Next year the FIA World Rally Championship will reset and move to a new generation of Hybrid Rally1 cars, in a new wider sustainable approach to its competition; beginning at the iconic Monte Carlo Rally in January.
This implementation of hybrid rally cars in the top tier Rally1 competition class and the usage of sustainable fuels is part of WRC’s and the FIA’s desire to cut down on carbon emissions from the World Rally Championship and throughout motorsport.
On the final day of the Acropolis Rally Greece 2021, the Greek Gods sent rain. The long-awaited return of this iconic rally had certainly delivered unexpected conditions, couple this with significant improvements to the roads used on the event; made for an entirely different rally to what it has been synonymous with in the past.
Therefore I don’t think one should compare today’s event to the rough, tough and dusty rally, that the drivers of the past had to endure, but it was certainly a welcome return to the World Championship.
The second full day of the Acropolis rally began with just 3.8 seconds separating the top 3, Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä was leading Ott Tänak with Sébastien Ogier close behind in third.
The opening test of the day, SS7 Pavliani was 24km long but the early morning conditions made for a moist surface and some likened the stage to perhaps more like Rally Chile rather than Greece. Rovanperä opened up the morning by beating Tänak by 5.6 seconds to take his first stage win of the day.
The first full day of action at the Acropolis Rally Greece featured just five stages over approx 90km; but there was no service halt. The conditions since Thursdays Shakedown had improved overnight and were more typical of what is to be expected on this legendary rally, in that, it was now hot and dry.
The opening Aghil test was 17.5km in length and was the only stage on the days’ route with double usage. Hyundai’s Ott Tänak took that first stage win beating current Championship leader and overnight rally leader Sébastien Ogier by just 0.2 seconds. Title Challenger hopeful, Thierry Neuville was well off the pace on this first test; some +10 seconds.
After an 8 year absence, the Acropolis Rally Greece also known as “The Rally Of The Gods” has returned to the FIA World Rally Championships for the 9th round of the 2021 season.
First held in 1953, The Acropolis was one of the original founding members of the WRC back in 1973. This iconic rally last ran as part of the World Series back in 2013, where current Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Boss Jari-Matti Latvala won in the VW Polo.
It is typically known as a rough, tough, hot and dry gravel rally. However, just days before the rally was due to start, heavy rain hit the stages leaving them not only wet but thick with mud, something one would expect to see on Rally GB.
Unbelievably making its first ever appearance into the FIA World Rally Championship, the Ypres Rally, Belgium hosted round 8 of the 2021 Championship.
Becoming the 35th Nation to hold the highest level of international rallying, Belgium and indeed Ypres is no stranger to rallying. For many years the roads of Belgium have been a playing field for European rallying and the Historic Ypres has been a battlefield not just through two great wars but for motorsport also.
First, held in 1965, the Ypres rally has played its part in the European Rally Championship over the years but finally was given the opportunity to test the worlds best driver on its very own challenging Asphalt roads.
The FIA World Rally Championships returned to Estonia for Round 7 of the 2021 season. Estonias second edition of hosting a World Rally not only brought with it the familiar fast gravel roads with extreme jumps that were experienced last year, but this time around a few technical sections were also thrown in for good measure to.
A total of 314km spread over 24 special stages awaited the competitors in front of a mass of Estonian Rally fans who had flocked to the stages in the sunshine.
Frenchman Sébastien Ogier arrived in the Baltic country leading the drivers’ standings for Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT after his surprise victory last time out on the Safari Rally, in Kenya.
The final day of the Safari Rally Kenya began with further drama in the form of heartbreak for the overnight rally leader, Thierry Neuville. Having shown to be the pacesetter for much of the rally; on the opening test of the final day, once again it was game over for a rally leading Hyundai car.
Entering the final day with a significant 57 second lead over Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta; all the Belgian had to do was survive the remaining 5 stages which covered just 48km. Sadly for Neuville, it wasn’t to be as suspension failure robbed him of the victory, just like it had of his teammate Ott Tänak on the previous two events in Portugal and Sardinia.
The second full day of the Safari Rally Kenya, for the majority of, produced far less drama compared to that of the previous action-packed day. With 132km spread over a further 6 stages on the tracks further north around Lake Elmenteita; what promised to be a much tougher day, was instead far more conservative.
Whilst the world on social media was banging on about Zebra Crossings, overnight rally leader Thierry Neuville set about extending his lead by 10 seconds over Takamoto Katsuta on the morning’s loop of stages.
Saturday morning in Sardinia offered a fresh day for some, but a continued battle for others, overnight rain had dampened the stages and the sky was overcast. With just under 130km over a further 8 stages, some well-known stages were to feature on the route and with reversed road orders, Saturday in Sardinia would deliver carnage out on the stages.
