It has been an arduous journey for all involved in the Monte Carlo Rally this year. Through a relentless and enduring few months filled with issues and challenges caused by the global COVID-19 Pandemic and for some, the added logistical issues navigating Brexit also. The Rally Monte Carlo 2021 is finally all go now following the organisers, The Automobile Club De Monaco obtaining the final nod from the Hautes-Alpes department last Friday.
The 56th Arctic Lapland Rally became even more of an interest outside of the Finnish national rallying community this year, simply because of the speculation (which later become true in the run-up to the event) surrounding the possibility of an Arctic Rally replacing the cancelled Rallye Sweden in the FIA World Rally Championships calendar.
An Arctic adventure awaits the 120 competitors who face more than 200 kilometres of snowy icy roads and sub-zero temperatures in the wilderness of the Arctic Circle.
The 56th Arctic Lapland Rally 2021 starts on Friday afternoon from the host town of Rovaniemi, Finland; consisting of 3 stages on Friday followed by a further 4 on Saturday in the winter wonderland of Lapland.
Further alterations have been made to the Monte Carlo-Rally which is due to take place in the coming week (21st – 24th January), as the opening round of the 2021 FIA World Rally Championships. The accepted entry list has also been published which includes 84 competitors.
In addition to the schedule changes that were detailed back in December following the restrictions to the area relating to COVID-19. The Automobile Club De Monaco have faced further challenges with the new tighter restrictions and curfews.
Following on from a trepid rally in 2020 where Rallye Sweden only just ran by the skin of its teeth due to the lack of Snow, Ice and Wintery conditions; it was then hit again for 2021 by the global pandemic of COVID forcing its cancellation.
But now local Swedish news SVT are reporting the future of the event and its return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2022 is also a concern for the Swedes.
Having recently taking delivery of his new R5 i20, Hyundai’s latest recruit Oliver Solberg will put it to work at the Arctic Lapland Rally (14th-16th January).
This move is adding to the factory teams taking the potential of another Arctic Winter Rally assuming Sweden’s vacant WRC spot seriously.
Local Finnish news are reporting that the decision on a possible Arctic Winter Rally replacement for Sweden’s slot in the WRC is due to meet its deadline next Wednesday 13th January.
Both budget and the levels of COVID-19 are the considerations here. Reported new cases of COVID remain a constant each day and have not spiked significantly over the past few weeks, but a close eye is to be kept on the numbers.
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Test driver Juho Hanninen will contest the Arctic Lapland Rally (14th-16th Jan) in a works Toyota Yaris. This will enable the team to obtain much valuable data should another Arctic Winter Rally replace Sweden’s empty slot on in the WRC in February or March.
Following on from our previous thoughts back in December surrounding the concerns over Rally GB and the challenges that it faces, with regards to funding and the effects of COVID-19. We now find ourselves in January of 2021, approximately 8 months away from our allocated slot in the 2021 FIA World Rally Championships (which is 19th – 22nd Aug) and still there appears to be radio silence on the event from our governing body, Motorsport UK or any such organiser/promoter of the rally.
