World Rally News

Hyundai Motorsport’s Deputy Team Director believes their Rally Finland performance heralds an important turning point for their much-maligned I20 N Rally1 car as far as speed and reliability are concerned.

Hyundai  Motorsport’s Ott Tanak has drawn level with some of the World Rally Championship’s most decorated drivers from the last 50 years by claiming a third victory at Secto Rally Finland alongside Martin Jarveoja. 

World Rally Championship leader Kalle Rovanpera raised the spirits – and expectations – of his home fans by going quickest on this morning’s Rally Finland shakedown stage alongside Jonne Halttunen.

As opportunities in the World Rally Championship go, they do not come much bigger – or indeed better – than the one that has been handed to Jari Huttunen by the hierarchy at M-Sport Ford.

Kalle Rovanpera – the runaway leader of the World Rally Championship – insists he does not feel under any undue pressure despite the weight of fans’ expectation leading up to his home round of the series.

Hyundai Motorsport deputy team director Julien Moncet appears to undecided about what he believes is possible from his leading Rally1 drivers at Secto Rally Finland next weekend.

The head of Motorsport UK has paid tribute to rally legend Paddy Hopkirk, who passed away on Thursday at Stoke Mandeville Hospital aged 89.

Kalle Rovanpera comprehensively won Rally Estonia alongside Jonne Halttunen and will now carry a sizeable 83 point advantage heading into the second half of the World Rally Championship season.

Kalle Rovanpera remains on course to increase his World Rally Championship points advantage by making it five victories from seven starts with only one day of Rally Estonia remaining.

Kalle Rovanpera was promoted to the top of the Rally Estonia leaderboard on the final Friday stage after his Toyota team-mate and long-time leader Elfyn Evans dropped 22.6 seconds.

Ott Tanak has revealed preparations within the Hyundai Motorsport camp for his home round of the World Rally Championship this weekend have not quite gone the way he would have wanted.

Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Esapekka Lappi went fastest on this morning’s Rally Estonia shakedown - his best effort a whole second quicker than his closest World Rally Championship rival.

M-Sport Ford’s Craig Breen has promised to leave everything on the stages over the course of the next three rounds as the Irishman vies for his first-ever victory as a World Rally Championship driver.

From this week’s Rally Estonia, World Rally Championship teams are to be given more time to work on those Rally1 hybrid cars that have been retired from either the Friday or Saturday leg.

Kalle Rovanpera has won the gruelling Safari Rally Kenya, leading home a Toyota Gazoo Racing 1-2-3-4 and increasing his advantage in the standings over Hyundai Motorsport's Thierry Neuville to 65 points.

Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Principal Jari-Matti Latvala has heaped praised on his four drivers for “holding their nerve” on the penultimate day of an incident-filled Safari Rally Kenya.

An off colour Kalle Rovanpera successfully consolidated his position at the top of the Safari Rally Kenya timesheets across Saturday’s six special stages to lead Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Elfyn Evans by 40.3 seconds.

M-Sport Ford Team Principal Richard Millener says his team will bounce back from the disappointment of witnessing three of their four Puma Rally1 cars being struck down with a variety of issues on the opening day of Safari Rally Kenya.

Kalle Rovanpera managed to steer clear of trouble on the first full day of a quite remarkable Safari Rally Kenya to lead his Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Elfyn Evans by 22.4 seconds.

World Rally Championship legend Sebastien Ogier says the passion displayed by the Kenyan people towards the sport on its return to the country last year is the underlying reason why he wanted to come back in 2022.

World Rally Championship leader Kalle Rovanpera maintained his headline grabbing start to the 2022 season by posting the best time through this morning’s picture postcard Safari Rally shakedown stage.

Ott Tanak’s Rally Italia Sardegna success has been labelled “a wonderful reward” for the endeavour of everyone working at Hyundai Motorsport by the squad's Deputy Team Director, Julien Moncet.

Hyundai's Ott Tanak and Martin Järveoja stormed to victory on Rally Italia Sardegna – round five of the FIA World Rally Championship – to end a winless streak that stretched all the way back to the start of last year.

Ott Tanak remains on course to clinch his first World Rally Championship victory in more than a year after ending the penultimate day of Rally Italia Sardegna holding a commanding 46 second lead.