Paddon "realistic" over bleak WRC return prospect

Paddon was forced out of the series at the end of 2018 after the Alzenau team signed nine-time WRC champion, Sebastien Loeb.A programme had been tabled by then Hyundai Motorsport boss Michel Nandan but it was deemed too limited by Paddon.Recent attempts by the New Zealander to plot a course back into the series have been stymied by a testing accident...

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Todt happy with "flexibility" shown by WRC

Multiple new events have had to be drafted in to the mixed-surface series since the health pandemic took full effect 12 months ago.Last weekend’s Arctic Rally in Finland was the most recent debutant, with this set to be followed by the Croatia Rally in late April.The cancellation of Rally GB due to a lack of government funding, meanwhile, created an...

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Adamo "optimistic" Hyundai will stay in WRC beyond 2021

Despite the Korean manufacturer having not yet committed to staying in the series after this season, Adamo confirmed work has already started on their hybrid-powered Rally1 car.Hyundai's racing manager said he was still waiting on the “green light” from the marque’s board back in Seoul, leading to fears the team could be left on the backfoot as M-Sport...

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New Toyota Rally1 WRC car to commence testing by summer

Led by technical director Tom Fowler, Toyota Gazoo Racing is developing the all-new car for the 2022 hybrid regulations around the road-going GR Yaris architecture.It will go up against a new car from M-Sport Ford that team principal Richard Millener revealed has been in development since the end of 2019, while Hyundai Motorsport has started work on...

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EKS launches Audi A1 Quattro Rally2 car

Former World RX champion and EKS team owner Mattias Ekstrom recently announced an increased collaboration with reigning World RX teams’ champion JC Raceteknik to form the new EKS JC squad, which ran Ekstrom in a Skoda Fabia R5 last weekend on the Arctic Rally Finland World Rally Championship round.The team has now revealed its first new project, an...

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Adamo impressed by Hyundai's WRC Arctic Rally fightback

Adamo demanded better from his colleagues in Finland after the defence of their manufacturers' title kicked off in poor fashion at January's Rallye Monte-Carlo, which the Italian intimated on Sunday had been the result of burnout.The Alzenau-based squad won the WRC's only snow event thanks to a faultless display by Ott Tanak, with Thierry Neuville maintaining...

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Neuville sure co-driver language barrier can be solved for WRC Croatia

Wydaeghe's pronunciation of instructions at the snow event were hampered by intercom issues on Saturday morning's opening loop of stages, with this leading Neuville to second guess a number of corners.But with the technical glitch cured, their persistence over the course of the Saturday afternoon stages was rewarded as they moved ahead of Craig Breen...

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Rovanpera: Toyota need to be "clever" with WRC preparations

Rovanpera said the Toyota team had learned a valuable lesson on the newest addition to the WRC calendar, having tested extensively for the Rovaniemi-based event, but struggled to capitalise due to separate problems hurting its drivers.Elfyn Evans struggled to gel with Pirelli's studded tyre and was unhappy to finish in fifth, while Sebastien Ogier's...

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Tanak "pushing" Hyundai for improvements in Arctic Rally win

Tanak bounced back from his Rallye Monte-Carlo misdemeanours by taking a comprehensive victory around Rovaniemi.Despite easing off slightly in the closing stages, the Hyundai i20 Coupe driver finished with a 17.5s cushion over Toyota's Kalle Rovanpera.Team boss Andrea Adamo spoke publicly before the second round of the World Rally Championship about...

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WRC Arctic Rally: Tanak seals victory, Rovanpera takes championship lead

The final day consisted of two passes through the 22.47km Aittajarvi stage and Toyota managed a 1-2 result on its morning run as Elfyn Evans claimed his second stage win of the event from Rovanpera, with the Hyundai of Thierry Neuville just 0.1s behind in third.The battle between Rovanpera and Neuville for second place on the rally would also determine...

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