part of Rally Chile’s 45-car entry list.



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WRC eyeing extra asphalt round for 2026 calendar

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The World Rally Championship would like to add another asphalt round to its calendar in 2026 to further even out the split between tarmac and gravel rallies.

Now the championship has published an expanded 14-round calendar for next season, the WRC is already looking to 2026 as demand to join the schedule continues to increase.

Several nations have expressed a desire to feature on the 2026 bill. It is widely anticipated that the USA will make its long-awaited return through a gravel event based out of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

While expanding into the US is a key aim, the championship also has a wish to increase the amount of asphalt events. Five is the intended target in a likely 14-round season.

Next season will see a continuation of a calendar featuring four asphalt rallies. Monte Carlo, the Central European Rally and Japan retained their places on the schedule, while the Canary Islands has stepped up from the European Rally Championship to replace Croatia, which is also vying to return in 2026.

Ireland is also another contender that could complete the WRC’s asphalt wish, with the nation’s three-year bid to bring the WRC back to the island taking tentative steps forward after failing to secure the €15 million in funding from the Irish government for 2025.

Motorsport Ireland estimated that the rally would generate €300 million for the local economy as it planned to rotate the rally through three locations – Waterford, Kerry and Limerick – across a proposed three-year deal.

Since April’s confirmation that funding wouldn’t be granted for 2025, Motorsport Ireland has confirmed that talks between the government and the WRC Promoter have continued as it hopes to bring the WRC to Ireland in 2026.

Dani Sordo (ESP) Citroen C4 WRC on stage 13.

Dani Sordo (ESP) Citroen C4 WRC on stage 13.

Photo by: Sutton Images

“We are working in cooperation with Motorsport Ireland and in particular their president Aiden Harper, who is doing a fantastic job,» WRC event director Simon Larkin told Motorsport.com when asked about Ireland’s bid.

“He is night and day on this and we are working with them as hard as we can to realise their ambition as well.

“I think the championship would love to go to Ireland and we also want to add another tarmac event by one event just to balance it out one more. Ireland is a fantastic candidate for that.”

Larkin added: “It is extremely likely that it [an extra asphalt round] will be within an existing 14 round [schedule].”

Larkin headed to Ireland last month where he met with members of the Irish government to discuss the country’s WRC plan.

“We have met with the major sports division part of the sports ministry and we gave a good presentation, and we are following up on that and we will make another presentation,” he said.

“We are doing a three-event economic impact study on the Poland, Latvia and Central European events.

“These are figures, we hope are going too be very boast-worthy. We take government funding for a lot of these events, and we want to prove that it is not wasted money, and this money comes back as the number of international visitors that do attend these events brings new money into the region and the host city, and that pays it back.”

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Martins Sesks set for WRC Rally1 return with M-Sport

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Martins Sesks will rejoin the World Rally Championship’s top tier after securing a deal to contest Rally Chile next month. 

The 24-year-old Latvian made his Rally1 debut earlier this year courtesy of a two-round programme funded by the WRC Promoter and his personal sponsors to compete in Poland (June) and Latvia (July).

Sesks and co-driver Renars Francis turned heads in those two gravel rallies, finishing fifth driving a non-hybrid-powered M-Sport Ford Puma in Poland in June. The duo then challenged for a podium on home soil chalking up two stage wins, including a maiden fastest time, piloting a Puma Rally1 hybrid. However, a mechanical issue on the final stage dropped Sesks from third to seventh overall.

The impressive performances left Sesks and M-Sport keen for further collaboration, which has now resulted in a deal for Rally Chile from 26-29 September, assisted by further support from the WRC Promoter.

Last year’s European Rally Championship runner-up will once again pilot a non-hybrid version of the Puma in Chile, which will present an all-new set of stages for Sesks to tackle.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity to drive a Rally1 car again, just two months after our previous rally,” said Sesks. 

“It’s been an incredible adventure so far, and the experience of driving keeps getting better. Competing in Chile in a Rally1 car is truly amazing, so I’d like to give a big thank you to the WRC Promoter and M-Sport for their support and cooperation.

Martins Sesks, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team

Martins Sesks, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team

Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images

“Of course, it will be quite a challenge, especially starting with a non-hybrid Rally1 car in a rally like this, on slower gravel and at high altitude, which is tough on both the car and the driver. It will be demanding, but we love challenges. Once again, we’ll be the underdogs, driving a rally we don’t know with a non-hybrid car. 

«But I believe we are ready, and everyone is motivated to give our best performance, taking on another great adventure this year with M-Sport. We’re looking forward to it.”

WRC Promoter’s Senior Director of Sport Peter Thul added: “Martins has already shown remarkable speed and determination in Poland and Latvia, and we believe his future in the WRC is exceptionally bright. Supporting the next generation is crucial for the continued growth and excitement of the WRC, and our commitment to nurturing young talent remains stronger than ever.”

M-Sport were victorious in Chile last year when Ott Tanak scored the second of two wins for the Puma Rally1 hybrid in 2023. 

After exploring options to put Sesks back in a Puma after July’s outing in Latvia, team principal Richard Millener is pleased to add the driver to the team’s regular line-up of Adrien Fourmaux and Gregoire Munster for the trip to Chile.    

«Martins made a strong impression in his previous two events with us, so it’s a pleasure to welcome him back to the team in Chile,” said Millener. 

“This will undoubtedly be a challenging event, completely different from the previous ones. With no prior experience on this tricky rally, it’s no easy task, but it’s a great opportunity for him to showcase his versatility and further establish himself as a future talent. 

«We hope this experience will bolster his ambition to become a regular name in the Rally1 class.”

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WRC selects finalists vying to be the next female rally star

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO



The World Rally Championship has selected 15 aspiring female drivers that will compete to win a fully funded drive in the Junior WRC next year.

The WRC launched its women’s driver development programme in the hope of unearthing new talent and increasing female participation in the discipline.

In recent years women have enjoyed success in co-driving with Reeta Hamalainen and Enni Malkonen winning world titles in WRC2 and WRC3 respectively in 2022, but 1982 title runner-up Michele Mouton remains the last woman to win a round of the championship as a driver, 42 years ago.   

Applications from drivers aged 27 or under from around the world have been filed, resulting in the championship organisers forming a group of 15 finalists – representing 13 countries – that will progress to the next phase.

These drivers will now attend a three-day training camp at M-Sport Poland’s Krakow headquarters from 16-18 September, where they will undergo a series of challenges testing their rally preparedness, mechanical knowledge, media nous and driving ability on mixed surfaces. 

Three successful applicants will then be selected by a panel of judges to compete in the Central European Rally, which hosts the penultimate round of the 2024 WRC season from 17-20 October. The trio will drive Ford Fiesta Rally3 machinery.

Following on from Central European Rally, a driver will be selected to contest a fully supported campaign in the 2025 FIA Junior WRC. 

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The finalists selected are: Lyssia Baudet (Belgium),  Emma Chalvin (France), Ann Felke (Germany), Joanna Hassoun (Lebanon), Mako Hirakawa (Japan), Hannah Jakobsson (Sweden), Suvi Jyrkiainen (Finland), Luz Marina (Spain), Nuria Pons (Spain), Aoife Raftery (Ireland), Claire Schonborn (Germany), Madelyn Tabor (USA), Alexandra Teslovan (Romania), Hanna Lisette Aabna (Estonia) and Dorka Zagyva (Hungary).

“We were completely overwhelmed by the number and quality of applicants,” said WRC Promoter’s Senior Director of Sport Peter Thul. 

“Selecting the final 15 was an incredibly challenging task and there were some difficult calls to make. 

“We do not want any of the unlucky candidates to be discouraged and we do hope they will apply again in the future as we are absolutely committed to this programme for multiple years. We are now excited to focus on next month’s training camp.” 



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Report suggests WRC Promoter is gearing up for potential sale

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The commercial rights holder of the World Rally Championship is investigating a potential sale of the business, according to a media report.

WRC Promoter GmbH acquired the commercial rights to the World Rally Championship in 2013. Previously, the promotion was handled by North One Sports, but the ten-year (in force since 2010) contract with the FIA was cancelled before the 2012 season when North One Sports declared bankruptcy.

The current promoter is owned by Red Bull and the KW25 entity, and since taking ownership of the WRC’s commercial rights, the company has taken on the development of television and internet broadcasting.

Firstly, WRC+ was set up, offering broadcasts of selected stages, and the breakthrough came in 2018 with the launch of the All Live platform, where you can watch every stage live. In 2021, WRC Promoter added World Rallycross to its portfolio, followed twelve months later by the European Rally Championship.

News agency Reuters says that, according to its anonymous sources, WRC Promoter’s owners — the aforementioned Red Bull and KW25 — are looking for a buyer for the company.

It suggests that the owners are looking to monetise their property at a time when commercial rights to the sporting competition are reaching record highs.

Sami Pajari, Enni Mälkönen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Sami Pajari, Enni Mälkönen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull and KW25 are working with JPMorgan, one of the world’s largest banking companies, to find a willing bidder. The German owners are hoping to sell for around €500 million. They would like to finalise the transaction later this year.

Talks are said to be at an advanced stage, although another Reuters source anonymously reports that this will not necessarily result in a sale.

Behind its sources, Reuters relays that a new owner could help boost WRC’s popularity in the US. The current WRC Promoter Authority has long wanted one round of the championship to be held in America. The plans are for an event in the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, but the world’s top drivers will not be there before 2026.

When Motorsport.com asked WRC Promoter to comment on the report, it released the following statement: “As a matter of principle, we do not comment on rumours or statements made by third parties, for which we kindly ask for your understanding.”

The timing of the report comes after WRC Promoter recently completed a lucrative 10-year deal to host a round of the championship in Saudi Arabia.

The championship is also preparing for a transition in technical regulations with new rules expected to be introduced from 2027. 

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M-Sport to launch behind-the-scenes WRC docuseries

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO



A new World Rally Championship docuseries will launch later this month, offering fans a rare behind-the-scenes look at M-Sport Ford’s 2024 campaign.

The series titled ‘More than Machine’, produced in partnership with team sponsor SafetyCulture by Superlative Films, is a six-part documentary that follows the daily lives of M-Sport’s drivers Adrien Fourmaux and Gregoire Munster, engineers, technicians and other team members through this year’s 13-round WRC season.

The trailer for the series – to be broadcast through the WRC’s YouTube channel – has been released today with the first episode, which follows the team’s progress through Safari Rally Kenya, to be launched on August 22.

Behind-the-scenes sporting documentaries have grown in popularity in recent years with Formula 1’s Netflix ‘Drive to Survive’ series the catalyst for a range of spin-off series in various sports. This is the first time the WRC has dabbled in the genre through a major production by an independent filmmaker.

According to M-Sport, one of the key objectives of the docuseries is to “bring never-before-told stories to life”, with the series focussing on not only the drivers but several team members ranging from co-drivers, weather crews, mechanics and physiotherapists.

“We’re very lucky to have this opportunity to tell all the incredible stories behind our fantastic team,” said M-Sport team principal Richard Millener.

 

“On rallies, there’s so much that happens behind the scenes in the service park that the fans don’t get to see, and I believe this series will do a lot to bring people even closer to the sport.”

“We’re only really scratching the surface, but by telling these stories and getting to know the people who run the cars and make the rally happen, we’re opening ourselves up to an even bigger fan base.

“There are real, human stories to tell here, and I’m so pleased we’re now able to document them.”

M-Sport founder, Malcolm Wilson, added: “Up until now the WRC has not delved into the backstories of the people who make the operation work, so having the chance to show this to a global audience is something very special. I hope everyone enjoys watching our journeys in WRC as much as we have enjoyed working with the production team on it.”



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