The fight for this year's FIA World Rally Championship is set to go down to the wire after Ott Tänak claimed a dramatic victory at Central European Rally on Sunday.

In yet another twist to what has been a thrilling 2024 season, Tänak took the win by 7.0sec after Sébastien Ogier crashed his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID on a left-hand corner in the penultimate stage. Ogier had been trailing the Estonian by just 1.5sec at the time of his incident.

Tänak's triumph, his second of the year, has set up a final-round showdown with Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID team-mate Thierry Neuville at next month's FORUM8 Rally Japan.

Neuville, who had been on course to secure his maiden drivers' title before a costly spin on Saturday morning, saw his championship lead cut from 29 to 25 points. He ended the rally in third place, 25.8sec behind GR Yaris pilot Elfyn Evans.

"Let's see for the championship," said the 2019 WRC champion Tänak. "Obviously, with what happened to Séb... it is always difficult to fight a friend and then something like this happens, so it is difficult to find feelings. Everything changed, especially in the manufacturers' championship. We took care to have a clean [final] stage and bring the points home."

Katsuta's strong Sunday run, combined with Ogier's exit, saw him finish fourth overall, and 41.2sec behind Neuville - a solid finish for the Japanese runner before his home event next month.

Across the service park, Grégoire Munster climbed to fifth in his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID, equalling his career-best result after Sami Pajari rolled his GR Yaris on SS15.

Sixth overall went to WRC2 winner Nikolay Gryazin, who finished 26.1sec ahead of Oliver Solberg. Although Solberg wasn't scoring points this week, he remains in contention for the WRC2 title, which will also be decided in Japan.

Filip Mareš, Miko Marczyk, and Kajetan Kajetanowicz rounded out the top 10 after four days of competition and more than 300km of timed stages.

Rally Classification:

1. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N 2h 37m 34.6s

2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +7.0s

3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +39.8s

4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +1m 21.0s

5. G Munster / L Louka LUX Ford Puma +3m 41.9s

6. N Gryazin / K Aleksandrov BGR Citroën C3 Rally2 +9m 17.6s

Thierry Neuville's hopes of clinching his maiden FIA World Rally Championship title at Central European Rally took a significant hit after a dramatic Saturday saw him fall from first to fourth.

The Belgian had made a near-perfect start, leading by 6.4sec after Friday's first full leg. However, today - the penultimate day of the penultimate round of the season - he suffered not one, but two off-road incidents within the span of a minute.

No sooner had he recovered from the first spin during this morning's German-Austrian boundary-straddling Beyond Borders stage, Neuville found himself wide on the grass again. The second off proved particularly costly as he struggled to extract his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID from a concrete drainage ditch and lost nearly 40sec.

Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID star Sébastien Ogier found himself back in the lead for the first time since Friday morning, but the eight-time world champion had Ott Tänak's Hyundai hot on his heels. Tänak, who had briefly headed Ogier after the opening stage of the day, claimed two benchmark times compared with Ogier's three and trails the Frenchman by 5.2sec heading into Sunday's four-stage finale.

Crucially, he's lost five points to Tänak — his closest championship rival — and he needs to outscore the Estonian by two to secure the title this weekend.

Today's events have made it increasingly likely that the championship will be decided at FORUM8 Rally Japan next month. With Saturday's provisional points in hand, Neuville has surrendered eight to Ogier and three to Toyota's Elfyn Evans, who currently sits 25.8sec ahead of him in third place.

"There is disappointment for sure, but the rally isn't over and tomorrow is an exciting day," Neuville said. "We paid the price. It was definitely a mistake in the recce with the pace notes. The note was too fast, and I am a bit disappointed about that, but it is what it is."

Takamoto Katsuta trailed Neuville by 52.0sec in fifth, the Japanese driver's cause not helped by the 16sec time penalty he incurred on SS9. He exceeded the target speed in a virtual chicane area by 8kph and was penalised by 2sec per kph as a result.

Saturday Classification:

1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 2h 10m 12.7s

2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +5.2s

3. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +14.0s

4. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +39.8s

5. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +1m 31.8s

6. S Pajari / E Mälkönen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +2m 7.3s

The penultimate round of this year's FIA World Rally Championship kicked off in style with a vibrant start ceremony at Prague Castle, where Czech president Petr Pavl flagged the cars away. Competitors then tackled two demanding asphalt stages south of the capital, with only 2.1sec covering the top five drivers at the close of play.

Neuville, who can secure his first world title this week, was left frustrated after clipping a straw bale on SS1, damaging the bodywork of his Hyundai. To lock down the championship, the Belgian must outscore colleague Ott Tänak by two points while ensuring he doesn't lose more than 10 to Ogier and 15 to Elfyn Evans.

There was drama for Yohan Rossel, one of Solberg's main rivals for this year's WRC2 title. The Frenchman must win this rally in order to stay in contention for the crown but arrived at the finish of SS2 with a broken rear-right wheel on his Citroën C3 Rally2, dropping around half a minute. Rossel's team-mate Nikolay Gryazin therefore led the category from Filip Mareš.

Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID ace Ogier drew first blood by winning the short and sharp Velká Chuchle super special test on the outskirts of Prague. A third-best time on the night-time Klatovy stage was enough to keep him in front of Hyundai's championship leader Neuville as Andreas Mikkelsen made it two i20 N Rally1 HYBRID cars in the top three, trailing his team-mate by 0.8sec overnight.

"It was pretty slippery," Ogier reflected. "All okay, but nothing special. It is often like this on a Thursday – tomorrow there will be more action."

Elfyn Evans, Sami Pajari and Grégoire Munster filled the next three positions as Oliver Solberg completed the top 10. The Swede is competing for outright Rally2 honours in his Škoda Fabia RS having already started the maximum seven point-scoring rounds in WRC2.

Thursday Classification:

1. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N 7m 50.6s

2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +0.9s

3. A Mikkelsen / T Eriksen NOR Hyundai i20 N +1.7s

4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +2.0s

5. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +2.1s

6. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +2.4s

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Friday's leg includes two remote service stops in the Czech town of Janovice nad Úhlavou, but regulations stipulate that bodywork may not be changed during these halts.

"I took off the aero at the front right by stupidly touching a straw bale and it will handicap me tomorrow," he said. "I can't be happy, to be honest."

Takamoto Katsuta marked his return to the Toyota squad after being benched in Chile with an impressive second-fastest time on SS1. He dropped back to fourth after SS2 but finished the day just 0.3sec behind Mikkelsen. Tänak, meanwhile, was another tenth of a second behind in fifth, with Adrien Fourmaux completing the top six in his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID.

Thierry Neuville moved a step closer to claiming his first FIA World Rally Championship title after winning a gruelling 2024 edition of EKO Acropolis Rally Greece.

The Belgian driver conquered the carnage-filled three-day fixture in Lamia to head up a Hyundai Motorsport 1-2-3 finish ahead of i20 N colleagues Dani Sordo and Ott Tänak, with Neuville's main title rival Sébastien Ogier suffering a dramatic roll on the Wolf Power Stage while on course to finish second overall.

Ogier was able to push his Toyota GR Yaris back onto its wheels and finish the rally, crucially securing the 15 points scored on Saturday night, but plummeted down the overall rally standings after dropping more than 20 minutes.

The Frenchman had initially led early in the rally, but slipped behind when his car was crippled by a turbocharger failure on Friday afternoon. Tänak and Dani Sordo also felt the wrath of the Acropolis, both suffering tyre damage on Saturday that dashed their own victory hopes and catapulted Neuville into the lead.

Rally Classification:
1. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N 3h 38m 4.2s
2. D Sordo / C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +1m 46.8s
3. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +2m 57.3s
4. S Pajari / E Mälkönen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +7m 1.1s
5. R Virves / A Lesk EST Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +7m 1.1s

Drivers' championship standings (after round 10 of 13):
1. T Neuville 192
2. O Tänak 158
3. S Ogier 154

Even Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe were not immune to the rally's brutality. A misfiring engine plagued their Hyundai i20 N on the opening morning, but the pair managed to regroup and applied a sensible strategy, carefully balancing risk and reward to avoid further calamities on the treacherous tracks.

The result stretched Neuville's lead in the drivers' standings to 34 points over Tänak as Ogier fell to third, with 90 points still available from the remaining three rounds. In the manufacturers' championship, Hyundai extended its advantage over Toyota to 35 points.

"I didn't have the information on Ogier's crash at all, and when I saw the car I still wasn't sure it was him," Neuville revealed. "I understood from that point on that I just had to bring home the car and get through.

"Since yesterday morning we understood that we had to get through and to follow our objectives. I am really proud of my team as well and Martijn - we got the car to the end and that's what matters."

With Ogier in trouble, Tänak collected 11 of a possible 12 points from Super Sunday. The Estonian also claimed his 50th WRC podium and now heads Ogier by four points in the drivers' series.

Elfyn Evans' title aspirations took a major hit when he rolled his Toyota late on Saturday, while M-Sport Ford duo Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire Munster were also forced to rejoin under restart rules following their own incidents.

The Acropolis proved so relentless that WRC2 drivers filled the remaining top 10 spots. Sami Pajari not only clinched victory in the WRC2 category but also secured fourth place overall in his Rally2-spec Toyota. Pajari narrowly edged out Robert Virves, with both finishing level on time, but Pajari's quicker SS1 time gave him the win on countback.

Yohan Rossel, Kajetan Kajetanowicz, Fau Zaldivar, Josh McErlean and Roberto Daprà rounded out the top 10, benefiting from the misfortunes of the top-tier drivers.

The WRC now heads to South America for round 11 at Rally Chile Bio Bío, based in Concepción from 26 – 29 September.

Thierry Neuville's FIA World Rally Championship title hopes were bolstered on Saturday as he emerged from the carnage of another punishing day at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece with a commanding lead.

The Belgian, who entered this penultimate day third, climbed to the top as his Hyundai i20 N team-mates Ott Tänak and Dani Sordo were both struck by misfortune in what has proven to be the season's most brutal rally so far.

Tänak had led by 21.8sec after Friday's gruelling leg, but Greece's unforgiving terrain took its toll early on Saturday. Forced to stop twice within 10 kilometres to change wheels, the Estonian's challenge fell apart as he dropped four minutes and plummeted to fourth.

Sordo, making his first top-level appearance since June's Rally Italia Sardegna, briefly inherited the lead. But, like so many before him, he was undone by the rugged Greek roads. A collision with a rock caused a rear tyre blowout which cost around 50sec and tore away his advantage in an instant.

But Neuville, whose Friday had been marred by a misfiring engine, managed to survive the carnage. Carefully pacing himself and conserving his Pirelli tyres, he steered clear of disaster to end the day with a lead of 54.9sec over Sordo. Sébastien Ogier, Neuville's closest championship challenger, clung to third, 1min 19.9sec adrift of the lead in his Toyota GR Yaris.

With 18 points provisionally secured, Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe are on course to extend their championship lead, which stood at 27 points over Ogier at the start of the rally.

Saturday Classification:
1. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N 3h 1m 6.3s
2. D Sordo / C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +54.9s
3. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +1m 19.9s
4. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +3m 20.5s
5. S Pajari / E Mälkönen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +5m 7.3s
6. R Virves / A Lesk EST Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +5m 35.1s

"There's another day left, so at the moment there is no conclusion yet," Neuville insisted. "We need to see where we end up tomorrow, that's the only thing that counts.

"So far we have had a very good management of our rally and, despite some issues on Friday, nothing major happened. From the beginning, our approach was to be careful with the car when it was needed and we somehow got through. I tried to adapt my driving style a bit in the ruts and not put the car too sideways with the risk of hitting stones - that's the only thing you can do.

"It's a lottery out there and we don't know what will happen. Tomorrow we have to see what the weather will be like and how hard we need to drive for the extra points. There are a lot of things we still have to manage."

Sordo's blowout obliterated the rear bodywork on his Hyundai, and, with no midday service, he and co-driver Cándido Carrera were forced to patch up the car as best they could. The Spaniards even resorted to wearing ski goggles to keep the dust out as they fought to retain second place.

Ogier, who won three of the day's six stages, could only reflect on what might have been. After leading early on Friday, his rally was derailed by a turbocharger failure that cost him more than two minutes. His Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans has fared far worse at this 10th round of the season; stricken by similar turbo issues on day one, the Welshman's title hopes took a devastating blow when he rolled his car on SS11 and was forced to retire.

Tänak trailed Ogier by almost two minutes in fourth overall while M-Sport Ford Puma youngster Grégoire Munster's crash on SS9 allowed WRC2 crews to fill out the remainder of the leaderboard. Sami Pajari overtook Robert Virves to claim the WRC2 lead as Yohan Rossel, Kajetan Kajetanowicz, Georg Linnamäe and Fau Zaldivar rounded out the top 10.

The rally concludes on Sunday where crews face three more stages totalling 54.05km against the clock.

Ott Tänak overtook a wounded Sébastien Ogier to lead EKO Acropolis Rally Greece on Friday evening, capping an eventful day that could significantly impact this year's FIA World Rally Championship title race.

Greece's notoriously rugged gravel roads lived up to their punishing reputation, with four of the championship's top-five drivers encountering trouble and dropping significant time. Tänak, however, piloted his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 through the chaos unscathed, topping a commanding Hyundai 1-2-3 overnight.

Eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, who started this rally second in the points, was left 11.7sec clear of Tänak when M-Sport Ford's Adrien Fourmaux retired from second due to a broken steering arm on SS4. But disaster struck Ogier late in the day when a turbocharger issue cost the Frenchman around two-and-a-half minutes and relegated him to fourth.

Ogier's misfortune compounded a disastrous day for Toyota. Team-mate Elfyn Evans dropped nearly nine minutes earlier in the day with a similar turbo issue, while Takamoto Katsuta retired with rear suspension on SS3 damage after mis-hearing a pacenote.

Explaining the situation, Toyota technical director Tom Fowler said: "It looks like Séb has lost the boost pressure from the turbocharger. We had Elfyn's car this morning with the same symptoms.

Friday classification:
1. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N 1h 40m 16.9s
2. D Sordo / C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N +21.8s
3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +45.2s
4. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +2m 26.4s
5. R Virves / A Lesk EST Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +3m 10.9s
6. S Pajari / E Mälkönen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +3m 12.4s

"It's a huge disappointment because, clearly, it's another rally after Finland where we have really strong performance in the car. In Finland we didn't capitalise on that, and it looks like here, again, we're not going to capitalise on the potential performance that both the car and the drivers have."

In stark contrast, Hyundai celebrated as Tänak led i20 N Rally1 colleagues Dani Sordo and Thierry Neuville by 21.8 and 45.2sec respectively. As it stands, the Korean marque is poised to extend its advantage in the manufacturers' championship.

"We've got to be thankful for a trouble-free day. It's been tough with the heat and the rough conditions," said Tänak, who currently sits third in the drivers' standings. "It's been a great day for Hyundai, but we all know there's more to come."

Sordo, making his first appearance since Rally Italia Sardegna in June, faced challenges of his own, managing a faulty hybrid unit throughout much of the afternoon. Championship leader Neuville also encountered issues, nursing an engine problem in the morning that left his car running on reduced power, but crucially headed Ogier by 1min 41.2sec overnight.

Elsewhere, M-Sport Ford's Grégoire Munster was forced to stop for a wheel change on SS6, allowing WRC2 frontrunners Robert Virves and Sami Pajari to climb to fifth and sixth overall. The pair also moved ahead of Yohan Rossel, who had dominated the WRC2 category in the morning before losing time due to a puncture.

Munster ended the day seventh with Kajetan Kajetanowicz, Nikolay Gryazin and Rossel rounding out the top 10.

Saturday's leg promises more challenges, with six stages covering 116.23km on the unforgiving roads south of Lamia.

The stars of the FIA World Rallycross Championship treated fans to some epic entertainment at Montalegre in Portugal today (8 September), as Kevin Hansen got the better of reigning champion Johan Kristoffersson to claim his first victory of the season.

Montalegre never fails to produce sensational racing, and in front of an enthusiastic crowd, the 'Battle of Technologies' delivered in style, truly showcasing the respective strengths of World RX's electric and sustainably-fuelled internal combustion cars with spectacular sends and awe-inspiring overtakes.

It was the elder rather than the younger of the Hansen siblings who set the pace during the heats, as 2019 world champion Timmy Hansen won both of his races behind the wheel of his electric Peugeot 208 RX1e to top the intermediate Ranking, but Kevin Hansen then got the jump on his brother at the start of the pair's semi-final and remained in front throughout to secure pole position for the final.

Timmy Hansen subsequently repaid the favour by sweeping around the outside into the lead from the second row of the grid, as his Hansen World RX Team stablemate darted immediately into the joker, followed by championship leader Kristoffersson, who had exited Turn One down in sixth place. Their tactics would prove to be inspired.

FINAL RESULT: WORLD RX

1. Kevin HANSEN (SWE) Hansen World RX Team (EV) 5 laps

2. Johan KRISTOFFERSSON (SWE) KMS - Horse Powertrain (ICE) + 0.271s

3. Timmy HANSEN (SWE) Hansen World RX Team (EV) + 2.045s

4. Klara ANDERSSON (SWE) CE Dealer Team (EV) + 7.447s

5. Ole Christian VEIBY (NOR) KMS - Horse Powertrain (ICE) + 26.272s

DNF Niclas GRÖNHOLM (FIN) CE Dealer Team (EV) + 1 lap

While Timmy Hansen and Ole Christian Veiby went at it hammer-and-tongs at the front of the field – trading places on multiple occasions – their spirited duel cost them time to the early jokers, who were inexorably hunting them down. The top two dived into the joker themselves on the last lap, but by then, the damage was done, as Kevin Hansen and Kristoffersson blasted past.

All that then remained was for the Peugeot driver to fend off his Volkswagen rival to the chequered flag, which he did with razor-sharp precision to cement his fourth career victory and first of the 2024 campaign.

"The team has done a great job this weekend," Hansen enthused. "This is my first win in the electric Peugeot – it's taken a while! The car was flying and I had so much confidence, and we had a great strategy in the final.

"I had to try to defend against Johan [Kristoffersson], but at the same time, I knew I couldn't afford to defend too much as then we wouldn't have caught the guys ahead. We've received amazing support from the fans here at Montalegre, which has been wonderful to see. I think a lot of them remember my father's successes in Portugal in the past. They've brought so much energy all weekend, and that has really fuelled us."

After his hard-fought victory 24 hours earlier, Kristoffersson had to settle for the runner-up spoils on Sunday – the Swede's 61st podium finish from 95 appearances in rallycross' top-flight. Piloting his sustainably-fuelled Volkswagen Polo KMS 601 RX, the KMS - HORSE Powertrain ace missed out on glory by less than three tenths-of-a-second, meaning he must wait a little longer in his quest to clinch an extraordinary seventh world championship crown.

Timmy Hansen rounded out the rostrum in third as he prevailed in his crowd-pleasing scrap with Veiby, with the Norwegian briefly nosing ahead again on the last lap before contact between the pair sent him into the wall. That elevated Klara Andersson to fourth – the CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment ace a late addition to the final following a track limits penalty for JDM Raptor Racing's Anthony Pelfrene – with the delayed Veiby fifth and Niclas Grönholm failing to finish after picking up a puncture.

In the supporting series, there were title triumphs for defending champion Nils Andersson in RX2e, two-time British champion Patrick O'Donovan in Euro RX1 and Nils Volland in Euro RX3 – the latter sealing the deal in a dramatic final won by his chief competitor and home hero João Ribeiro.

On paper, Johan Kristoffersson's 45th FIA World Rallycross Championship victory at Montalegre should not have been possible, so heavily did the odds look to be stacked against him – but the word 'impossible' is rarely in the Swede's vocabulary.

Conventional wisdom said that Montalegre – located 1,000 metres above sea level in the Vila Real mountains and with the longest main straight on the World RX calendar – would be EV territory, when Kristoffersson drives a sustainably-fuelled, combustion-engined Volkswagen Polo KMS 601 RX. No matter – he won both of his heat races anyway.

The odds seemed to be stacked against him again when contact in his semi-final resulted in suspension damage that threatened to rule the Arvika native out of the final – but neither Kristoffersson nor his KMS - HORSE Powertrain team have ever been the kind to lay down without a fight.

Following a herculean repair effort by his crew, the 35-year-old lined up in third position and held his ground around the outside of the first corner to climb to second. He proceeded to hound Niclas Grönholm throughout, prior to undercutting his rival with a pristine penultimate lap joker to which the Finn had no answer. What's more, his fifth triumph from seven rounds in 2024 has carried Kristoffersson to within touching distance of an extraordinary seventh career crown.

FINAL RESULT: WORLD RX

1. Johan KRISTOFFERSSON (SWE) KMS - Horse Powertrain (ICE) 5 laps

2. Niclas GRÖNHOLM (FIN) CE Dealer Team (EV) + 0.398s

3. Kevin HANSEN (SWE) Hansen World RX Team (EV) + 2.895s

4. Ole Christian VEIBY (NOR) KMS - Horse Powertrain (ICE) + 5.654s

5. René MÜNNICH (DEU) ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport (ICE) + 12.374s

DNF Timmy HANSEN (SWE) Hansen World RX Team (EV) + 4 laps

"This is a real team victory after an amazing job to get my car back onto the grid for the final," the reigning world champion reflected. "Montalegre is such an enjoyable circuit to drive and the Volkswagen has always suited the track well, and we spent the past few weeks looking at everything we could do to be as fast as possible. Niclas [Grönholm] had great pace in the final, but I just managed to make the difference when it mattered.

Having similarly kept a clean sheet during the heats, pole-sitter Grönholm was disappointed to wind up second, missing out on the top step of the podium by less than four-tenths-of-a-second – the vast majority of which he lost in the joker.

The CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment star could nonetheless take some encouragement from posting the fastest lap of the day – half a second quicker than anybody else was able to muster – as World RX's innovative 'Battle of Technologies' delivered its closest duel so far.

Kevin Hansen rounded out the rostrum with a third consecutive top three finish behind the wheel of his electric Peugeot 208 RX1e, having at one stage appeared to be on-course for victory himself. The Swede lost some time overtaking Ole Christian Veiby and also avoiding a tyre stack dragged onto the racing line by Hansen World RX Team stablemate Timmy Hansen, whose challenge came unstuck when he ploughed spectacularly into the wall at the end of the opening tour.

Despite a sluggish start, Veiby took the chequered flag fourth for KMS - HORSE Powertrain, with René Münnich securing a season-high fifth in his ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport-run SEAT Ibiza. Fellow ICE competitor Anthony Pelfrene, meanwhile, was arguably the unluckiest driver of the day, unleashing an impressive turn-of-speed in his Peugeot 208 WRX and looking set to reach the final for the first time until contact with Kristoffersson towards the end of the pair's semi-final sent him into a spin.

Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky leads the way in RX2e, with title protagonists Isak Sjökvist and Nils Andersson equal-second. There is a three-way tie for the top spot in Euro RX1 between Julien Fébreau, Damian Litwinowicz and champion-elect Patrick O'Donovan. Home hero Joaquim Machado is the pace-setter in Euro RX3, as Nils Volland seized the early initiative over João Ribeiro in the hunt for championship glory.

The action continues tomorrow (Sunday, 8 September)

Ogier claims shock WRC victory in Finland

Sébastien Ogier claimed a surprise Secto Rally Finland victory on Sunday after his Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate Kalle Rovanperä rolled out of the lead on the event's penultimate stage.

Rovanperä had led for almost every kilometre of this four-day gravel fixture and looked set to end Finland's seven-year wait for a native winner, with a 45.8sec advantage going into the rally's penultimate stage. However, it all went wrong for the 23-year-old when he clipped a rogue rock, pushing his GR Yaris Rally1 off the line and into a rally-ending roll.

The same stage had earlier served up further drama when Rovanperä's colleague, Elfyn Evans, also left the road while chasing down Super Sunday points to make up for a broken driveshaft on Friday.

On his first Finnish outing since 2021, Ogier was on hand to pick up the pieces and took his 61st WRC victory by 40.1sec from Hyundai i20 N Rally1 driver Thierry Neuville. Adrien Fourmaux, driving a Puma Rally1 for M-Sport Ford, filled the final podium spot 34.0sec further back.

The action continues on gravel next month with the legendary EKO Acropolis Rally Greece, based in Lamia from 5 - 8 September.

Overall Classification:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 2h 25m 41.9s
2. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +40.1s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +1m 14.1s
4. S Pajari / E Mälkönen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +1m 54.5s
5. O Solberg / E Edmondson SWE Škoda Fabia (WRC2) +8m 15.5s
6. J-M Latvala / J Hänninen FIN Toyota GR Yaris (WRC2) +8m 54.5s

Drivers' championship standings (after round 9 of 13):
1. T Neuville 168
2. S Ogier 141
3. O Tänak 137

"It's hard to smile right now,"

Ogier admitted. "A win in Finland is always nice, but this is not the way we like to have it. Very sorry for Kalle and Jonne, they were unlucky with the stone and it's a shame for them. We were unlucky in Sardinia and lost in the last stage, but we are lucky here. That's motorsport."

Today's events have shaken up the driver's championship standings with Ogier now up to second despite missing three rallies earlier this year. After Friday retiree Ott Tänak and Evans both scored zero, the pair dropped to third and fourth respectively.

But it was Neuville who was the biggest winner in terms of the title race. Having arrived to Finland with an eight-point lead, the Belgian's buffer now stands at 27 points after round nine of 13 while his Hyundai Motorsport team increased its lead over Toyota in the manufacturers' championship to 20.

"It was a real rollercoaster of emotions this weekend," he said. "We had a clever approach this weekend knowing it was hard to fight with the Toyotas. After our team's issues (Tänak and Esapekka Lappi both crashing on Friday), we knew we had to bring the points home."

Fourmaux's third-place result marked his fourth podium of the season. The Frenchman trailed Neuville by 34.0sec at the final control, with Sami Pajari's Toyota 40.0sec behind.

Pajari, along with co-driver Enni Mälkönen, delivered an impressive drive on his top-flight debut. After a rocky start to the rally, which included two spins resulting in rear wing damage on Friday, the Finnish pair claimed their first-ever WRC stage win at Ruuhimäki on Saturday.

Rally2 machinery filled the remainder of the top 10. Oliver Solberg won the WRC2 category and placed fifth overall ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala, Lauri Joona, Mikko Heikkilä, Nikolay Gryazin and Georg Linnamäe.

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team

WRC Promoter and SafetyCulture are set to launch a new online series 'More than Machine', a six-episode deep dive into the reality of running a team competing at the top level of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Produced by UK-based Superlative Studios in co-operation with M-Sport, the docuseries follows the daily lives of drivers, engineers, technicians and other team members behind-the-scenes across the 2024 season to date.

The first episode, set to premiere at 20:00 CET on 22nd August exclusively on WRC's official YouTube channel, jumps right in at Safari Rally Kenya, documenting Adrien Fourmaux's second career podium, whilst Grégoire Munster aims to match his teammate's pace. The following episodes will cover the 2024 journey of the two youngsters, as they both face the inevitable adversity of a season at the elite end of the WRC.

Following not only the drivers, but co-drivers, team managers, and people from across the

M-Sport contingent, 'More than Machine' will bring never-before-told stories to life. With people at its core, the new series features the highs, lows, joys and sacrifices experienced by the people who make rallies happen.

"We're thrilled to share 'More than Machine'

With our global audience, as well as soon-to-be fans," said Jona Siebel, Managing Director of WRC Promoter. "This series showcases the real essence of rallying, highlighting not just the incredible machinery but also the extraordinary people who push them to their limits. It's a celebration of our sport and a fascinating insight into the spirit of competition."

"I'm very proud to see the creation of this insightful series about what it takes to be a world rally team," enthused Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport Managing Director. "Showcasing the hard work and tenacity of the team, as well as introducing some of the characters we have is a pleasure to watch.

"Up until now the WRC has not delved into the backstories of the people who make the operation work, so having the chance to show this to a global audience is something very special. I hope everyone enjoys watching our journeys in WRC as much as we have enjoyed working with the production team on it."

Wilson's sentiments were echoed by Team Principal Rich Millener: "We're only really scratching the surface, but by telling these stories and getting to know the people who run the cars and make the rally happen, we're opening ourselves up to an even bigger fan base. There are real, human stories to tell here and I'm so pleased we're now able to document them."

Kalle Rovanperä claimed one of the most remarkable victories in FIA World Rally Championship history at ORLEN 80th Rally Poland on Sunday.

Reigning world champion Rovanperä, who is undertaking a selected programme of events in 2024, had never even planned to start this rally but was called upon by his Toyota GAZOO Racing team to replace Sébastien Ogier at the final hour. Ogier was sidelined by an accident during reconnaissance on Tuesday, leaving Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen with less than 48 hours to ready themselves.

Those frantic preparations didn't seem to affect the Finn too much as he romped to his 13th career victory behind the wheel of a GR Yaris Rally1, heading team-mate Elfyn Evans by 28.3sec in a Toyota 1-2 after Hyundai rival Andreas Mikkelsen plummeted down the order on Sunday.

Rovanperä began the final leg 9.4sec in front of Mikkelsen, but the Hyundai driver's bid for a second Rally Poland victory was foiled when he crawled to the end of the opening stage with a tyre off the rim. He tumbled to sixth by the finish as M-Sport Ford man Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium 14.4sec behind Evans.

"It's been quite an amazing week," smiled Rovanperä. "Definitely I have to say we have been working quite hard and we are really tired now. I think the best thing is we came here, and it was not a bad idea to come. We helped the team a lot and took a lot of points for the manufacturers' championship, so we didn't waste our time."

Mikkelsen was chasing his first victory since 2016 and led through Friday before slipping behind Rovanperä in the penultimate leg. The flailing rubber ripped his i20 N car's rear wheel arch apart and the Norwegian chose to cruise through the closing stages.

"It was sad what happened today," he said. "We were really unlucky. The right thing to do [after that] was to bring the car back for the team."

The four-day rally was blessed with hot weather throughout and provided edge-of-the-seat drama as drivers traded tenths of a second on blisteringly fast roads.

Barring a tyre delamination on Saturday and a slow puncture in the finale, Evans fared well compared with his main title rivals. The Welshman overtook Ott Tänak to reclaim second in the drivers' championship and cut Thierry Neuville's lead to 15 points with six rounds remaining.

An unavoidable impact forced Tänak's retirement on Friday morning but he restarted on the following days and was able to salvage 11 points from Super Sunday. His Hyundai colleague Neuville, meanwhile, won the Wolf Power Stage but finished fourth after sweeping the road clear of loose stones on Friday.

Puma star Fourmaux, who scored his third podium of the season, ended the rally 28.1sec clear of Belgium's Neuville while Latvia's Mārtiņš Sesks delivered a mighty fifth-place finish on his top-flight debut. Sesks, who ran as high as second early in the event, was driving a non-hybrid Puma but will upgrade to a full-spec car for his home round next month.

Mikkelsen limped home over two minutes back from Rovanperä in sixth ahead of Grégoire Munster and Takamoto Katsuta. Ninth place went to Sami Pajari, winner of the WRC2 category, while Oliver Solberg capitalised on a puncture for Robert Virves to sneak into the top 10.

The WRC's summer speedfest continues next month at Tet Rally Latvia, a brand-new round for the championship, which is based in Liepāja from 18 - 21 July.

Overall classification:
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 2h 37m 7.6s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +28.3s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Ford Puma +42.7s
4. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +1m 10.8s
5. M Sesks / R Francis LVA Ford Puma +1m 47.0s
6. A Mikkelsen / T Eriksen NOR Hyundai i20 N +2m 16.6s

Drivers' Championship standings (after round 7 of 13):
1. T Neuville 136
2. E Evans 121
3. O Tänak 115

Já Ott Tänak, com a melhor exibição da época, tudo fez para reeditar a vitória de 2019 no Vodafone Rally de Portugal. O piloto da Hyundai foi o mais rápido em cinco classificativas, mas quedou-se a escassos 7,9 segundos do líder. "Definitivamente, foi um fim-de-semana exigente. Tentámos o nosso melhor, mas quando vais ao ataque, mas não te sentes totalmente confortável no carro, isso reflete-se no resultado", afirmou o estónio.Com o terceiro lugar, o líder do WRC e vencedor da edição 2018 da prova portuguesa, Thierry Neuville, somou preciosos pontos para o campeonato e até aumentou a vantagem para os mais diretos adversários, na sequência da vitória na Wolff Power Stage. " Sabíamos que não ia ser um fim-de-semana fácil, mas tivemos um rali isento de problemas. Eu ataquei o máximo que pude. Obrigado à equipa por ter-nos proporcionado com um carro fiável."Adrien Formaux foi o quarto classificado, com o piloto da Ford a confirmar-se como uma das boas surpresas da época. "Estou muito feliz. O ritmo foi bom e o carro esteve perfeito. Obrigado à equipa". Menos sorte para o colega de equipa, Grégoire Munster, que abandonou esta manhã após despiste.Apesar de ter sido o mais rápido em duas classificativas da etapa inaugural, Dani Sordo (Hyundai) não conseguiu melhor do que a quinta posição, precedendo Elfyn Evans (Toyota) na classificação, com o piloto do País de Gales a ter um rali marcado por diversos imponderáveis.Depois dos abandonos por acidente na véspera, Kalle Rovanperä, e o colega de equipa, Takamoto Katsuta, regressaram, hoje, em modo "Rally2" com o objetivo de conquistarem pontos na Power Stage. O jovem finlandês somou três pontos e, no final, fez questão de pedir desculpas à equipa pelo acidente da véspera. O japonês, por sua vez, contabilizou mais um ponto para as contas do campeonato.

Já a Toyota, somou o nono triunfo – os último cinco consecutivos – destronando a Lancia como a marca com mais sucessos da prova organizada pelo Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP).Numa das edições mais emocionantes de sempre, como confirmam os 7,9 segundos de diferença entre os dois primeiros (depois de 337,04 quilómetros cronometrados), mas igualmente os cinco pilotos que passaram pela liderança e os seis diferentes vencedores de classificativas, Sébastien Ogier foi mesmo a figura maior desta que foi a quinta prova do ano pontuável para o Campeonato do Mundo de Ralis (WRC).Foi no sábado, na etapa disputada no Norte do país, que o francês assumiu a liderança do Vodafone Rally de Portugal. O piloto da Toyota sofreu a forte oposição de Ott Tänak – 18,1 segundos foi a diferença mais expressiva entre os dois – mas durante o dia de sábado e de domingo foi gerindo, de forma perfeita, esses escassos segundos de vantagem. "Mais uma vez, nada contra estar empatado com Markku Alén – ele é uma lenda. Mas, agora, finalmente aconteceu. Foi um ótimo fim-de-semana, mas não fantástico para toda a equipa", sublinhou Sébastien Ogier.

Vitórias de Nasser Al-Attiyah na consagração de Portugal no todo-o-terreno mundial

Nasser Al-Attiyah (carros) e Tosha Schareina (motos) foram os brilhantes vencedores da edição de estreia do bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal. Mais uma organização de sucesso do Automóvel Club de Portugal (W2RC), com a terceira prova do calendário do Campeonato do Mundo de Rally-Raid Portugal a confirmar o talento dos pilotos portugueses: nos carros, João Ferreira terminou num brilhante 2º lugar da geral; João Monteiro venceu entre os SSV; Armindo Araújo e Ricardo Porém terminaram nos derradeiros lugares do pódio da categoria Challenger; enquanto, nas motos, Bruno Santos triunfou na categoria Rally2 e subiu ao derradeiro lugar do pódio à geral; e Gonçalo Amaral ganhou entre os Rally3.

Portugal teve as honras de receber a única prova europeia do calendário do Campeonato do Mundo de Rally-Raid e que estreia: uma lista de inscritos com muitas das "estrelas" do Dakar; muito público; e uma prova pródiga em emoção e animação nas diferentes categorias.

Mais um grande e prestigiado evento desportivo com organização do Automóvel Club de Portugal que, durante praticamente uma semana, comunicou o país e, em particular, as regiões do Alentejo, Ribatejo e Estremadura espanhola, mas que também contribuiu com um significativo impacto económico.

Nasser Al-Attiyah ganha nos carros

O vencedor, nos carros, do bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal é uma personalidade ímpar. Com 53 anos e confesso apaixonado por Portugal, o príncipe do Catar é medalhista olímpico na modalidade de tiro e um dos mais bem-sucedidos pilotos de todo-o-terreno, com uma mão cheia de vitórias no Dakar. À chegada a Grândola, depois de cinco dias de competição e de cerca de 1.000 quilómetros disputados ao cronómetro, o piloto da Prodrive afirmou: "Portugal é quase a minha segunda casa. Tenho muitos amigos aqui e estou mesmo muito feliz por ganhar esta prova fantástica! Obrigado a todos os fãs e obrigado à organização. Foi uma corrida muito técnica e tivemos de ser inteligentes. Depois da vitória em Abu Dhabi, ganhar aqui é muito importante porque permite-nos passar para a frente do Mundial."

Mais do que uma promessa, João Ferreira é já um dos maiores talentos mundiais da modalidade. A forma como se bateu com Nasser Al-Attiyah e como se impôs ao colega de equipa na Mini, o lendário Carlos Sainz, é bem revelador do seu talento. "É difícil explicar as emoções que vivi ao longo desta semana. Recebemos um apoio incrível deste público único no mundo, numa prova muito variada e bonita. A tensão era alta porque havia muita atenção à nossa volta, mas correu tudo muito bem e confesso que não imaginava terminar no segundo lugar, na estreia com este carro no W2RC."

O brasileiro Lucas Moraes (Toyota) foi o vencedor da derradeira etapa, um resultado que lhe permitiu subir ao derradeiro lugar do pódio, por troca com Carlos Sainz. "Que grande luta! Em primeiro lugar, parabéns a toda a organização por ter conseguido montar esta prova. É muito importante termos o Mundial na Europa. Um pódio à geral e vitória nesta etapa são pontos importantes para o campeonato."

Carlos Sainz (Mini), bicampeão do mundo de ralis e quatro vezes vencedor do Dakar, foi o quarto classificado. O espanhol que nunca esteve na luta pela vitória, admitiu: "Foi um rali difícil, mas positivo. É sempre um prazer vir a Portugal, fiquei satisfeito por participar e recolher uma experiência importante. Gostava que a prova começasse amanhã, para experimentar algumas coisas, mas estou contente."

Depois do tempo perdido na fase inicial, o saudita Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Toyota)conseguiu recuperar até ao quinto lugar. "Apesar do azar que tivemos, fizemos um bom trabalho e divertimo-nos imenso. Obrigado ao público, que foi excecional, e obrigado à organização por criar esta grande prova!"

O lituano Rokas Baciuska (Can-Am) foi o sexto classificado e o primeiro da categoria Challenger, enquanto o brasileiro Cristian Baumgart Stroczynski (Toyota), Francisco Barreto (Toyota), Armindo Araújo (segundo entre os Challenger) e o argentino Nicolás Cavigliasso fecharam o top10.

Published on Março 08, 2024

The race will cover a route with 1000 kilometers of technical paths, mostly wide, and with different types of surface: from the vast sandy beach of the Alentejo Coast to the good roads in the heart of Ribatejo, without forgetting the rockier paths of Spanish Extremadura. Diversity is the great offer for the five days of this event, which will be based in the village of Grândola, in the district of Setúbal.

BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal 2024

The BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal is an absolute debut in the Motorsport universe, which promises to bring together a car and motorcycle competition full of adrenaline, emotion and unforgettable moments. From April 2nd to 7th, the race, organized by ACP - Automóvel Club de Portugal and integrated for the first time in the Raid Rally World Championship, occupies third place on the 2024 calendar, being the only stage held on European territory, namely in Portugal and Spain.

2024 Dakar Rally overall standings after Stage 6

Ultimate Car

1. Carlos Sainz (ESP) 24h 59m 32s

2. Mattias Ekström (SWE) +20m 21s

3. Sébastien Loeb (FRA) +29m 31s

Challenger Car

1. Eryk Goczal (POL) 26h 52m 02s

2. Mitch Guthrie Jr. (USA) +1h 02m 18s

3. Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP) +1h 26m 34s

Bike

1. Ricky Brabec (USA) 27h 11m 21s

2. Ross Branch (BWA) +51s

3. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA) +9m 21s

Published on Dezembro 20, 2023

Ten Best Moments From the 2024 Dakar Rally

The 46th edition of the Dakar Rally has been another entertaining affair so far in Saudi Arabia with the best global rally-raid drivers and riders going all out to win and keep their vehicles in the world's toughest race across the Middle-East country's arduous dunes and rocky terrain.

With Spanish legend Carlos Sainz (Ultimate), Poland's Eryk Goczal (Challenger) and American Ricky Brabec (Bike) all leading at Saturday's much needed rest day, here are the 10 best moments from the 2024 Dakar Rally so far with the race set to finish on Friday, January 19:

1) DAY 1, PROLOGUE: Fighting back from a big recent injury, Australian Daniel Sanders piloted his Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing bike to a prologue second just 12 seconds behind Spaniard Tosha Schareina. Sanders, who finished fourth overall as a rookie back in 2021, declared: "It was rough with so much traffic in front. I tried to follow the roadbook and just made one mistake near the finish."

2) DAY 2, STAGE 1: One family dominated the Challenger class with 19-year-old Eryk Goczal leading home uncle Michal Goczal and father Marek to park their MCE-5 Taurus machines at the top of the leaderboard. A little over 26 minutes back sits three-time quad race champion Ignacio Casale.

3) DAY 3, STAGE 2: Audi RS Q e-tron driver Stéphane Peterhansel powered to a record-equalling 50th stage win on four wheels to add to his 33 stage wins in the Bike class. The 58-year-old Frenchman, who equalled Finnish legend Ari Vatanen's car record, said: "It was a much better day than yesterday and it was a pleasure to drive. The settings on the car were really good and to take a stage victory is always nice."

4) DAY 3, STAGE 2: In the Bike class, Luciano Benavides showed the speed that saw him crowned the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship winner in 2023, thanks in part to winning the Desafío Ruta 40 in his native Argentina. The 28-year-old rode his Husqvarna to second place on the stage to break into the top five, just two seconds ahead of Sanders.

5) DAY 4, STAGE 3: Another mammoth challenge awaited with a huge variety of terrain covered on the special stage. One person who will not forget it in a hurry is Brazilian Lucas Moraes, who claimed his first Ultimate category stage victory driving the Toyota GR DKR Hilux with co-driver Armand Monleon. Moraes, 32, said: "I dedicate this victory to my daughter who has been in hospital the last four days, but now she's better. It was very tough for me being away from home but now this win means a lot."

6) DAY 5, STAGE 4: Birthday boy Kevin Benavides put together an impressive performance for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team as he piloted his bike to third on Tuesday, so he could blow out the candles on his 35th birthday cake placed fourth overall - 20 minutes and 39 seconds behind Chilean leader Jose Ignacio Cornejo. The Argentine said: "At the refuelling, I saw I had a big cut in my rear tyre, so that was a little bit scary. I took care of the problem and finally arrived to the finish."

7) DAY 6, STAGE 5: Defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah moved up the overall Ultimate classification finally after he adapted to his Prodrive Hunter car and he banked his first Dakar stage win in the new vehicle on Wednesday, after he broke clear to win by nearly two minutes. The 53-year-old Qatari revealed: "Today, I knew I needed to win the stage."

8) DAY 7, STAGE 6: Thursday's leg of the all-new 48-hour Chrono Stage mixed up the order in the Ultimate category as Spanish legend Carlos Sainz went on the attack over the 250-metre-high dunes of the Empty Quarter desert. The three-time Dakar winner eased off on Wednesday to give himself a good starting position and it worked a treat as he passed main rival Al-Attiyah - who had opened the stage - and also claimed the overall lead after Saudi driver Yazeed Al Rajhi barrel rolled on the dunes.

9) DAY 8, STAGE 6: American Mitch Guthrie Jr.'s mission for the second week is clear, chip away at the time that separates him from Challenger class leader Goczal after he held his nerve to finish fifth in Friday's stage - 22m 32s behind the Polish driver. Also looking to reel in Goczal on the way to Yanbu are Cristina Gutiérrez, Chaleco López and Austin 'AJ' Jones.

10) DAY 8, STAGE 6: It has been a determined effort throughout the first week by two-time bike champion Toby Price to stay in touch with the leaders. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider reached the Rest Day with a string of three top-five stage results to put himself fifth overall with half of the rally still to go, less than half an hour behind current leader Brabec.

Al-Attiyah to defend title at 2024 Dakar Rally in Prodrive Hunter

Five-time Dakar Rally winner Nasser Al-Attiyah will take on the 2024 edition of the world's toughest offroad rally race in a Prodrive Hunter when the race returns to Saudi Arabia next January. Here is all you need to know:
- During the past two decades, the Qatari driver has become one of the most recognisable and well-liked personalities at the rally with his 20th appearance at the race coming up soon.
- Al-Attiyah's first Dakar win came in 2011 and he followed that up with two more victories in South America (2015 & 2019) as well as 2022 & 2023 wins since the Dakar's switch to the Middle East.
- The 52-year-old not only has the chance to make it three wins on the spin, but he will also attempt to make the Prodrive Hunter the fourth different car that he has driven to victory at the rally.
- He declared, "The Prodrive Hunter is a sensational car. I think after three trips already to the Dakar and two second place finishes, now it's time for this car to win the Dakar. I want to make myself part of Dakar history and the best way to do that is to win with four different brands."
- Riding shotgun with Al-Attiyah at his four most recent wins has been co-driver Mathieu Baumel with the duo's understanding of each other seeming telepathic at times as the Frenchman reads the roadbook and Al-Attiyah steers them over the dunes.
- The pair's success has not been limited to the Dakar as they are also winners of the 2022 and 2023 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship driver and co-driver titles.
- Al-Attiyah's move to Prodrive continues the team's philosophy of bringing together the world's greatest drivers with one of the most advanced cross-country rally cars ever created.
- The Prodrive Hunter has been designed to cross any terrain at high speed from rocky roads to open desert, sand dunes and mountain passes while it is also powered by a new sustainable fuel - Prodrive EcoPower - which reduces its carbon emissions by 80 percent to help fight climate change.
- Sharing the Prodrive paddock with Al-Attiyah in the bivouacs of the 2024 Dakar will be his new team-mate Sébastien Loeb, who has finished as runner-up to Al-Attiyah at the last two editions.
- Al-Attiyah added, "This is the first time I will be a team-mate of Seb (Loeb) at the Dakar, but I already know him very well. He really is a great driver and the speed he has shown at the Dakar for these last two years has been incredible. I hope that one of us can win the Dakar in 2024."
- The Dakar's fifth edition in Saudi Arabia will get started on January 5, 2024 with 5,000 kilometres of racing distance spread across 12 timed special stages from the thousand-year-old city of Al Ula, crossing the country in the direction of the Empty Quarter and finishing in Yanbu on the shores of the Red Sea where the competitors will hopefully see the chequered flag flying on January 19.
- In addition to rally wins all over the globe, Al-Attiyah is the only Dakar driver with an Olympic medal after earning a bronze medal for Qatar in the men's skeet shooting event at London 2012.
- He revealed, "2024 is looking like a special year. Not only do I have the chance to go to my seventh Olympic Games, but I also have a shot at winning the Dakar with a fourth different manufacturer."

WRC Promoter aligns with UNESCO in its commitment to a more sustainable future.

WRC Promoter has pledged its commitment to the safeguarding of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, making the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) the first FIA championships and motorsport stakeholders to take this step. WRC Promoter joins World Rowing as the only sporting organisations having logged a commitment to protecting UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

In 2022, WRC exemplified its dedication to steering towards a more sustainable future by becoming the first FIA World Championship to adopt 100 per cent sustainable fuels. This remarkable feat was coupled with the introduction of pioneering hybrid-powered Rally1 vehicles.

However, future-proofing rallying goes beyond more sustainable vehicles. With WRC and ERC events taking place in the natural environment, the practice of rallying holds a close connection with and an interest in securing healthy and well-preserved ecosystems, thus WRC Promoter´s commitment toward UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their outstanding universal value and foundation for ecosystems and biodiversity conservation.

In its capacity to formulate the WRC and ERC calendars, as well as its regulatory right of approval over event itineraries, WRC Promoter commits to not negatively impacting current and future designated natural and mixed UNESCO World Heritage Sites and their attached buffer zones.

Furthermore, by recognising both the potential negative impacts of sporting events and the ability of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to support sustainable development, WRC Promoter commits to implement, in current and future WRC and ERC events, a nature management tool – comprising of an impact and spatial risk assessment– when a competition activity takes place at a natural or mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site and/or their buffer zones.

Only competition activities at natural or mixed UNESCO World Heritage Sites that can demonstrate appropriate management against adverse impacts on their outstanding universal value will be maintained as part of the sporting itinerary of WRC and ERC events.

WRC Promoter also intends to raise awareness among spectators and other motorsport stakeholders on the importance and relevance of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and encourage the wider sport sector to work towards avoiding negative impacts on these sites and their buffer zones.

WRC Promoter Managing Director Jona Siebel said of the commitment: "As championships, the WRC and ERC traverse some of the most diverse and unique places in the world, relaying imagery around the globe of the incredible beauty we live in. Protecting the outstanding universal value of UNESCO World Heritage Sites through best practices, and educating our fans is integral to future-proofing our sport."

For its part, the Director of UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, commented on WRC Promoter´s pledge: "Protecting UNESCO World Heritage sites for present and future generations is a shared responsibility. We warmly welcome the landmark commitment by WRC Promoter, the first motorsport stakeholder to pledge for the protection of UNESCO World Heritage sites. By taking this commitment, WRC Promoter recognises its responsibility to ensure these unique but fragile sites are not impacted by their sports events. We hope that this commitment will inspire other sports stakeholders to take similar steps."

Head of Heritage and Culture at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Tim Badman added: "We are pleased that WRC Promoter is joining in the recognition of the shared responsibility in conserving the world's most iconic places. This is an important step for the motorsports industry and sports more broadly to ensure they can continue to be enjoyed without harming our heritage".

WRC Promoter will assess the necessary steps and work closely with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and its advisory bodies (International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)) in order to expand its commitment to cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

WRC Promoter will work in synergy with all WRC and ERC event organisers in the implementation mechanisms of this commitment.

FIA World Rally Championship calendar 2024

25 – 28 January Rallye Monte-Carlo (Asphalt/Ice)
15 – 18 February Rally Sweden (Snow)
28 – 31 March Safari Rally Kenya (Gravel)
18 – 21 April Croatia Rally (Asphalt)
9 – 12 May Vodafone Rally de Portugal (Gravel)
30 May – 2 June Rally Italia Sardegna (Gravel)
27 – 30 June ORLEN 80th Rally Poland (Gravel)
18 – 21 July Tet Rally Latvia (Gravel)
1 – 4 August Secto Rally Finland (Gravel)
5 – 8 September EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (Gravel)
26 – 29 September Rally Chile Bio Bío (Gravel)
31 October – 3 November Central European Rally (Asphalt)
21 – 24 November FORUM8 Rally Japan (Asphalt)

Central European Rally (31 October – 3 November) will sweep across Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany as the penultimate round before the grand finale unfolds in Asia at FORUM8 Rally Japan (21 - 24 November).

Commenting on the calendar, WRC Promoter managing director Jona Siebel said: "We're eagerly anticipating another action-packed season in 2024 with a calendar that not only celebrates our esteemed traditions, but also propels us into an exciting future.

"Our return to Poland and our debut in Latvia underscore our commitment to delivering a fresh and exciting WRC experience for fans and competitors alike."

Every round of the WRC season will be broadcast live on WRC's groundbreaking new platform Rally.TV, as well as via traditional broadcast partners around the globe.

The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) is poised for another exhilarating season in 2024 after today's (19 October) calendar reveal.

In its 52nd season, the WRC will venture to 13 captivating destinations across four continents, delivering a perfect blend of tradition and innovation that aligns with rallying's enduring legacy.

The iconic Rallye Monte-Carlo (25 - 28 January) once again lifts the lid on the 2024 campaign, taking in the famous Col de Turini passes high in the French Alps which test drivers like no other. Following closely are the frozen forests of Rally Sweden (15 - 18 February), the only pure snow and ice fixture on the calendar.

A significant shift takes place at Safari Rally Kenya, which returns to a more traditional 28 - 31 March date, having run during June in recent years. This shift to Easter weekend will provide an even sterner test as it coincides with the beginning of Naivasha's rainy season.

Croatia Rally (18 - 21 April) has drawn in hundreds of thousands of spectators since its WRC debut in 2021. Its unique asphalt tracks based the around the capital of Zagreb vary from smooth to badly broken and are set to return in all their glory, as will the legendary gravel tests of Vodafone Rally de Portugal (9 - 12 May) – also a huge hit with the crowds.

Mediterranean charm awaits at Rally Italia Sardegna (30 May - 2 June) before the eagerly anticipated return of ORLEN 80th Rally Poland (27 - 30 June), back after a hiatus at the sport's top level since 2017. Poland's lightning-fast gravel roads promise a thrilling spectacle which will only be amplified further by the country's enthusiastic fanbase.

WRC is thrilled to welcome a newcomer in Tet Rally Latvia (18 - 21 July), located in the vibrant southern coastal city of Liepāja. Building on years of success at FIA European Rally Championship level, the loose-surface fixture underscores the clear pathway for events to ascend to the global stage of WRC.

Speed enthusiasts can look forward to the high-octane Secto Rally Finland (1 - 4 August), renowned for its jaw-dropping speeds and gravity-defying jumps. The excitement then takes a different form at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (5 - 8 September), offering a very different flavour with its winding, rocky mountain stages.

Once again, South America asserts its presence with Rally Chile Bio Bío (26 - 29 September), reaffirming the championship's global reach.

Published on October 29, 2023

O calendário arranca com o Rali de Monte Carlo, entre 25 e 28 de janeiro, e termina no Rali do Japão, entre 21 e 24 de novembro. O Vodafone Rally de Portugal, uma das mais emblemáticas provas do Mundial, abre a fase de terra na Europa (depois da passagem pelo Quénia, também em pisos de terra).

Grandes novidades no calendário de 2024 são a estreia da Letónia e o regresso da Polónia ao WRC. Para a FIA, "com os clássicos Monte-Carlo, Suécia, Safari, Portugal, Finlândia ou a Acrópole, os emergentes ralis da Croácia, Chile e Japão e os novos Rali da Letónia e o Rali da Europa Central, podemos esperar outra temporada de sucesso do Campeonato do Mundo de Ralis da FIA em 2024. Temos a garantia de uma boa variedade de ralis em quatro continentes e damos as boas-vindas a um regresso do desporto aos entusiásticos fãs da Europa Central e Oriental."

WRC Promoter appoints 11teamsports

Published on October 29, 2023

The recently agreed to strategic collaboration is set to elevate the FIA World Rally Championship's merchandise options and overall fan experience to an even higher level.

As a well-established German-based sports licensing powerhouse, 11teamsports boasts a comprehensive spectrum of expertise, spanning from product management to cutting-edge e-commerce solutions, personalisation offerings and seamless fulfillment services.

The partnership includes transforming the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) fan experience – ensuring enthusiasts on all corners of the globe are impeccably kitted out to embrace the exhilarating challenges of rally-watching across some of the world's most demanding terrains. It will also comprise the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) and the WRC Promoter's sister company World Rallycross Promoter, which holds the reins for promoting and marketing the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

Of the agreement, Christian Terörde, Senior Director Marketing & Sales at WRC Promoter, said: "Side-by-side with 11teamsports and its 360-degree merchandise solutions we enter a new era of our licensing business. We are convinced that the rally ecosystem will benefit from this strategic partnership and that we can deliver great products and services to our fans."

Björn Endter, General Manager Sports Licensing 11teamsports, adds: "The WRC, as well as the ERC and World RX, are premium sports brands reaching and engaging millions of passionate fans worldwide. We are very excited to strengthen these brands with our omni-channel retail business solution by creating a unique and everywhere-accessible fan experience. We will serve motorsports fans around the world with a wide range of product assortment online and in service parks, assisting them in proudly showing their passion for this sport."

texto: Red Bull Media

20/01/2023

FIA confirmou o calendário de 2023 do WRC, existem diversas alterações em relação à temporada que acabou há umas semanas.