IN SHORT:
Returning to South America after a 4-year break
After a four-year hiatus, the WRC is back in South America. The last time the world’s highest level car rally competition was held on this continent in 2019. Back then, Rally Chile celebrated its WRC baptism of fire. Since then, both the leading drivers and the equipment have changed, and the rally itself will also be different, because only one of the speed stages expected this year was run in 2019. This means that the rally is new and the pilots will not have experienced it.
Speed stages take you on flat gravel roads through forests and up and down the foothills of the Andes. Several drivers have compared the configuration of the roads in Chile with the speed stages of New Zealand and Great Britain or even the expressways of Finland.
The track in Chile is fast with flowing and at the same time difficult corner sections. In some places, the speed stages also reach above the clouds, which guarantees bright views for both the crews and the spectators.
2019 Chile WRC round.
Photo: imago images / PanoramiC, Andre Lavadinho
Concepcion, the third most populous city in Chile, which is located approximately 500 kilometers (km) south of the country’s capital, Santiago, has again been chosen as the rally’s base location. Thursday is scheduled for practice runs, as well as the ceremonial start of the rally, which will take place in the city of Los Angeles.
The race will start on Friday – the drivers will compete in six speed stages with a length of almost 113 km. Saturday will be the longest stage of the rally in terms of distance – 154 km in six stages. On the other hand, the competition with the last four “dopes” of 54 km will end on Sunday.
Therefore, in total, riders will compete in the speed stages over a distance of 321 km.
It should be reminded that in the last or so-called “Power stage” speed stage, the owners of the five fastest times earn additional points in the season section, which at this moment can also decide the positions in the overall standings.
“The feeling will be like a new rally”
“I think that after four years and with several new stages, it will feel like a new rally. So it will be a big challenge for everyone,” the current season leader, Finland’s Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota Gazoo Racing), told the organizers of the championship.
It is true that Rovanpera and the other drivers who started this year have experienced the Rally of Chile in 2019, however, it happened with a completely different technique and, as already mentioned, on different twists and turns of the track. For example, in 2019, Rovanpera won this rally in the lower classification with the less powerful “R5” class vehicle.
On the other hand, Estonian Ots Tanaks (“M-Sport Ford”) won the 2019 Chile WRC stage, while still competing in the ranks of “Toyota Gazoo Racing”. It should be mentioned that Tanak won the world championship title that season.
The Estonian crew (from right) Ots Tanak and Martins Jerveoja after winning the Chile Rally in 2019.
Photo: imago images / PanoramiC, Andre Lavadinho
Meanwhile, Belgium’s Thierry Neville (Hyundai Shell Mobis) is always remembered for the spectacular crash that took place the last time the South American country hosted the WRC.
“Toyota Gazoo Racing” can become a champion team; Rovanpera is closing in on her second title
The Japanese factory team “Toyota Gazoo Racing” can win the team championship in the Chile rally. The only one of the two competitors that can change it yet is the Korean unit “Hyundai Shell Mobis”.
The Japanese team must score at least 13 points more than “Hyundai Shell Mobis” in this competition to become the champion team. In the event of a victory, it would be the third consecutive success for “Toyota Gazoo Racing”.
The “Toyota Gazoo Racing” team will have two season leaders for this rally – Rovanpera and second place holder, Welshman Elfin Evans – as well as Japanese Takamoto Katsuta.
Rovanpera could already secure the title of world champion in this competition, becoming the best rally driver in the world for the second year in a row. However, it doesn’t take much for his teammate Evans to prolong the fight. If Evans enters the top eight, then the fight will continue.
It should be reminded that Evans (167 points) is 33 points behind Rowanper (200 points) at the end of the season, while Belgian Neville is in third place.
“Hyundai Shell Mobis” hopes to continue the fight in the team standings; “M-Sport Ford” is looking to end the series of failures
It is Neville without Evans who is the only pilot who can claim the championship title, but the chances are almost slim. The Belgian pilot has had another season where he has been close to being the leader several times, but everything has not worked out as expected.
Neville has made mistakes at key moments this season, such as when leading races, which have cost him a run at his first and long-awaited title.
Alongside Neville, Finnish pilots Esapeka Lapi and Tēmu Suninens will help forge the efforts of Hyundai Shell Mobis in the fight for the manufacturers’ cup.
Meanwhile, the third factory team – M-Sport Ford – will be hoping to end their losing streak. The team’s rearman, fanciuse Pierre-Louis Lube, has not finished in three rallies this year, but the best achievement in the others is 6th position.
Meanwhile, team leader Tanaka has suffered several technical problems in the second half of the season, which have raised questions in the motorsport community about whether he will continue cooperation with “M-Sport Ford” after the season.
The “M-Sport Ford” team hopes to refresh the performance of Gregoire Munster, who drives with a Luxembourg license, who has so far competed in a lower WRC class with a “Ford” vehicle. Also, the “Ford Puma” car will be driven by the Chilean Alberts Heller, who rented a high-class rally car specially for his home race.
After the Chile Rally, the WRC season will feature two more stages – the championship’s new Central European Rally and the Japan stage. The two final rallies of the season will take place on asphalt roads. It is planned that the Latvian stage will be included in the WRC calendar for the first time next season.
What happened in the 2023 WRC season
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2023-09-28 04:01:13
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