Regional Rally suffered from the impact of COVID-19 in 2020 and rally organisers around the world continue to face issues related to the pandemic this year. But thanks to swift responses and revised schedules, competition is on course for the 2021 season on all the continents despite difficulties.
In Europe, the FIA European Rally Trophy action kicked off with the first rays of the Spring sun.
Next year’s Rally Sweden will move north as Umeå becomes the event’s new host city.
Umeå sits on Sweden’s east coast, more than 600km north of capital Stockholm, and has a strong sporting heritage. It was named the country’s top city for sport twice in the last three years.
It beat off challenges from Östersund and Luleå during an intensive 12-month search headed by Rally Sweden CEO Glenn Olsson. Uppermost in his mind was that the FIA World Rally Championship’s only pure winter fixture could guarantee snow and ice-covered roads.
The FIA Rally Star programme will extend its timeline to allow National Sporting Authorities (ASNs) to organise more selection events in a still challenging environment. This will bring even more opportunities for drivers wishing to participate in the global talent search.
In excess of 40 ASNs around the world have already committed to FIA Rally Star and more are finalising plans for their selection events in the near future. The continued COVID-19 pandemic has, however, complicated strategies for some of those countries.
Scheduled on August 21-22, the 89th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, round four of the FIA World Endurance Championship, will be preceded by a test day and four support races taking place over five days of intense track action.
On Friday, August 13, the pre-race scrutineering procedures will be conducted at the circuit. These checks will be valid both for the Test Day held on Sunday, August 15, and for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race itself.
Practice and qualifying sessions have also been revised in response to competitor requirements.
FIA ETRC to become leading platform for sustainable technologies in road haulage industry
European Truck Racing Association (ETRA) will focus on the three strategic pillars of safety, sustainability and shortage of professional truck drivers and has committed to the Paris Agreement to take the championship to its next chapter.
Last year ETRA, its shareholder ADAC Mittelrhein as well as the FIA committed to three key priorities when extending its promotion contract with the FIA for the European Truck Racing Championship until 2025.
In order to harmonise performance levels between the Hypercar and the LMP2 categories, the FIA WEC Committee and the ACO have decided to further adjust performance of the cars competing in the LMP2 class.
This is to ensure that the performance windows of the two respective classes of cars, as well as their speed profiles, remain consistent at all circuits and in all weather conditions.
Gibson engines, exclusive to this category, will therefore deliver 400kW instead of the previous limit of 450kW.
The FIA is pleased to confirm the commitment of Hyundai, Toyota and M-Sport Ford in preparation for the 2022 World Rally Championship, when Hybrid power will be introduced in the top tier of the series.
The three-year agreement includes a shared contribution to the development costs of the technology for this new era, which will have a strong focus on safety, cost management and sustainability.
Developed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the FIA Rally Star programme has secured first-rate support from Playseat®, the worldwide leader in racing simulation cockpits and Official License Partner for the FIA since 2017.
Launched at the start of this year, FIA Rally Star’s talent detection phase is all about accessibility. To give 17-26 year-olds the opportunity to show off their racing skills, member clubs of the FIA are able to organise selections in a production car (Slalom Challenge) or a driving simulator (Digital Challenge).
DRIVERS1 – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes)2 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull)3 – Valtteri BOTTAS (Mercedes) TRACK INTERVIEWS(Conducted by Jenson Button) Q: Max, for us watching, what an amazing spectacle that was, you two fighting it out at the end. I can see the disappointment on your face. Tell us how you’re feeling right now?Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, it’s of course a shame, but you also have to see the positives. We were really putting the fight onto them and I think that’s great to start the year like that.
DRIVERS
1 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)
2 – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes)
3 – Valtteri BOTTAS (Mercedes)
TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by David Coulthard)
Q: Max, you’ve started as you finished in Abu Dhabi last year, with pole position. But this is the first time in your Formula 1 career that you have been top of the times in every single session. It’s real; this championship battle could be on.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, of course we already had a great test week.
McLaren F1 team can’t underestimate Ferrari’s ability to “strike back”
Impressive Ricciardo has boss on tattoo alert
Mercedes battling “issues” with engine preparations for 2021 F1 seasonValtteri Bottas pips Lewis Hamilton to pole for F1’s 70th Anniversary GP
Ricciardo’s F1 chassis and engine cleared to race after Styrian GP practice crash
Sir Frank Williams discharged from hospital
F1 News: 10 COVID-19 cases wouldn’t cancel an F1 race, says the FIALewis Hamilton still ambitious after breaking Schumacher’s win record