日: 2022年11月25日

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The FIA World Rally Championship calendar will widen in geographical spread in 2023 after the FIA World Motor Sport Council approved next season’s schedule through an electronic vote of its members this week.

Featuring 13 rounds from January and November, the calendar includes one new event, plus a return to two traditional heartlands in North and South America.

Of the 13 rounds, five will count for the FIA Junior WRC Championship, which provides young, up-and-coming talents the opportunity to showcase their ability and grow their experience on a global stage in identical Rally3-specification Ford Fiestas.

As well as approving next season’s WRC roster, the World Motor Sport Council members gave the green light to the FIA European Rally Championship calendar for 2023. Having approved the FIA African Rally Championship and FIA Middle East Rally Championship schedules at its October meeting, the Council will consider the Asia-Pacific, CODASUR, NACAM and R-GT calendars, presented by the FIA Rally Commission, when it convenes in December.

FIA WRC season calendar all set for 2023

Among the many highlights in store during the second season of the FIA World Rally Championship’s hybrid-based Rally1 era are the return of events in North America (México) and South America (Chile), plus a unique cross-border rally featuring stages in Germany, Austria and Czech Republic.

In keeping with tradition, the 2023 WRC season is scheduled to begin on Rallye Monte-Carlo (January 19-22) with the 70th Rally Sweden’s snow and ice-coated stages providing the next challenge from February 9-12.

The WRC returns to North America and Guanajuato Rally México for the first time since 2020, with the opening gravel event of the year, from March 16-19. It’s then back to Europe and Croatia Rally’s sealed-surface stages from April 20-23 with Vodafone Rally de Portugal marking the first of seven consecutive gravel rounds from May 11-14. Remaining in southern Europe for the 20th Rally Italia Sardegna (June 1-4), the WRC then heads to Africa for Safari Rally Kenya (June 22-25).

Rally Estonia (July 20-23) hosts the first of two back-to-back high-speed gravel rounds followed by Rally Finland from August 3-6. The gravel-based EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (September 7-10) follows ahead of Rally Chile Biobío, signalling the WRC’s South American comeback on gravel stages from September 28-October 1.

The all-new Central Europe Rally (October 26-29) comprises Tarmac tests in Austria, Czech Republic and Germany and is the first WRC event to feature competitive action in three countries.

FORUM8 Rally Japan, which uses asphalt-only stages, hosts the season-closing round from November 16-19, having returned to the WRC calendar earlier this month.

Five FIA Junior WRC Championship rounds fixed

With events on asphalt, gravel and snow, FIA Junior WRC Championship drivers will get the opportunity to learn and progress on a variety of surfaces. Competing in identical, Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally3s prepared and maintained by M-Sport Poland, the series provides the ultimate arrive-and-drive experience for drivers aiming for rallying’s highest echelon. The 2023 FIA Junior WRC Championship schedule consists of Rally Sweden, Croatia Rally, Rally Italia Sardegna, Rally Estonia and EKO Acropolis Rally Greece.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “The fact that the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship will visit five distinct regions is a positive step towards engaging more people in motor sport, either as competitors,  volunteers, officials or fans. By returning to North and South America in addition to rallies in Africa, Asia and Europe, the WRC is embracing a more global calendar, which has always been the intention of the FIA. With established and emerging events on asphalt, gravel and snow, the 2023 calendar offers diversity, while the cross-border Central Europe Rally is an excellent example of several ASNs working in unison to deliver a world-class event. I am looking forward to the WRC’s second season of the hybrid-based Rally1 era.”

FIA Rally Director Andrew Wheatley said: “It’s fundamental for a world championship to reflect the global nature of motor sport and I wish to extend our appreciation to the ASNs, organisers and WRC Promoter who are working hard to deliver events that raise the level and appeal of the WRC each year. COVID-19 has obviously caused us to be absent from some regions since 2020 but we’re moving in the right direction with four long-haul events in 2023. We are coming closer to the vision of having the WRC support our global regional rally series and at the same time, highlighting the importance of the many events that have formed the backbone to the WRC for the first 50 years.”

WRC Promoter Managing Director Jona Siebel said: “We are incredibly happy to be returning to North and South America. We have maintained a dialogue with the Mexican and Chilean organisers throughout the COVID pandemic and we are confident this is now the right time for our return. With an extended calendar and exciting new stops added to the mix, the WRC is well placed to reach more fans than ever before.”

New event joins FIA ERC calendar

The addition of Sweden (Royal Rally of Scandinavia) features on an eight-event FIA European Rally Championship calendar, which includes four rounds on gravel and four on asphalt. Six of the eight rallies have been designated rounds of the FIA Junior ERC Championship. The Council also approved the calendars for the FIA African and FIA Middle East Rally championships earlier last month.

FIA European Rally Championship 2023

Jr: qualifying event for the FIA Junior ERC Championship 
* subject to WRC Promoter contract

FIA African Rally Championship 2023

FIA Middle East Rally Championship 2023

World Rally Championship

WRCWRCSEASON 2023SportRallies1SportWorld Rally ChampionshipRalliesWRCSEASON 2023WRC01Friday, November 25, 2022 – 2:00pmFriday, November 25, 2022 – 2:00pm

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The race for the 2022 WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup Drivers’ and Teams’ titles reaches its climax in Saudi Arabia this weekend (November 26-27) when the final chequered flag will be waved on the all-action series after five seasons and 108 races.

With a 60-point advantage in his bid to be crowned King of WTCR, Goodyear #FollowTheLeader Mikel Azcona is preparing to head to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in the knowledge that it’s very much his title to lose following a standout campaign in his BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse Elantra N TCR.

Indeed, the third fastest time in Qualifying will be enough to make him the first Spaniard and the third BRC-run driver to win the coveted title, regardless of how Néstor Girolami − his closest rival – performs aboard his ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Honda Civic Type R TCR.

“WTCR Race of Bahrain was fantastic, a very good weekend for us,” said Azcona. “This is a very important moment of my career and I know I can achieve a great result. My goal is to win the world title and I will do everything possible to get this.”

Girolami, a two-time winner in 2022, said: “The title looks very hard now but it’s not finished, so we’ll be in maximum attack for Jeddah and see where that leaves us.”

While Azcona, 26, is in the title ascendency after 16 rounds, the chase for second and third in the final WTCR standings remains wide open. Of those preparing for battle on the newly completed Short Track at the spectacular Red Sea venue, four can still finish runner-up, while third place is between five drivers.

The inaugural WTCR Race of Saudi Arabia, which marks the first world-level touring car race to take place in the country, represents unchartered territory for all drivers with the 3.450-kilometre Jeddah Corniche Circuit’s Short Track never previously used in competition.

The Short Track essentially takes drivers from the exit of Turn 3 towards the Turn 4 left-hand corner. But instead of continuing to Turn 5 on the Full Track, drivers dive right and head through to a sweeping hairpin turn, before accelerating towards Turn 6 and then onto the left-hander at Turn 7.

Norbert Michelisz, the 2019 King of WTCR and the winner of Race 2 at WTCR Race of Bahrain last weekend, said: “I don’t have a clue about the circuit. I was watching some Formula One races [on the Full Track] and usually street circuits are good for us. I really like them, but Jeddah will be a completely new challenge.”

Esteban Guerrieri, who starts WTCR Race of Saudi Arabia as a 10-time winner in the series, which remains a record, said: “It’s a short track and let’s see how hot it is, how dirty the track is in the beginning and how it evolves during the weekend. To be honest I have to be learning while going on but we’ll go there and give it everything.”

Following Qualifying from 18h30 local time on Saturday November 26, Race 1 is set to start at 19h40 on Sunday November 27 and is scheduled to thrill fans for 30 minutes plus one lap. Race 2 is due to begin at 22h15 with drivers in action for 25 minutes plus one lap. The event will be broadcast live on the Eurosport platform, including Eurosport Player, and on other networks around the world.

Provisional entry list:
#5 Norbert Michelisz (HUN) BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N TCR

#9 Attila Tasi (HUN) LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler, Honda Civic Type R TCR

#16 Gilles Magnus (BEL) Comtoyou Team Audi Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS

#17 Nathanaël Berthon (FRA) Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS

#18 Tiago Monteiro (PRT) LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler, Honda Civic Type R TCR

#24 Ahmed Bin Khanen (SAU), Comtoyou Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS*

#29 Néstor Girolami (ARG) ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R TCR

#33 Tom Coronel (NLD) Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS

#72 Franco Girolami (ARG) Comtoyou Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS

#79 Rob Huff (GBR) Zengő Motorsport, CUPRA Leon Competición

#86 Esteban Guerrieri (ARG) ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R TCR

#88 Nicky Catsburg (NLD) BRC Hyundai N Racing Team, Hyundai Elantra N TCR*

#96 Mikel Azcona (ESP) BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N TCR

#99 Dániel Nagy (HUN) Zengő Motorsport, CUPRA Leon Competición

#110 Viktor Davidovski (MKD) Comtoyou Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS*

*Race-by-race entry

Provisional standings:

WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup for Drivers provisional standings after 16 rounds:

Goodyear #FollowTheLeader: Mikel Azcona, 297 points

2 Néstor Girolami, 237 points

3 Nathanaël Berthon, 200 points

4 Rob Huff, 187 points

5 Norbert Michelisz, 179 points

WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup for Teams provisional standings after 16 rounds:

1 BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, 476 points

2 ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, 372 points

3 Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport, 283 points

4 Comtoyou Team Audi Sport, 277 points

5 Zengő Motorsport, 251 points

WTCR Trophy provisional standings after 16 rounds:

1 Rob Huff, 124 points

2 Mehdi Bennani, 91 points

3 Tom Coronel, 87 points

4 Dániel Nagy, 46 points

5 Bence Boldizs, 7 points

To view the full provisional standings follow this link: https://www.fiawtcr.com/standings/

World Touring Car Cup

WTCRWTCRSEASON 2022SportCircuit1SportWorld Touring Car CupCircuitWTCRSEASON 2022WTCR01Friday, November 25, 2022 – 12:39pmFriday, November 25, 2022 – 12:39pm

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