WRC – World title chase and rising WRC rookies centre stage in Chile

The race for total FIA World Rally Championship honours and a head-to-head contest between two rising skills are among the many highlights in retailer on subsequent week’s Rally Chile Biobío.

Counting as spherical 11 of the 13-event FIA WRC season, the third Rally Chile Biobío is the eighth and last gravel occasion of the present marketing campaign.

Scheduled from September 26-29 in Chile’s spectacular Biobío area, the South American fixture continues to be primarily based within the port metropolis of Concepción, near the Pacific Ocean and with phases run within the forests to the south.

Rally Chile Biobío can be held within the second week the Southern Hemisphere’s springtime, which might imply rain and cooler climate circumstances.

However whereas the temperature may be colder in Chile, the FIA WRC title battle can be red-hot with Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Workforce’s Thierry Neuville aiming to remain away from the chasing pack. It’s headed by his team-mate, Ott Tänak, the 2019 FIA WRC champion, and Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT’s Sébastien Ogier, who stays in rivalry for a ninth world crown. And with a most haul of 90 factors up for grabs throughout the deciding three rounds of the season, Toyota’s Elfyn Evans and M-Sport Ford World Rally Workforce’s Adrien Fourmaux aren’t out of the title body simply but.

It is a related story in FIA WRC2 for Rally2 vehicles with Oliver Solberg main the provisional order. The 22-year-old Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia RS driver from Sweden is three factors forward of Sami Pajari having claimed a hat-trick of wins in 2024. Pajari can also be a three-time winner within the class however the Finn, 22, has his focus fastened on Rally1 energy on Rally Chile Biobío. The occasion marks his second look in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid following his stage-winning top-level debut on Secto Rally Finland in August.

Mārtinš Sesks from Latvia, one other driver rated as a attainable future world champion, additionally returns to Rally1 degree in Chile. The 25-year-old’s Ford Puma Rally1 gained’t run with the usual plug-in hybrid system beneath new guidelines for this season which have been designed to make the FIA WRC’s headlining class extra accessible. Nevertheless, Sesks’ Puma should carry the equal weight of the total EV system in ballast and gained’t be eligible for Producer championship factors.

Pirelli, the FIA WRC’s official tyre provider, will present its soft-compound Scorpion KX tyre as he first selection in anticipation of cool and damp circumstances with the hard-compound model accessible as the choice tyre ought to the climate be heat and dry. A most of 28 tyres, together with 4 for shakedown, can be utilized by the Rally1 groups.

RALLY CHILE BIBÍO ROUTE IN SHORT

South America’s spherical of the FIA World Rally Championship follows an identical path to the 2023 version, albeit with a brand new shakedown stage and tweaks to the Pelun and Lota timed assessments on leg two and Laraquete and Bio Bio on leg three. The ceremonial begin location has additionally modified with a return to Concepción for 2024 after it came about in Los Ángeles in 2023. Leg one consists of two loops of three phases over a aggressive distance of 112.76 kilometres.

Situated southeast of Concepción, Friday’s phases are identified for his or her larger speeds in comparison with the remainder of the route. At 139.20 kilometres, leg two, situated south of Concepción, is the longest of the rally with the 28.31-kilometre Maria las Cruce stage the rally’s longest. The 2 loops of three phases are thought of extra twisty than legs one and three, whereas Lota homes the fan-friendly Rally Village.

Additionally situated south of Concepción, the event-deciding leg three options two repeated phases – Laraquete and Bio Bio – over a aggressive distance of 54.80 kilometres. The rerun of Bio Bio, the place the Rally Village can also be situated, types the Wolf Stage with the motion as a result of start at 13:00 hrs native time. The gravel-based Rally Chile Biobío is famend for its quick and cambered forest roads, that are largely easy in nature.

RALLY CHILE BIOBÍO RALLY DATA

Stage distance: 306.76 km

Complete distance: 1239.23 km

Variety of phases: 16

RALLY1 CONTENDERS

Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT

Having secured a 1-2-3 end on EKO Acropolis Rally earlier this month, Thierry Neuville heads the German squad’s Rally Chile BioBío entry – and the provisional FIA World Rally Championship factors desk – with team-mate Ott Tänak now his closest challenger in second. Esapekka Lappi is again within the third Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid for Rally Chile BioBío having final competed for the workforce in Finland.

M-Sport Ford WRT

Mārtinš Sesks returns to the British outfit’s line-up for his Rally Chile Biobío debut in a non-hybrid Ford Puma Rally1, his first look since Tet Rally Latvia in July, the place he missed out on a podium end on the Energy Stage. Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire Munster will even fly the M-Sport flag on Rally Chile BioBío, an occasion it gained in 2023 with former driver Ott Tänak.

Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

Eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier – presently third within the provisional Drivers’ standings – leads the Toyota line in Chile alongside reigning champion Kalle Rovanperä. Elfyn Evans and Sami Pajari additionally kind a part of the workforce’s problem with Pajari getting ready for his second begin at Rally1 degree.

SUPPORTING CATEGORIES

A extremely aggressive FIA WRC2 entry consists of present factors chief Oliver Solberg (Toksport WRT Škoda Fabia RS Rally2), Citroën C3 Rally2 pair Nikolay Gryazin and Yohan Rossel (DG Sport Competitors), plus Toyota GR Yaris Rally2-mounted Jan Solans.

Chilean brothers Alberto and Pedro Heller are entered in a pair of Citroën C3 Rally2s, whereas Jorge Martínez (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2), who was born in occasion host metropolis Concepcíon, is an 11-time nationwide champion.

Gus Greensmith, who completed runner-up to team-mate Solberg in Chile final season, can also be entered, as is Kajetan Kajetanowicz, a winner of the FIA European Rally Championship on three events, and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zaldivar.

Factors pacesetter Diego Domínguez tops FIA WRC3 Championship entry in a Ford Fiesta Rally3. Renault Clio Rally3 driver Ghjuvanni Rossi is amongst his opposition.

MEDIA INFORMATION

Media accreditation

Media accreditation for Rally Chile BioBío should be collected in particular person by accredited go holders from the Accreditation Desk situated as follows: MDS Resort Concepción, Calle A 809 Brisa del Sol, Concepción, BioBío.

Media accreditation opening hours

Tuesday September 24: 14:00 – 20:00 hrs

Wednesday September 25: 08:30 – 20:00 hrs

Thursday September 26: 07:30 – 20:00 hrs

Friday September 27: upon request solely to the nationwide press workforce

Media Centre location and opening hours

The Media Centre is situated as follows: MDS Resort Concepción, Calle A 809 Brisa del Sol, Concepción, BioBío.

Media Heart opening hours

Tuesday September 24: 14:00 – 20:00 hrs

Wednesday September 25: 08:30 – 20:00 hrs

Thursday September 26: 08:00 – 20:00 hrs

Friday September 27: 07:30 – 22:00 hrs

Saturday September 28: 08:00 – 22:00 hrs

Sunday September 29: 07:00 – 22:00 hrs

Media actions and alternatives

Wednesday 25 September

17:00              Tabard Media Security Briefing, necessary for all tabard media (Media Centre)

Thursday 26 September

09:01 – 11:00 Shakedown for P1 drivers and invited P2 drivers (Conuco, 6.79km)

11:01 – 12:30 Shakedown for all precedence drivers (Conuco, 6.79km)

12:31 – 14:00 Shakedown for P2, P3 and non-priority drivers (Conuco, 6.79km)

12:30 – 14:00 FIA WRC Media Pen for P1 and P2 drivers and P1 TPs (Fan Zone in SP, Concepción)

17:40 – 18:20 Autograph session with all P1 crews (Concepción)

18:20 – 19:00 FIA WRC Meet the Crews for invited crews and workforce reps (Concepción)

19:00              Ceremonial Begin (Concepción)

Friday 27 September

07:30              Begin of Part 1 (Service Park, Concepcíon)

19:30 approx. FIA WRC Meet the Crews with P1 TPs and high 3 drivers (Fan Zone in SP, Concepcíon)

Saturday 28 September

08:05              Begin of Part 3 (Parc Fermé, Service Park, Concepcíon)

20:00 approx. FIA WRC Meet the Crews with P1 TPs and high 3 drivers (Fan Zone in SP, Concepcíon)

Sunday 29 September

07:00              Begin of Part 5 (Parc Fermé, Service Park, Concepcíon)

15:30              Submit-event FIA Press Convention (Fan Zone, Service Park, Concepcíon)

16:00              Podium Ceremony and Prize-giving (Fan Zone, Service Park, Concepcíon)

(All instances native, approximate and topic to alter)

Media zones

Media Zones attended by all drivers and chosen workforce representatives will function as follows:

TC 3A, TC 6A, TC 9A, TC 12A and TC 16A

FIA WRC Meet the Crews reside interviews, Concepción, Thursday 26 September

18:20 – 19:00 – FIA Help Championships

Toksport WRT, Oliver Solberg (SWE), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2

Fabrizio Zaldivar (PRY), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2

Jorge Martínez (CHL), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2

Pedro Heller (CHL), Citroën C3 Rally2

Diego Domínguez (PRY), Ford Fiesta Rally3

18:40 – 19:00 – FIA WRC Championship

Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT, Ott Tänak (EST), Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid

Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, Kalle Rovanperä (FIN), Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid

Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, Sami Pajari (FIN), Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid

M-Sport Ford WRT, Grégoire Munster (LUX), Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid

M-Sport Ford WRT, Mārtinš Sesks (LVA), Ford Puma Rally1

FIA WRC Workforce Principals are required to affix their respective crews for interviews on the Begin Ramp.

FIA Submit-event Press Convention, Fan Zone (SP), Concepcíon, Sunday 29 September, 15:30

High 3 drivers in total classification, successful co-driver and consultant of successful producer

Successful FIA WRC2, WRC2 Challenger, WRC3 and Masters Cup drivers.

FIA WRC Meet the Crews reside interviews and FIA Submit-event Press Convention broadcast on FIA and WRC social media channels.

RALLY CHILE BIOBÍO MANUFACTURER ENTRIES

ADDITIONAL RALLY CHILE BIOBÍO P1 ENTRIES

Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT                            Sami Pajari (FIN)/Enni Mälkönen (FIN) – #5

M-Sport Ford WRT                                        Mārtinš Sesks (LVA)/Renārs Francis (LVA) – #22

FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2024 CLASSIFICATION

The provisional classifications following spherical 10 of the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship can be found right here.

RALLY CHILE BIOBÍO 2023 RESULTS

RALLY CHILE BIOBÍO WINNERS

2023    Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja    Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid

2019    Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja    Toyota Yaris WRC