Wrc explained

The 2019 world champion is out of contract for next season having penned a one-year deal with M-Sport Ford for the 2023 campaign, after leaving Hyundai with a year remaining on his contract. Tanak has endured a difficult return to the Ford squad that offered him his first full-time WRC season in 2012. The Estonian claimed victory in Sweden and finished second in Croatia, although those results are his only visits to the podium to date this year. Tanak says he wishes to continue competing in the WRC next year while M-Sport is hoping to secure his services for 2024. However, M-Sport bosses have admitted it won’t be a straightforward decision to keep Tanak. The British team’s future at rallying’s highest level next year has been questioned, although boss Malcolm Wilson says the squad has no intention to stop competing in Rally1 in 2024. Tanak revealed in Greece he’s had discussions with all WRC teams but admitted it is “difficult' to know how his future will pan out. … [Read more...] about Tanak in talks but WRC 2024 future yet to be decided

After an impressive start to the rally, Loubet was sitting fourth heading into stage three when he went off the road at high-speed. The Frenchman appeared to carry too much speed into a right-hand corner which resulted in his car being sent into a frightening series of rolls, before coming to rest on its roof. Loubet and co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul luckily emerged from the wreckage without injury. “Unfortunately on a very fast section, maybe we did not understand something with Nicolas and we did a mistake, and unfortunately there was a big crash,” said Loubet. “The pacenote was fine, I think it was more the moment and everything around the pacenote. “[The rally] was going well. We were leading the stages also, so everything was looking pretty good and I had no moments and I felt good in the car. “I didn’t feel like I was over pushing, so it is big disappointment as it was not a proper mistake. I think it was something we need to check to make sure that will not happen … [Read more...] about Loubet explains frightening WRC Rally Chile exit

In the round-up: Formula 1’s official tyre supplier Pirelli says its decision not to continue supplying rubber to the World Rally Championship is not linked to its future in grand prix racing. In brief Pirelli WRC exit not linked to F1 future The FIA is poised to decide which manufacturer has been selected as F1’s tyre supplier for the 2025 to 2027 seasons. Pirelli is understood to have submitted an application as well as former F1 tyre supplier Bridgestone. Earlier this month Pirelli confirmed it would not seek to extend its deal to supply tyres to the World Rally Championship. But its head of motor sport Mario Isola said this decision is not linked to it’s future participation in F1. “We have a team dedicated to WRC and we believe that in this period we got what we wanted in terms of being a part of the sport,” said Isola. “The team that is looking after WRC, or rallying in general, is not the same team that we have for Formula 1.” Pirelli is in its 13th consecutive year … [Read more...] about Pirelli deny WRC pull-out linked to F1 future as it awaits FIA’s decision

The 2019 WTCR champion and current TCR World Tour points leader will achieve a life long dream of competing in a rally at his home event, Rally Hungary from 6-8 October. The factory Hyundai TCR driver will pilot a Hyundai i20 Rally2 car at the asphalt event, competing under a special license granted by Hyundai Motorsport. He will drive alongside experienced Hungarian co-driver Robert Tagai. Michelisz will receive only one test day before taking part in the event although the 39-year-old has previously sampled rally cars. Last year he piloted Hyundai’s WRC Rally1 car at Belgium’s Zolder Circuit as part of a car swap stunt involving factory Hyundai WRC driver Thierry Neuville and Michelisz’s Hyundai’s Veloster N ETCR touring car. “My first motorsport experiences are connected to rally races around Pécs, I had very vivid childhood memories on Mecsek Rally” said Michelisz. “I fell in love with racing in rallies, and if I had been asked what type of racing driver I wanted to … [Read more...] about World touring car champion set for rally debut in ERC finale

However, the former Williams driver left the door open by suggesting that the decision was valid "for now". The Woking team announced on Friday that the 2022 Le Mans winner will be a reserve driver in 2024, with a simulator role and testing. On Saturday, there was a stir in the paddock when Toyota Motor Corporation chairman Akio Toyoda, also known as Morizo for his own racing activities, appeared in the McLaren hospitality area. He spoke to local media and was interviewed alongside Hirakawa. His presence inevitably sparked suggestions that McLaren has an interest in enticing Toyota back to F1 at some point after the new power unit rules come into play in 2026 and that the Hirakawa deal is a starting point. Toyota enjoyed a close relationship with McLaren for many years regarding the use of its Cologne wind tunnel, with the deal ending this summer when the team's own facility came on stream. The team's previous boss Martin Whitmarsh spoke to Toyota in the build-up to … [Read more...] about Toyota: Hirakawa’s McLaren deal not precursor to F1 return