Your basket is currently empty!
Category: WRC, Rally
-
MRF Tyres to launch into Italian Gravel with three cars
Cingoli (Italy), 23 April 2021: The first round of the Campionato Italiano Rally Terra (CIRT) or the Italian Rally Championship – Gravel gets underway this weekend with the Rally Adriatico and Team MRF Tyres will be well represented with three cars at the starting line.
Rally Adriatico will be run over nine stages and 64.71km of competitive rally action on Saturday April 24. The rally is staged around Cingoli, in the Macerata region, on Italy’s mid-eastern coastline.
Italian legend, Paolo Andreucci with Francesco Pinelli will lead the charge for Team MRF Tyres in the Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. The pair had a one-off drive in the opening round of the Italian tarmac championship and moving to gravel will prove to be an exciting prospect.
Simone Campedelli and Gianfrancesco Maria Rappa are also rallying the full CIRT for Team MRF Tyres in a Volkswagen Polo R5. Campedelli and Rappa are starting their full season in the CIRT on the back of a podium in the regional, Rally Della Val d’Orcia which was held in March.
The third car on MRF Tyres is for Tamara Molinaro and Piercarlo Capolongo who will rally a Citroën C3 R5.
Molinaro rallied on MRF Tyres for the first time in 2020, taking the class victory in the Female division and second in the Under 25s.
The trio represents a mixture of youth and experience as Team MRF Tyres gets its 2021 CIRT campaign underway. The Italian Championship is ultra-competitive and will allow MRF Tyres to compete against some of the world’s best drivers while maintaining its aggressive development program.
The crews have undertaken pre-event tests in preparation for the Adriatico Rally.
The rally sees nine stages broken up into three legs of three repeated stages.
Colognola is the first stage of the loop, providing a 5.40km blast. The second stage is Panicali at 5.24km meaning that the crews will have no room for error and must be immediately on the pace. The third stage of the loop is Dei Laghi and is the longest of the three at 10.93km.
Over 90 cars are competing in the Adriatico Rally, with 39 leading Rally2 (R5) cars entered.
The rally will get underway at 7:57 local time or 11:27 if you are in India. It will run throughout the day on Saturday, with the final stage due to commence at 17:35 in Italy or 21:15 in India.
Stay up to date with the rally on Team MRF Tyres Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.u
QuotesPaolo Andreucci, Driver, Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo
“We have completed the test in the lead-up to the first round of the CIRT and the Adriatico Rally. We tested the adaptation of the tyres for the compact ground on these beautiful special stages.”
“The stages are very fast and we must be precise with our pace notes and tyre choice. We have several choices for this weekend with MRF Tyres and everyone will have to be careful with their tyre choice.”
Simone Campedelli, Driver, Volkswagen Polo R5
“We will be back in the Italian Gravel Championship this year, a championship I won at the beginning of my career in 2007. I have decided to go back to the Championship as I believe that we can have strong results with MRF Tyres.”
“The Adriatico Rally is one that I have had success with over the years with a lot of podiums. We are ready and we will have done a test before the rally.”
“There are a lot of cars in R5 and it will be difficult. I am looking forward to bring the best result possible for myself and for MRF Tyres.”
Tamara Molinaro, Driver, Citroën C3 R5
“I am very proud to be a part of the MRF Tyres family this year. We worked really well together last year and I am looking forward to this weekend. I will be trying my best to develop my own driving and look to the Ladies Championship.”
“I really can’t wait to get back in the car, the last rally I did was the Tuscan Rally in 2020 (where she finished 1st in Female and 2nd in Under 25 categories) and it has been quite a long wait.”
“I am aiming to close the gap to the top drivers as I continue my own development. This weekend, I am aiming for the best result possible for myself and Team MRF Tyres.”
-
FIA WRC Junior championship to kick off in Croatia
The battle to seek out the next shining star of the WRC is just days away as the 2021 FIA Junior WRC Championship is set to kick off on the inaugural WRC Croatia Rally.
- 2021 crews fighting for a career boosting prize package in identical M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally4 cars.
- Junior WRC looking at one of its most competitive seasons in the championship’s 20-year history.
- Crews earn one point for every stage in addition to their classification points.
- Best four rounds out of five count towards the championship with double points available on the final round for crews that have entered at least three events previously.
The 2021 FIA Junior WRC Championship will see eight crews going head-to-head in a fierce fight on some of WRC’s most iconic gravel and asphalt roads. Croatia Rally, despite being an all-asphalt affair, is expected to test drivers of all abilities and experience thanks to an abundance of surface and elevation changes found on the 300 competitive kilometres offer.
This year’s Junior WRC drivers come from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and experience. Crucially, they have all proved themselves as winners in Rally4 categories around the world on a variety of surfaces with many having already seen success in the Junior WRC. The 20th year of Junior WRC sees a true melting pot of young talents coming together to persuade the WRC service park that they have what it takes to follow in the footsteps of drivers such as Sebastien Loeb, Sebastien Ogier, Dani Sordo and Elfyn Evans.
Every crew will compete in identical M-Sport Poland-built Fiesta Rally4 machinery, using bespoke Wolf Lubricants, placing an emphasis on driver talent over set-up ability. The Ford Fiesta Rally4 is a proven Rally4 thoroughbred that has over 50 and 150 Rally4 category victories and podiums respectively – all coming in less than a year since its competitive debut in June 2020.
Crews are sure to be kept on their toes too when selecting their Pirelli tyres to equip their Ecoboost-powered Fiesta Rally4 cars with. There is a maximum allowance of 22 tyres (including shakedown) for the Junior WRC crews who can choose from an allocation of 18 Pirelli RA5 (hard), ten Pirelli RA7+ (soft) and eight Pirelli RWB (full wet). The tyre selection will be largely weather dependent but, even in dry conditions, tree-lined or elevated stage conditions could be vastly different to other stages within the same loop providing an exciting storyline to keep track of.
The stages on Croatia Rally should provide some fast-paced and close times with plenty of wide fourth and fifth gear corners balanced with narrow and tricky turns that are the equivalent of a rally driver’s tightrope walk, mis-step and it’s a long way back to service for an early bath.
Maciej Woda, FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager, said: “We are starting a very special year for the FIA Junior WRC Championship with a hotly contested lineup, there really is no clear favourite for Croatia Rally or even the championship overall. Six out of eight of our starting lineup have previously scored points in Junior WRC with five of those drivers also having stage wins to their names too. Those that haven’t scored points in Junior WRC shouldn’t be ruled out by any means either. All the drivers coming into the championship this year have proved themselves successful in various international and national Rally4 championships. Looking more specifically at Croatia Rally, I actually wish I was behind the wheel for some of these stages. They look properly challenging and I think we’re going to see some really tight battles and close moments on more than one of them with our highly motivated and competitive drivers! I’d like to give a final mention and appreciation to WRC Promoter, FIA and Croatia Rally organisers for putting the event on, I know a lot of hard work has gone on and is going on to make sure Croatia Rally happens.”
45. Martins Sesks / Renars Francis
“The main aim is to enjoy every single second in the car because these kinds of moments are very difficult to find for young drivers. Even if we are able to compete in the rally, we should enjoy every moment. We want to show we are some of the fastest guys in Juniors and a big goal is to be able to progress to WRC2 and WRC in the future. I think a new rally like Croatia equalises the competition so it will be interesting to see what happens.”
46. Sami Pajari / Marko Salminen
“I think we did a really good job in the pre-event test, we found a really good setup for the car and I felt very comfortable. Our pace notes were working very well, and I am really looking forward to the season. We did well in some places last year, so we need to look forward and try to improve this year. I am aiming to push myself to the limits and we will see what happens.”
47. Raul Badiu / Rares Fetean
“If you look back at the calendar, I am in my third year but when you look at the events I have only done seven WRC rounds. It’s my last my year to be eligible for Junior WRC so I think it’s the right time to put my experience into the stages and start collecting results, not only experience. It’s very tough competition, the calendar isn’t looking so bad for us this year though. We are fighting a lot of Scandinavian and Baltic drivers who are very fast on their own territory and have previously had more rounds that they were favourites on. This year we have three asphalt rallies and I think I am more experienced on asphalt than gravel.”
48. Martin Koci / Petr Tesisnky
“To be in the WRC is the dream and the target, I’m not the youngest, but Junior WRC is the best way to get into the WRC and start the ladder. I am super happy to be here, I know my mission, the competition is high but I’m happy about that and coming in with a lot of respect for everybody. Normally I don’t like saying I am coming to win, but of course, we want to do as well as possible while enjoying and learning from mistakes in previous years.”
49. Jon Armstrong / Phil Hall
“It’s great to be back here, it feels like yesterday that we were in Sweden in 2020 having the same training day. I’m really looking forward to getting into recce, they look like great stages here in Croatia and I think recce is going to be crucial to having a good result in the rally. I can’t wait to get back in a rally car either as I haven’t had too much testing with the Fiesta Rally4 which is something I will need to get used to.”
50. William Creighton / Liam Regan
“It’s been a really good experience so far, I’m trying to take in as much as I can. This year is going to be about learning so soaking up as much as I can about what it’s like to be in a WRC Rally. I haven’t set myself any expectations in terms of specific events because I think as soon as you do that, and you don’t reach them you’ve got a problem.”
51. Lauri Joona / Ari Koponen
“I expect a good season and my experience of Rally Sweden is not enough to give me an idea on how the rest of the year will go. I think it’s good for that there are three asphalt rallies which is very difficult, but it helps with my learning. Nobody has experience of this rally, which is good for all, for asphalt need to make sure I’m sensible though. I know how the team works which helps, I need to get more details for sure which will help me be more competitive on asphalt.”
52. Robert Virves / Sander Pruul
“It’s nice to be here and nobody is here this year to get second place, I am here looking to win. The experience on asphalt for me isn’t high, we did two asphalt rallies in Italy as preparation which is all of my asphalt experience. Croatia doesn’t look like an easy -
M-Sport Ford commit WRC hybrid era
Cockermouth (UK), 31 March 2021: M-Sport Ford have committed to the future of rallying – pledging to register and participate in the FIA World Rally Championship’s new hybrid era from 2022 to 2024.
This new commitment strengthens M-Sport’s relationship with the Blue Oval – a partnership which has delivered considerable success over more than two decades.
Joining forces in 1997, M-Sport Ford have secured seven FIA World Rally Championships, 61 victories, 262 podiums and more than 1500 stage wins – making them one of the sport’s most successful partnerships with an unbroken record of 258 consecutive point scores.
The introduction of hybrid technology into the FIA World Rally Championship signals a landmark development at the highest level of the sport – and M-Sport Ford remain committed to delivering top results with rally-winning technology.
The commitment also ensures M-Sport’s continuation at the pinnacle of the sport – safeguarding jobs and boosting engineering expertise at the team’s Dovenby Hall headquarters.
Aligned with Ford’s global strategy towards creating a more sustainable future, the world’s toughest championship for production-based cars is now fully committed to the introduction of greener technology; and M-Sport Ford are fully committed to the continuation of their successful partnership.M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:
“It’s always been important for our sport to move with the times, and this commitment to hybrid technology aligns the future of rallying with Ford’s global commitment towards a more sustainable future.
“As the toughest championship for production-based cars, the FIA World Rally Championship provides the perfect platform to test, develop and promote the latest road car technology – making this development integral to the relevance and continuation of our sport.
“It has also been integral to the continuation of our successful partnership with Ford and safeguards the immediate future of M-Sport in the FIA World Rally Championship.
“Over the past two decades we have delivered some fantastic performances and developed some of the championship’s most successful cars and drivers. Working closely with Ford Performance, it is our intention to continue that success in 2022 and progress on our latest challenger continues with testing both here in the UK and in America.
“There is still a long way to go, but we’re committed to delivering another rally winner as the world moves towards a more sustainable future.”
Global Director for Ford Performance, Mark Rushbrook, said:
“The WRC’s transition from pure internal combustion engine powertrains to hybrid technology comes at an opportune time for Ford.
“The company is rapidly moving towards an electrified future, developing hybrid and electric vehicle technology for our newest passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles around the world.
“Running a hybrid Rally 1 car next season will enable us to test and demonstrate this technology in the thrilling spectacle that is WRC, and we can’t wait to show you what it can do!” -
Team MRF takes P10; tests tyres and collects useful data
Tuscan (Italy), 14 March 2021: It was a successful outing for Team MRF Tyres in terms of testing tyres and collecting data at the Rally Il Ciocco e Valle del Serchio with new star recruits Paolo Andreucci and Francesco Pinelli finishing P10 here on Sunday.
Team MRF Tyres entered this rally in order to gain more valuable data for the development of the next generation of MRF Tyres. Andreucci/Pinelli piloted a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo this weekend and finished 10th after setting two top-6 stage times on Saturday. The field was very competitive, though, featuring an extensive list of Italian stars and WRC drivers and the gaps throughout the field would be very small.
The Ciocco Rally, as it is known, took place on Tuscan roads in Northern Italy, starting with Shakedown and a 1.98km Super Special Stage on Friday, before nine stages and 94km of competitive rallying on Saturday.
The rally was the first round of the Italian Rally Championship and took place entirely on tarmac.
Andreucci and Pinelli’s pace was evident on Friday with taking second place in both the Shakedown and Super Special Stage.
The attention turned to gaining data, and the wider development program for MRF Tyres. The times, however, would still be competitive through the Saturday running.
The Saturday action saw three stages that would be repeated three times. Each loop consisted of Massa-Sassorosso at 6.90 km, Careggine at 14.90 km and Molazzana 1 at 8.68km.
The weather would be affected by a windstorm currently going through Europe but that could not deter Team MRF Tyres.
However, the development exercise was the top priority and the team were able to run through a variety of scenarios throughout the day. As was the case in 2020, this rally was about tyre development.
The development program demonstrates Team MRF Tyres’ commitment to top-level European rallying.
This result comes after a strong run in the snow and ice rallies of Finland with Emil Lindholm/Mikael Korhonen and before the start of the European Rally Championship and Italian Rally Championship – Gravel (CIRT).
Paolo Andreucci, Driver, Team MRF Tyres, Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, said: “I am happy to start the rally with Team MRF Tyres. The team has an aggressive development strategy and we were working to obtain data for the tyre development. Our participation in the rally was aimed at collecting data for the subsequent development of the tyres.”
“It was a challenging rally with lots of wind and cool conditions and it was good to start the relationship before the gravel season started. It was my first rally with MRF Tires and I learned a lot about how it works.”
“During the rally, we made some choices aimed at analysing the behaviour of the tyres on slippery surfaces. The feedback was positive, especially in the wet. I can’t wait to work hard during the season.”
-
Team MRF Tyres in fourth place
Kouvola (Finland), 6 March 2021: Team MRF Tyres shone on the ice and snow in the Finnish Rally Championship and the SM OK Auto Ralli held near Kouvola today.
The crews were greeted with snow and icy conditions in the six-stage, 111km event but the weather conditions would play a major role in the outcome of the rally.
Team MRF Tyres drivers, Emil Lindholm and Mikael Korhonen would be battling for a podium all rally, always within reach of the podium in their Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo.
The day got underway with the longest stage of the rally with the 29.8km Hermunen test, followed by the 11.7km Rämälä stage. The weather was perfect for ice rally, with ice and icy gravel, providing a good surface for the MRF studded tyre.
The first leg was 42km and Lindholm/Korhonen were in third at the end of the leg.
They would be involved in a great four-way fight for the lead with Juha Salo/Mikko Markkula, Mikko Heikkilä/Topi Luthinen and Teemu Asumaa/Marko Salminen.
It would continue through the 29km second loop of Teuroinen and Väärtti. Team MRF Tyres would lie in fourth at the end of the loop but just a handful of seconds off a podium.
However, the final two stages, repeat tests of Hermunen and Rämälä would prove decisive. The weather had turned, dumping up to 10cm of fresh snow on the stages.
The top runners would be disadvantaged by the road conditions and as Lindholm/Korhonen were running third on the road, the conditions poor.
The Team MRF Tyres duo, however, did well to keep their fourth place and were just 3.9 seconds off Riku Tahko/Markus Soininen.
It was a successful start to the season for Team MRF Tyres. Before 2021, the studded tyre had only competed once before. Now, it has three rallies, with another podium and a top-four finish.
The team were able to gain valuable data in one of the toughest national championships in the world and were able to show that MRF Tyres can run at the front in any competition.
Quotes
Emil Lindholm, Driver, Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo“This winter we have tripled the number of winter rallies driven by MRF Tyres. We can be proud of our results and the progress that the entire team have made at MRF Tyres. We have been able to move forward again on tyre development. I had a lot of confidence before the start of the season that MRF will be able to prepare a competitive tyre for winter conditions. That has been proven correct!”
“This was a tough rally with horrible conditions. I was happy with our pace and we were fighting for a podium position for the entire rally. The last two stages we had sensor issue that cost us time a lot of fresh snow and despite this, we were able to keep our fourth place.”
“The MRF Tyres worked very well and we can be proud of our winter season. I look forward to the rest of 2021.”
-
Gaurav Gill guns for APRC title again as season begins with South India Rally: April 23-25
Paris, 5 March 2021: The World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) has finalised different calendars for various motorsports disciplines and one that India will be most-interested is the revised date for Asia Pacific Rally Championship 2021 (APRC) which will kick-start the five-round season with the first round at Chennai from April 23 to 25, simultaneously run with Asia Zone and INRC events.
The Madras Motor Sports Club will host the South India Rally Championship on these dates and simultaneously run the APRC opening round to become a new venue for the FIA continental championship in India. India last hosted the APRC in Chikmagalur in 2017. Three-times APRC champion and Arjuna Awardee, Gaurav Gill, will be aiming for a fourth title as he rejoins the APRC campaign, albeit in Yellow colours, this time as a brand ambassador for JK Tyre. Gill joined the elite Indian club by winning his 7th INRC title to become the highest decorated rally driver along with Naren Kumar.
The FIA President reminded council members that in the 12-months since the last physically-attended WMSC meeting in March 2020, the FIA has maintained a strong level of governance across all disciplines and all regions despite these unprecedented times.
The FIA President led a one-minute silence which was observed by members in memory of all those from the global motor sport community who have fallen victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also paid tribute to the Finnish rally driver Hannu Mikkola who passed away recently. The President said: “Hannu was a great champion and a gentleman. I’ve had the privilege of being his co-driver many years ago. My thoughts are with his loved ones and the families of the members of the FIA community who passed away due to the pandemic.”
The following is a summary of the decisions taken during the meeting:
FIA Formula One World Championship
The World Council has agreed to grant a one-year extension to the existing exclusive tyre supply contract with Pirelli to reflect the original intention of the 2018 tyre tender and remain within the overall technical framework in the best interests of all relevant stakeholders. The COVID-19 pandemic obliged the FIA and Formula 1 to implement emergency measures that included the cancellation of tyre development tests last year and the postponement of planned new technical regulations – which included 18-inch tyres – from 2021 to 2022. As a result, 13-inch tyres will be used during the 2021 season, with a move to 18-inch tyres in 2022.
The FIA Safety Department presented the findings of the investigation into the incident involving Romain Grosjean at the 2020 FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix – further details of which can be found here.
Following the confirmation of Portugal as the venue for round three, the revised 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar is as follows:
Formula 1 – 2021 Calendar
GP # Date Venue- Country Track 1 28 March 2021 Bahrain Sakhir 2 18 April Italy Imola 3 2 May Portugal Portimao 4 9 May Spain Barcelona 5 23 May Monaco Monaco 6 6 June Azerbaijan Baku 7 13 June Canada Montreal 8 27 June France Le Castellet 9 4 July Austria Spielberg 10 18 July Great Britain Silverstone 11 1 August Hungary Budapest 12 29 August Belgium Spa-Francorchamps 13 5 September Netherlands Zandvoort 14 12 September Italy Monza 15 26 September Russia Sochi 16 3 October Singapore Singapore 17 10 October Japan Suzuka 18 24 October USA Austin 19 31 October Mexico Mexico City 20 7 November Brazil São Paulo 21 21 November Australia Melbourne 22 5 December Saudi Arabia Jeddah* 23 12 December Abu Dhabi Yas Marina *Subject to circuit homologation FIA World Rally Championship
The Council approved the final Rally1 technical regulations, including an update of the 1.6 turbo engine details.
FIA Rally – 2022 WRC and ERC Sporting Pyramid
The principles of a Rally Sporting Pyramid, to be implemented for the FIA World Rally Championship with complementary details for the FIA European Rally Championship, have been approved. The ambition of this new structure is to align the championships names with the car categories names (e.g. Rally2 cars compete in WRC2), to identify a common theme of Open and Junior categories between the series, and to reinforce the positioning of the FIA European Rally Championship both as a feeder series for the WRC and a goal in itself by creating a clear pathway.
In application of these principles, the WRC2 classification, open to the Rally2 category, will feature an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 30. The WRC3 classification, open to the Rally3 class, will also feature an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 29.
Similarly, the ERC3 classification, open to the Rally3 category, will feature an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 28, while the ERC4 classification, open to the Rally4 and Rally5 classes, will equally have an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 27.
In addition to age limits, experience restrictions will be implemented in the Junior Championships. As a result, former champions will not be allowed to put their titles back into play.
For both the WRC and ERC classifications, awards for Rookies, with less than three participations before the start of the season, and Masters, for drivers over 40 years old not included on the FIA Regional Priority List, will be created.
As a next step, details will be defined to reflect these principles in the sporting regulations.
FIA World Endurance Championship
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, it was necessary to revise the 2021 calendar. A revised calendar has been approved as follows:
26-27 April Belgium Official Prologue – Spa-Francorchamps* 1 May Belgium TOTAL 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 13 June Portugal 8 Hours of Portimão* 18 July Italy 6 Hours of Monza 21-22 August France 24 Hours of Le Mans* 26 September Japan 6 Hours of Fuji 20 November Bahrain 8 Hours of Bahrain *new dates FIA Women in Motorsport Commission
The final phase of the 2020 FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme came to a successful conclusion at the Ferrari Driver Academy in Maranello, Italy. Postponed from November 2020 to January, due to the pandemic, the five-day assessment was the final step for the four finalists after nearly a year of selection and evaluation. During a live broadcast on the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission’s Facebook page, Dutch/Belgian born Maya Weug was announced as the winner and became the first-ever female driver to become a student of the Academy. Weug will also contest a 2021 Formula 4 championship certified by the FIA. The three other finalists, Doriane Pin, Antonella Bassani and Julia Ayoub, were each awarded by Ferrari a test session in a 488 Challenge EVO.
The FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars is a four-year programme and 2021 will host a second call for talent among the FIA ASNs and the same process will result in a second female driver potentially becoming part of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2022.
Michèle Mouton, the Commission President, received widespread praise from council members for her vision and leadership of the Girls on Track project.
FIA Digital Motorsport Commission
The Commission President Anna Nordkvist, of Sweden, was introduced to WMSC members. The task of the new Commission is to grow participation at grassroots level and position the FIA as a key stakeholder in the Digital and Esports industry. It was also agreed that one of the aims of the Commission should be to encourage participation among female Esports competitors.
FIA Karting Championships
Approval was given for the re-scheduling of two events on the 2021 calendar.
The FIA Karting European Championship event (OK & OK-JUNIOR) on the Circuito Internacional Zuera (Spain), originally scheduled for 15-18 April 2021 has been rearranged for 22-25 July 2021.
The FIA Karting European Championship event (KZ & KZ2) and FIA Karting Academy Trophy on the Adria Karting Raceway (Italy), originally scheduled for 29 April-2 May 2021, has been rearranged for 12-15 August 2021.
The revised 2021 calendars are as follows:
FIA Karting World Championship – OK 28-31 October Brazil Birigui FIA Karting World Championship – Junior 28-31 October Brazil Birigui FIA Karting World Championship – KZ 02-05 September Sweden Kristianstad FIA Karting European Championship – OK 13-16 May Belgium Genk 27-30 May France Aunay-Les-Bois* 08-11 July Italy Sarno 22-25 July Spain Zuera FIA Karting European Championship – Junior 13-16 May Belgium Genk 27-30 May France Aunay-Les-Bois* 08-11 July Italy Sarno 22-25 July Spain Zuera FIA Karting European Championship – KZ 17-20 June Germany Wackersdorf 12-15 August Italy Adria FIA Karting European Championship – KZ2 17-20 June Germany Wackersdorf 12-15 August Italy Adria FIA Karting European Championship – Superkart 22-24 October France Le Mans – Bugatti* FIA Karting International Super Cup – KZ2 02-05 September Sweden Kristianstad FIA Karting Academy Trophy 17-20 June Germany Wackersdorf 12-15 August Italy Adria 02-05 September Sweden Kristianstad *subject to track homologation or re-homologation FIA WTCR – World Touring Car Cup
There are several minor updates to the WTCR Sporting Regulations, including an extension to the registration deadline for full season entries as a result of the later start to the season previously announced. The new deadline is May 2, 2021.
FIA World Cup for Cross-Country – Rallies and Bajas
Date changes to the 2021 calendars were approved. The BP Ultimate Portugal Cross-Country Rally, previously the opening round of the World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, will now take place from 16-21 September due to the implementation of further COVID-19 restrictions in the country.
The Hungarian Baja, a qualifying round of the World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas and the newly introduced European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, has been moved to 5-8 August for operational reasons.
FIA Single-Seater Commission
FIA Formula 3 World Cup
The FIA Formula 3 World Cup has been confirmed on the International Sporting Calendar and is scheduled to take place on 21 November 2021 in Macau, China (subject to contract with the promoter).
Formula 4
Sporting and Technical Regulations for the Formula 4 element of the 2021 FIA Motorsport Games were approved.FIA Rally Commission
In the FIA Regional Rally Championships, changes to the following 2021 calendars due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have been approved:
FIA European Rally Championship
06-08 May (initially 25-27 March) Portugal Azores Rallye 18-20 June Poland 78 Rally Poland1 01-03 July Latvia Rally Liepaja1 23-25 July Italy Rally di Roma Capitale1 27-29 August Czech Rep. Barum Czech Rally Zlin1 24-26 September (initially 12-14 March) Portugal Rallye Fafe 22-24 October Hungary Rally Hungary1 18-20 November (initially 06-08 May) Spain Rally Islas Canarias1 1 Round of the FIA ERC Junior Championships
FIA European Rally Trophy – Benelux Rally Trophy09-10 July Luxembourg Rallye Lëtzebuerg 28-29 August Belgium Aarova Rally 05-07 November Belgium Rallye du Condroz
FIA European Rally Trophy – Celtic Rally Trophy18-20 June Ireland Donegal International Rally 25-26 September Ireland Cork 20 International Rally 19-20 November (initially 20-21 August) Great Britain Ulster International Rally
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – Asia Cup23-25 April (initially 26-28 March) India South Inda Rally 10-12 September Japan Rally Hokkaido 22-24 October China Rally Longyou
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – Pacific Cup15-17 October Australia Adelaide Hills Rally 27-28 November (initially 20-21 Nov.) Australia Coffs Harbour Rally
FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – Final27-28 November (initially 20-21 Nov.) Australia Coffs Harbour Rally
FIA Middle East Rally Championship28-30 January Qatar Manateq Qatar International Rally 20-22 May Jordan Jordan Rally 03-05 September Lebanon Rally of Lebanon 24-26 September Cyprus Cyprus Rally 04-06 November Kuwait Rally of Kuwait TBA (initially 18-20 February) Oman Rally of Oman
FIA African Rally Championship23-25 April Kenya Equator Rally Kenya 25-26 July Tanzania Rally of Tanzania 20-22 August Uganda Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally 24-26 September Zambia Zambia International Rally 05-06 November South Africa Rally of South Africa TBA (initially 19-21 March) Rwanda Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally
FIA NACAM Rally Championship19-20 March (initially 12-13 March) Mexico Rally Colima 02-04 July Canada Rallye Int. Baie des Chaleurs 13-14 August Mexico Rally Guanajuato 03-04 September (initially 26-28 August) Mexico Rally Sierra Juarez 25-26 September (initially 28-30 May) Barbados Rally Barbados 27-28 November Mexico Rally Montanas
FIA RGT Cup21-24 January Monaco Rallye Monte-Carlo 07-09 May France Rallye Ain Jura 23-25 July Italy Rally di Roma Capitale 13-15 August (initially 25-26 June) Belgium Ypres Rally 14-17 October Spain RallyRACC Catalunya Note: The other FIA Regional Rally Championship calendars remain unchanged.
FIA GT CommissionFor a new competition designed for electric-powered GT cars, the council has selected the Promoter and will work towards concluding the next steps as soon as possible.
Council has chosen the exclusive battery cell supplier.Sporting regulations have been approved for both GT3 competitions scheduled for this year’s FIA Motorsport Games, the GT Cup for Silver/Bronze driver pairings and the GT Sprint Cup for a single driver of any ranking.
FIA Touring Car Commission
For a new competition designed for electric-powered Touring Cars, the council has selected the Promoter and will work towards concluding the next steps as soon as possible.
Sporting regulations have been approved for the FIA Motorsport Games: Touring Car Cup.
FIA Off-Road Commission
Amendments to the Technical Regulations for the FIA RX2e Championship, the first-ever FIA electric rallycross championship, which starts in 2021, were approved. Six race weekends are planned for the inaugural RX2e season, running alongside FIA World RX.
FIA Hill Climb Commission
An amendment to the FIA Hill Climb Regulations (Championship, Cup and Masters) was approved. The change allows FIA technical delegates to install randomly data loggers on cars to check the engine RPM during the competition. For Category 1 cars, this will allow crosschecking the RPM values submitted by competitors when registering their car in the “Performance Factor” system that decides in which Group the car is classified. In Category 2, checking RPM values is part of the on-going process of performance analysis of the cars.
The following calendar changes for the FIA European Hill Climb Championship for 2021 have been approved.
2021 FIA European Hill Climb Championship (updated)
07-09 May Portugal Rampa da Boticas 14-16 May Spain Subida Internacional al Fito 28-30 May Czech Republic Ecce Homo Sternberk (1) 11-13 June Germany Glasbachrennen 25-27 June Italy Coppa Paolino Teodori (1) 16-18 July Slovakia Dobšinský kopec (1) 23-25 July Poland Limanowa 13-15 August Switzerland St. Ursanne – Les Rangiers 27-29 August Slovenia GHD Petrol Ilirska Bistrica 17-19 September Croatia Buzetski dani (1) Subject to obtaining guarantees from the organisers via their ASN regarding the organisational and/or safety improvements.
FIA Historic Motor Sport CommissionThe following calendar changes for FIA Historic Championships in 2021 have been approved.
2021 FIA European Historic Sporting Rally Championship calendar (updated)09-11 April Italy 36° Sanremo Rally Storico 06-08 May Czech Republic 30. Historic Vltava Rally 24-26 June Hungary 54. Mecsek Rallye 15-17 July Austria Rally Weiz 13-14 August Finland Lahti Historic Rally 02-04 September Spain Rally Asturias Historico 23-25 September Italy 33° Rally Elba Storico 21-23 October Switzerland Rallye International du Valais 19-20 November Spain 69 Rally Costa Brava 2021 FIA Historic Hill Climb Championship calendar (updated)
28-30 May Czech Republic Ecce Homo Sternberk 18-20 June Slovenia GHD Gorjanci 02-04 July Italy Trento Bondone 09-11 July Italy Cesana Sestriere 27-29 August Slovenia GHD Petrol Ilirska Bistrica 17-19 September Croatia Buzetski Dani 24-26 September Italy Coppa Chianti Classico
2021 FIA Trophy for Historic Regularity Rallies (updated)11-13 November Poland 10th Rally Poland Historic 2021 FIA Historic Formula 3 European Cup
16-18 July Netherlands Zandvoort FIA Truck Racing Commission
Following a successful tender process, an exclusive supplier of biofuel for the FIA European Truck Racing Championship, covering the term from 2021-2023, has been selected, making FIA ETRC the first FIA-regulated competition to switch to a fuel fully originated from renewable sources (HVO biofuel). The announcement will be made in due course.
FIA Drag Racing Commission
In order to standarise class structure and regulations across national drag racing competitions, amended Technical Regulations and Race Procedures for FIA Drag Racing have been approved, with the addition of new “Sportsman” and “Grassroots” categories. The aim of this work is to support ASNs by:
- Enabling national level competitors to be able to compete across borders more easily, increasing entry numbers for all events
- Assisting national level technical officials to maintain a higher safety and regulatory standard
- Minimising the resources that an ASN must invest in Drag Racing by having the regulations instead maintained by the FIA, and
- Increasing the resale value of competition cars by making them eligible to compete in more markets.
FIA Drifting Commission
Sporting regulations have been approved for both the FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup and the FIA Motorsport Games: Drifting Cup.
Sport Clubs Development Programme
The WMSC members were informed that applications had opened for the Sport Clubs Development Programme (SCDP) – an FIA Innovation Fund (FIF) initiative which provides support for the management and development of motor sport activities through an intensive, two-year mentoring process from FIA Experts. The closing date for applications is March 31.
Upcoming World Motor Sport Council Meetings
Dates of the FIA World Motor Sport Council meetings in 2021 are as follows:
09 July Monaco, on the occasion of the FIA Sport and Mobility Conference 15 October Paris 15 December Paris, on the occasion of the FIA Annual General Assembly -
Simone Campedelli joins Team MRF Tyres for 2021 ERC
3 March 2021: Team MRF Tyres welcomes Italian ace Simone Campedelli to the team for the 2021 season. Campedelli will take the gravel rounds for the 2021 FIA European Rally Championship (FIA ERC).
Campedelli has made a name for himself on the Italian stages, taking four titles in his career including the Italian 2WD Championship, Italian Junior, Italian Tarmac and the Italian Gravel Trophy. His 2020 saw him take a win and two-second places in the Italian Gravel Rally Championship.
The natural step is into the FIA ERC and Campedelli will compete at the front of the field in a VW Polo R5.
He joins Team MRF Tyres on the back of Italian legend Paolo Andreucci, with both drivers bringing vast experience and knowledge to the team
Campedelli will start his ERC at Azores Rally in Portugal in May. Rally Poland and Rally Liepaja in June and July follows before the final gravel event in Portugal take place in September with the Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras. If all goes well may be few ERC Tarmac rounds on the cards.
The pace and potential were shown in 2020 will be built on with Campedelli, who will be out to gain valuable data for the next generation of MRF Tyres.
MRF Tyres has a strong and reliable customer product and is committed to developing the range of tyres that can be used in rally competition across the globe.
Further announcements for the 2021 campaigns will be made in due course. The next outing for Team MRF Tyres will be the SM OK Auto Ralli, the second round of the Finnish Rally Championship with Lindholm/Korhonen on 5-6 March.
Quotes
Simone Campedelli, Driver, Team MRF Tyres
“I am really looking forward to this year. I am part of a big team with big ambitions this year. I will use my experience to test and to try to get the best results possible for Team MRF Tyres. I know that they are looking to me to help develop the tyres as well. This is a big responsibility.”“It is a big opportunity to rally outside of Italy and contest the ERC rounds this year. Team MRF Tyres showed that they have the pace and they are committed to improving their product and I am excited about these challenges.”
“Having a manufacturer like MRF Tyres in rallying is very important in Europe. They are a big company and are committed to motorsport. I am proud to be able to join them and I look forward to working with the team. I would also like to thank my long-time supporters, ORANGE1. Their continued support has allowed me to make this move to the ERC.”
Mr. Arun Mammen (MRF Tyres Vice-Chairman & Managing Director)
“We at MRF Tyres are proud of our commitment to motorsport and our rally activities in Europe are a part of this. As the first Indian manufacturer to join the European Rally Championship in 2020, we proved how competitive we are and that we are dedicated to always improving our products.”“I am pleased to be able to welcome Simone Campedelli to Team MRF Tyres. He joins a very skilled and dedicated team and I am sure everyone at MRF Tyres will follow him and be eager for success. I am proud to see MRF Tyres commitment to the European Rally Championship.”
“Welcome to the MRF family, Simone and best of luck for the 2021 season.”
About MRF Tyres
MRF Tyres was established in 1946 and now employs over 16,000 people and has revenue of around US$2.5 billion making it the biggest tyre supplier in India. MRF Tyres supplies rally and race tyres around the world. MRF Tyres entered the European Rally Championship for the first time in 2020 taking stage wins and took a podium position in the team’s first snow rally in the Finnish Rally Championship. It is part of a long motorsport heritage for the company that has seen multiple Asia Pacific Rally Championship titles, open wheeler success, national rally and racing success.About the European Rally Championship:
The FIA European Rally Championship, established in 1953 is one of the oldest and most prestigious rally championships in the world. Crews rally across eight rounds from March to November with four tarmac and four gravel events.The 2020 ERC calendar is as follows:
Round 1 – Azores Rallye (6 – 8 May)
Round 2 – Rajd Polski – Rally Poland (18-20 June)
Round 3 – Rally Liepāja (1-3 July)
Round 4 – Rally di Roma Capitale (23-25 July)
Round 5 – Barum Czech Rally Zlín (27-29 August)
Round 6 – Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras (23-25 September)
Round 7 – Rally Hungary (22-24 October)
Round 8 – Rally Islas Canarias (18-20 November) -
Ott Tanak-Martin Jarveoja claim first victory of 2021: WRC
Rovaniemi (Finland), 28 Feb 2021: Hyundai Motorsport has claimed its first victory of the 2021 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with an assured performance from start to finish in Arctic Rally Finland, the second round of the season.
Estonian crew Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja concluded the ten-stage event confidently to win by 17.5-seconds from Kalle Rovanperä with team-mates Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe in third.
The double podium finish for Hyundai Motorsport marks its first-ever top-three result in a Finland-based WRC event and sees the team hold second in the manufacturers’ championship on 77 points, 11 behind the leaders after two rounds.
Tänak took the rally lead on the opening stage on Friday afternoon and never relinquished his authority of the event. With five stage wins out of ten and a measured approach to the final morning, he secured his second-ever win in the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC (his first was at his home rally in Estonia last season).
Crews had just one stage to negotiate on the final day, the 22.47km Aittajärvi test, which was run twice. The second pass was held as the rally-concluding Power Stage with extra points available for the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships.
Neuville and Wydaeghe, in just their second WRC event as a crew, picked up their second consecutive podium result after another solid weekend performance. They continued to work on their communication and collaboration, using the high-speed rally to make another important step forward in their partnership. A dominant stage win on Saturday evening was a sign of their progress.
Craig Breen and Paul Nagle, in their first WRC event of 2021, ensured all three Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC cars made it safely to the finish, taking fourth. The Irish crew started Sunday with a new gearbox after impressively fast work by the team’s mechanics in the 15-minute morning service and rewarded them for their efforts with the second fastest time in the Power Stage.
For Hyundai Motorsport, the result cemented the team’s 18th victory, and also its 18th double podium in WRC. Neuville, meanwhile, has moved up to second in the drivers’ classification, just four points behind leader Rovanperä, while Tänak opened his 2021 points account in style to jump up to fifth.
Crew Notes: Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (#8 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC)- Second victory for Hyundai Motorsport after a dominant weekend
- Secured the win by 17.5 seconds and added valuable Power Stage points
Tänak said: “This victory is very important and allows us to take away good points for the championship. We came to Finland – the home country of one of our closest rivals – so the pressure was on for sure. We knew it would be complicated to take on the fight but, in the end, we did a very good weekend. The pre-event test was held in very different conditions, so we didn’t really know what to expect. I was pushing the engineers quite a lot, but their hard work really paid off. We tried some new things in shakedown, and it all worked out nicely. This has been an amazing place to come for a rally, definitely one of the best for a winter event; there’s no place where you can have more snow and the characteristics of the road have been very special. Big praise to the organisers – it’s more than a worthy addition to the world championship.”
-
Ott Tanak extends lead: Arctic Rally Finland
27 Feb 2021: Ott Tänak mastered Saturday’s second leg of Arctic Rally Finland to carry a substantial lead into Sunday’s finale.
The Estonian won three of the six superfast snow and ice speed tests in his Hyundai i20 to add to Friday’s opening leg double. He heads Kalle Rovanperä by 24.1sec with two more remaining at this second round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
His joy was in contrast to the disappointment suffered by World Champion Sébastien Ogier. The championship leader buried his Toyota Yaris into a snowbank 200 metres from the end of the closing test and plunged off the leaderboard as he battled for 20min to dig it out.
Tänak stretched his advantage to 23.6sec after winning two of this morning’s three stages in perfect winter conditions in Lapland’s forests. He held the Finnish youngster and a fast-closing Thierry Neuville at bay this afternoon to put himself in a strong position.
Despite overnight set-up changes to his Yaris, Rovanperä remained frustrated with his car’s balance. He yielded a few seconds after swiping a snowbank and after winning the penultimate stage, he came under fierce pressure from a charging Neuville in the final test.
The Belgian’s tyre strategy worked to perfection and he was quickest by more than 12sec to slash Rovanpera’s advantage to 1.8sec. It was a better afternoon for Neuville who earlier struggled to hear co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe’s pace notes above his i20’s engine noise.
Team-mate Craig Breen found tyre management more tricky as conditions worsened this afternoon. With frozen gravel poking through the ice and loose snow on the surface, the Irishman fell back to fourth, almost 30sec adrift of Neuville.
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans broke Tänak’s run of stage wins this morning but the Welshman also struggled to manage his tyres and admitted he was often too cautious. He was 10.1sec behind Breen.
Oliver Solberg surpassed all expectations on his FIA WRC World Rally Car debut. The 19-year-old was a stunning third in the opening stage and returned to the Rovaniemi base in sixth – despite losing his glasses ahead of the final stage!
Takamoto Katsuta finished 7.6sec behind after a daylong scrap with Solberg and Ogier, with Ford Fiesta duo Teemu Suninen and Gus Greensmith next up. FIA WRC2 leader Esapekka Lappi completed the leaderboard in a Skoda Fabia.
Lorenzo Bertelli retired his Fiesta after plunging into a snowbank in the opening stage, while Pierre-Louis Loubet exited with technical troubles after doing the same later on.
In FIA WRC2, Andreas Mikkelsen, driving a Skoda Fabia Rally2 for Toksport, pushed hard to stay on Lappi’s tail. The Norwegian admitted he was already driving on the limit and didn’t have much more to give. Nikolay Gryazin is 36.0sec behind Mikkelsen in third.
In the FIA WRC3 class, home hero Teemu Asunmaa still leads the way, 12.5sec ahead of Estonia’s Egon Kaur and with a comfortable advantage of 1min and 18sec over another fellow Finn, Eerik Pietarinen.
Sunday’s finale comprises two runs of the 22.47km Aittajärvi test, south of Rovaniemi. The second pass forms the live TV Wolf Power Stage, with bonus points up for grabs for the top five drivers and manufacturers.
The provisionnal classification can be consulted here.
-
Tanak dominates Day 1 on Arctic Rally Finland
Rovaniemi (Finland), 26 Feb 2021: Ott Tänak threw down the gauntlet in Lapland’s frozen forests by winning the opening two speed tests to build a dominant lead at Arctic Rally Finland Powered by CapitalBox on Friday night.
The Estonian was the class of the field in the first of three days of Arctic action. He was fastest in the first 31.05km Sarriojärvi test by 3.6sec before crushing his rivals by almost 10sec in the repeat run in darkness.
Tänak returned to the overnight halt in Rovaniemi with a 16.2sec advantage over Hyundai i20 team-mate Craig Breen, with home hero Kalle Rovanperä 20.4sec adrift in a Toyota Yaris in third.
Pirelli’s tyres provided amazing grip as the tungsten-tipped studded rubber bit into the snow and ice-covered roads. Tänak was one of the few frontrunners to gamble on just one spare tyre for the pair of stages.
Breen, returning to the FIA World Rally Championship after a four-rally absence, was quickly back in the groove. Top three times on both stages put the Irishman ahead of the eager 20-year-old Rovanperä.
The Finn’s first stage split times were quicker than Tänak, but a mistake after the midpoint slowed his progress. On roads littered with tricky blind crests, he recorded the top speed, clocking a remarkable 204.8kph in the second pass.
Thierry Neuville put a third i20 into the top four. The Belgian was 9.4sec behind Rovanperä and complained of understeer in the second run, but he had 2.2sec in hand over Elfyn Evans’ Toyota Yaris in fifth.
Teemu Suninen was sixth in a Ford Fiesta, with Takamoto Katsuta 4.3sec back in seventh in another Yaris.
Oliver Solberg was a remarkable eighth on his championship World Rally Car debut. The teenager made a minor mistake in the opening stage in his i20, but was fourth in the second pass, despite being guided by stand-in co-driver Seb Marshall for the first time.
Championship leader Sébastien Ogier was almost 50sec off the lead in ninth in his Yaris. Road conditions improved progressively so first in the order proved a tough task for the Frenchman, especially as snow flurries left loose powder on the surface for the second pass.
Gus Greensmith completed the leaderboard in a Fiesta but Pierre-Louis Loubet’s hopes took a setback in the second run when he lost more than 3min 30sec after changing a flat tyre.
In FIA WRC2, local hero and 2020 WRC contender Esapekka Lappi tops the provisional leaderboard with a Movisport-entered Volkswagen Polo GTI with a lead of 13.6s over his team-mate Nicolay Gryazin and Toksport’s championship leader Andreas Mikkelsen in a Škoda Fabian Evo.
In FIA WRC3, Finland’s Emil Lindholm is 10.9s ahead of national champion Teemu Asunmaa. Estonia’s Egon Kaur is third the overnight standings; another 10.4s behind.
The bulk of the rally takes place in Saturday’s second leg. A compact clockwise route south-east of Rovaniemi is driven twice, with service in between. The final stage runs in darkness and the six tests add up to 144.04km of action.
Classification after Day One
1 O. Tänak M. Järveoja Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC 31:50.7 2 C. Breen P. Nagle Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +16.2 3 K. Rovanperä J. Halttunen Toyota Yaris WRC +20.4 4 T. Neuville M. Wydaeghe Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +29.8 5 E. Evans S. Martin Toyota Yaris WRC +32.0 6 T. Suninen M. Markkula Ford Fiesta WRC +34.5 7 T. Katsuta D. Barritt Toyota Yaris WRC +38.8 8 O. Solberg S. Marshall Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +45.9 9 S. Ogier J. Ingrassia Toyota Yaris WRC +49.8 10 G. Greensmith E. Edmondson Ford Fiesta WRC +1:05.8 The provisional results can be consulted here.
