Reigning World Rally Champion Kalle Rovanpera led a Toyota 1-2-3 at the grueling Rally Finland, making a strong start to his bid for a maiden WRC home win. Running a part-time program, the Finnish phenom tamed the challenging wet conditions to finish 8.3 seconds ahead of title contender and teammate Elfyn Evans.
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In a major blow to Ott Tänak’s Dakar Rally title hopes, the Hyundai driver has been forced to retire from Rally Finland following a dramatic crash during Friday’s stage. The incident resulted in significant damage to Tänak’s car and left his co-driver requiring hospital observation, dealing a serious setback to the team’s championship ambitions.
M-Sport, the renowned rally car manufacturer, is hopeful that the impressive debut of its non-hybrid version of the Ford Puma World Rally Championship (WRC) car will help stimulate sales of its Rally1 vehicles. Rising star Martins Sesks put in an eye-catching performance in the non-hybrid Puma, finishing fifth overall and winning a stage, showcasing the car’s competitiveness despite the lack of a hybrid system.
In a revealing interview, former Formula 1 race winner and current AF Corse Ferrari Hypercar driver Robert Kubica has expressed his lingering affection for the World Rally Championship (WRC), while confirming that any potential return to the discipline would be for ‘fun’ rather than competition. Kubica’s focus remains firmly on his WEC commitments, where he has witnessed firsthand the recent surge in manufacturer interest, with nine marques now represented in the Hypercar/LMDh class.
In a dramatic turn of events, Ott Tanak, a top contender in the World Rally Championship (WRC), found himself involved in a high-speed crash during the Rally Estonia. Tanak and his co-driver Martin Jarveoja were driving a WRC-specification Hyundai i20 Rally1 car in the national class of the event, but their plans were derailed when Tanak lost control of his i20 N at high speed, leading to a dramatic roll before the car came to rest in a ditch. Fortunately, Tanak and Jarveoja were unharmed and are now preparing for the upcoming WRC rounds in Latvia and Finland.
In a major step towards inclusivity, the World Rally Championship (WRC) has announced an exciting new program to increase female participation in the sport’s top tiers. The ‘Beyond Rally’ initiative will offer a fully-funded drive in the 2025 Junior WRC championship to aspiring young female drivers, aiming to bridge the gap and see more women consistently competing at the highest levels of rally racing.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is set to embark on an exciting new chapter, with plans to expand the calendar to 14 rounds for the 2025 season. This significant development includes the debuts of Paraguay and Saudi Arabia, further diversifying the championship’s geographical footprint and promising an even more thrilling Dakar Rally experience for enthusiasts.
Motorsport enthusiasts are buzzing with the news that Hyundai is gearing up to enter the World Endurance Championship’s (WEC) prestigious Hypercar class and compete at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans within the next three years. This move has been facilitated by the recent two-year extension of the LMDh and Le Mans Hypercar rulesets, and could see Hyundai Motorsport debut in the GTP category of the IMSA SportsCar Championship as early as 2026.
Thierry Neuville, the current points leader in the World Rally Championship (WRC), is eager to secure a national rally outing or additional seat time in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 car to prepare for the upcoming fast gravel rallies in Latvia and Finland. The Belgian rally driver is seeking more opportunities behind the wheel to adapt to the demanding gravel stages and maintain his lead in the championship standings.
Hyundai’s Andreas Mikkelsen has taken the lead in Rally Poland after a challenging day of action in the World Rally Championship (WRC). The event was disrupted by the cancellation of two stages due to spectator safety concerns, but Mikkelsen managed to fend off reigning champion Kalle Rovanperä of Toyota to establish a narrow advantage.