Chile WRC round cancelled for 2020 due to unrest
April’s Chile round of the 2020 World Rally Championship has been cancelled due to political and social unrest in the country.
The organisers of the Concepcion-based event met with government officials on Thursday and agreed, in the face of the continued rioting and with a state of emergency still in effect, the 2020 event had to be cancelled.
Sergio Giacaman, mayor of the Biobio region through which the event runs, said: “We consider it prudent to postpone this date – it needs an adequate climate to perform. However, in Biobio we are all ralistas [rally fans] and, of course, we are going to work very hard for the 2021 event.”
The organisers remain optimistic of a return to the calendar in 2021. Rally Chile’s Felipe Horta said: “The decision was to wait a year to take the world championship. We have talked with the FIA and the WRC [Promoter] in Germany, where they have fortunately understood very favorably what is happening and are allowing us to cancel the 2020 date and resume the contract we have established for three years.”
WRC Promoter declined to comment.
The loss of Chile is a significant blow to the series, which had hoped to run more than 13 rounds for the first time since 2008.
Rally of Spain, dropped from the 2020 calendar against its wishes, is seen as a possible replacement, but it remains to be seen whether the Salou-based event can mobilise the finances and organisation for a mid-April date.
The teams have already pointed out the cost and logistical difficulties in bringing cars and kit back from Mexico to Europe for a possible replacement round before shipping them back out to Argentina a couple of weeks later.
Previous article
Chile's 2020 WRC round under threat amid civil unrest
Next article
Latvala eyes five-round Toyota deal for 2020
WRC: Loeb - No plans at the moment for 2022 return
WRC: Rovanpera becomes youngest-ever rally winner
How Finland's newest rally hero made WRC history in Estonia
Kalle Rovanpera broke a decade-old record in becoming the World Rally Championship's youngest-ever winner in a truly dominant performance on Estonia's fast gravel roads. Staving off the challenge of Hyundai's Craig Breen, his committed drive showed a maturity beyond his 20 years that gives Toyota's post-Ogier era a far brighter complexion
How WRC's new Safari adventure ended with a familiar tale
The World Rally Championship’s delayed return to the Safari Rally was always set throw up some surprises, but aside from a spirited showing by Thierry Neuville it became another painful event for Hyundai in 2021. Once again it was Sebastien Ogier who took full advantage as he completed a stunning comeback drive
Remembering Colin McRae’s final WRC win
The Safari Rally returns to the World Rally Championship this weekend for the first time since 2002 - when crowd favourite Colin McRae set aside the maximum attack style for which he was renowned to deliver a textbook third win.
How Hyundai's broken record gave Toyota a special Sardinia 1-2
For the second WRC gravel rally in a row, a promising Friday for Hyundai turned into desolation as Toyota gratefully picked up the pieces. This time it was championship leader Sebastien Ogier who took full advantage after Ott Tanak and Dani Sordo retired to score a memorable victory, having swept the road on the first two days
Why there's no easy fix for Hyundai's operational Achilles Heel
Hyundai Motorsport boss Andrea Adamo was vocal in his criticism of his team's tyre choices on Rally Croatia and declared that he "had better move my ass and solve it". Doing so will be vital to getting Hyundai's 2021 WRC title hopes back on track, but finding the root of the problem won't be the work of a moment
How Ogier survived road crash drama to triumph in Croatia
Sebastien Ogier was already in an incredibly tight fight at Rally Croatia before a surprise collision with public road traffic at the start of the final day. But the defending champion held his nerve to take a narrow victory and create further World Rally Championship history
Why WRC's hybrid path could leave it at a crossroads
With all three major manufacturers committing to the World Rally Championship’s hybrid era from 2022, the future of the series is assured for now, but it could lead to trickier twists and turns further down the road
How Tanak froze out the competition at the Arctic Rally
Ott Tanak made up for a disastrous Monte Carlo Rally by leading all the way on the snow-kissed stages of the Arctic Rally Finland and in the process hit back at an event Toyota had been expected to dominate…
