WRC unveils draft calendar for 2021 season
The World Rally Championship has released the first draft of its 2021 calendar after it was ratified by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Friday.
Although the WRC is still working on a revised 2020 calendar amid a flurry of cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic, it has provided a first look at how the next year’s schedule would look like.
A total of nine rallies have been confirmed by the WRC, although more events are expected to be added later to the schedule. No dates were however revealed.
Among major changes, Rally Australia will return to the WRC fold next year, having been dropped in 2020 in favour of an event in New Zealand. Likewise, Spain also features on the draft 2021 schedule after failing to make the cut this year.
Elsewhere, the Safari Rally in Kenya will make a long-awaited return to the WRC next year, after its 2020 event had to be called off due to the pandemic.
Draft 2021 WRC calendar:
| Event | Surface |
|---|---|
| Monte Carlo* | Tarmac |
| Finland | Gravel |
| Portugal | Gravel |
| Sweden | Snow |
| Kenya | Gravel |
| Spain | Tarmac |
| Italy | Gravel |
| Japan | Tarmac |
| Australia** | Gravel |
*Subject to Event Promoter Agreement
**New location, same organiser
Cost saving efforts
The WRC also revealed two cost cutting measures for the on-going 2020 campaign to weather the financial impact of the pandemic.
Firstly, the pre-event testing has been reduced to a single day for every manufacturer-affiliated driver entered in a Europe-based event.
Secondly, should the final 2020 calendar feature fewer than eight events, the teams will be allowed to use only two engines for the entire season - as opposed to three units.
Belgium "in negotiations" for maiden WRC event in 2020
Motorsport UK "optimistic" Rally GB will get 2021 WRC date
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause
The former WRC star playing the unsung hero role for Rovanpera
Kalle Rovanpera’s 2022 World Rally Championship displays have been spectacular, with the Toyota driver benefitting from a secret weapon in his crew to win two of the opening three rallies. But while the former challenger to Sebastien Loeb won’t take credit for his fellow Finn's performances, a key bond has been formed which could prove key to Rovanpera’s title charge
How Rovanpera's Croatia turnaround sent a message to his WRC rivals
After a dominating Rally Croatia, a wrong tyre choice on the final day looked to have undone all Kalle Rovanpera's hard work and left him with a mountain to climb heading into the power stage. That he emerged the winner all the same has surely quelled any lingering doubts that the Finn is the man to beat in the 2022 WRC
How M-Sport's faith in Loubet led to a WRC reprieve after a dismal 2021
It's fair to say 2021 was a year to forget for Pierre-Louis Loubet. A maiden full World Rally Championship season offered hope but soon turned into a nightmare that ended in hospital, after being hit by a car in a road traffic accident. Now handed a lifeline by M-Sport, the Frenchman is desperate to rebuild his career
Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect
The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Motorsport.com donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the life of a rally mechanic.
The African McRae aiming to become a WRC pioneer
Taking his first step into the Junior World Rally Championship category, McRae Kimathi - named after 1995 world champion Colin - found himself in the unfamiliar climes of Sweden's snow and ice. Having impressed, Kimathi hopes to blaze a trail to the top level of WRC and help other African drivers to step onto the ladder
How Rovanpera grabbed the Rally Sweden spotlight
After a blockbuster opening act to the new era of the World Rally Championship with the battle of the Sebastiens at Monte Carlo, Rally Sweden would be the first chance to assess the next superstar of rallying. While teething issues with the new hybrid power thwarted some of the cast, Kalle Rovanpera’s display gave him headline billing
The "painful" journey behind the WRC's generational tech innovation
As the company selected to provide the hybrid kits for the 2022 World Rally Championship, the pressure was on Compact Dynamics at the Monte Carlo season opener. Needing to treat all three manufacturers equally, it wasn't a straightforward process, but its first big test was a resounding success that bodes well for the future.