New Zealand (WRC) - 29 Sep-2 Oct 22

Timetable - Irish/UK Time

Posted: September 28, 2022 11:11 AM

New Zealand returns to the WRC as title scrap hits fever pitch

Posted: September 28, 2022 11:05 AM

Title favourite Rovanperä excited to debut down under.

The FIA World Rally Championship goes down under this week as Repco Rally New Zealand (29 September - 2 October) returns to the series for the first time in a decade.

Fast-flowing gravel roads with cambered corners await the crews at this 11th round as the rally winds it way through forests and along the picture postcard coastline of the North Island.

Few of the WRC’s frontline stars have previously contested the Auckland-based fixture, which brings a unique challenge to the 13-round championship. Among those making their New Zealand debuts is Toyota Gazoo Racing wunderkind Kalle Rovanperä.

Poor results in recent rallies have seen Rovanperä’s title-leading deficit reduced to 53 points over Ott Tänak. The Finn celebrates his 22nd birthday this Saturday (1 October) and remains firmly on course to becoming the WRC’s youngest-ever champion.

A birthday isn’t the only thing Rovanperä might be celebrating this weekend, either. He could seal the drivers’ championship crown on Sunday should he outscore Tänak by eight points, or just seven if he wins the rally.

“It will be really interesting to go to Rally New Zealand,” said Rovanperä. “I have only heard good things about the country and the rally and how nice the roads are.

“Recent rallies have not been ideal for us but we know what we need to improve and we are working hard to have more pace and be more comfortable. Hopefully we can have good speed, enjoy the event and finish with a good result.”

Rovanperä is joined in GR Yaris Rally1 cars by Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta as well as eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, who resumes his part-time campaign with the Japanese manufacturer on his first outing since Kenya in June.

With top-three results at the past four rallies, Hyundai Motorsport’s Tänak is hoping for more of the same. Teamed up with Thierry Neuville and Oliver Solberg in a trio of hybrid-powered i20 N cars, the Estonian admits that New Zealand’s fabled stages are a dream to drive on.

"The roads seem as if they were made for rallying," he smiled. "Hopefully we can get 100 per cent from the car and achieve a strong result."

Craig Breen and Gus Greensmith lead M-Sport Ford's charge, with Italian privateer Lorenzo Bertelli also fielding a Puma. Adrien Fourmaux was also due to drive for the British squad but withdrew his entry last week.

The four-day counter begins with a super special stage on Thursday evening and features 17 speed tests totalling 276.44km.

M-SPORT CREWS TAKE AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY TO THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD

Posted: September 28, 2022 11:03 AM

New Zealand beckons as the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team takes on one of the most iconic rallies of the World Rally Championship.

It has been a decade since the rally last featured on the WRC calendar and its return was met with universal enthusiasm when announced. The rally is world-renowned for featuring some of the most breath-taking views to be found on a rally stage.

M-Sport will be taking WRC regulars Craig Breen and Gus Greensmith to New Zealand, the pair will experience the rally for the first time in their careers. Expectations are high for New Zealand as the team is encouraged by the stage-winning and rally leading pace of the Puma Hybrid Rally1 that was shown on Acropolis Rally Greece. Joining M-Sport in New Zealand will be Lorenzo Bertelli, who will be making his competitive debut in the Rally1 category using an M-Sport prepared Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1.

Ford itself has a long and storied history with Rally New Zealand dating back over 50 years to 1971, with the Blue Oval taking the top step nine times in that time – more than any other manufacturer. The most recent victory came in 2010 courtesy of Jari-Matti Latvala in a Ford Focus RS WRC ’09. The rally saw an iconic come-from-behind victory as Latvala took victory on the final stage of the rally by just 2.4 seconds over Sébastien Ogier with Sébastien Loeb third. In 2007 M-Sport Ford was also part of the then closest finish in WRC history, losing out on victory by just seven tenths of a second. It’s these tales of high-speed thrills, tense battles and jaw-dropping scenery that has generated so much enthusiasm and anticipation for the rally.

This year’s edition sees the rally kick off in the heart of Auckland with a high-paced Super Special Stage in front of seas of hungry rally fans desperate for their first glimpse of top-tier rally in action.

Day one proper kicks off early doors on Friday morning with no morning service and, like in Greece, it will be a particularly challenging day with just a tyre-fitting zone to break the day up. Over half of the competitive distance of the rally will be covered on Friday, a gigantic 158 out of 279 kilometres, underlining just how arduous the task ahead of crews will be that day. Saturday is a much more traditional day of rallying with a loop of three stages ran twice separated by a conventional forty-minute lunch time service. Sunday sees 30 kilometres of competitive action spread across four stages, culminating in the power stage at the iconic Jack’s Ridge.

Rich Millener, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principal, said:
“It’s great to finally return to New Zealand after a ten-year absence, all anybody can talk about right now is how much they are looking forward to this iconic event, the drivers are in for a real treat! Once again, the performance of the Puma was highlighted in Greece, but it’s hard to predict what our true pace will be like in New Zealand given the unique nature of the rally. I am confident that we will be able to challenge for the podium though, as so far we have demonstrated competitive pace on both fast and rough gravel.”

Craig Breen, said:
"Really excited to get to New Zealand, it’s a rally that I’ve read lots about, watched lots of videos and heard all of the stories, but never witnessed it myself. It’ll be my first time in New Zealand and doing the rally it seems like it’s going to be a really nice adventure with beautiful roads. I feel really lucky to be able to go there and experience it all. It should suit us, we’ll have a good road position starting the rally on Friday so we will try and make the most of it. Greece was good in some respects, our pace was nice, I’d like to try and make some progress towards the podium positions after a difficult couple of rallies."

Gus Greensmith, said:
"Really looking forward to New Zealand, it’s the one rally I’ve always wanted to compete in since starting my career so I feel like I finally get to tick that one off the bucket list. Incredibly excited, arriving early to adjust to the jet lag and we will see what we can do on the rally."

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing looks forward to another returning classic

Posted: September 28, 2022 11:01 AM

The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team makes its first trip to Rally New Zealand determined to compete for the top positions when the event’s popular gravel roads return to the world stage for round 11 of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship on September 29–October 2.

Keen to look forward after a disappointing weekend on the rough and rocky roads of Acropolis Rally Greece, the team heads to New Zealand with a lead of 63 points in the manufacturers’ championship while Kalle Rovanperä leads the drivers’ championship by 53 points and has his best opportunity yet to clinch his first title if he can add eight more points to his advantage.

Joining Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans – who make their Rally New Zealand debuts – will be reigning world champion Sébastien Ogier, who finished a close second on his previous visit to New Zealand in 2010 and returns to the team’s line-up for the final three rounds of the season. Takamoto Katsuta will be another New Zealand first-timer in his TGR WRT Next Generation entry.

Back on the WRC calendar after 10 years away, Rally New Zealand is famed for fast and flowing stages that wind their way through the stunning scenery of the country’s North Island. The smooth gravel roads are characterised by their pronounced camber which drivers can use to carry more speed through corners.

The rally is based in New Zealand’s largest city Auckland, with the service park located on its waterfront and the opening stage to take place in the Pukekawa Auckland Domain park on Thursday evening. Friday then features more than half of the rally’s competitive distance with 158.56 kilometres to be driven across two loops of classic stages to the south around Raglan, starting with the iconic Whaanga Coast which is followed by two stages around Te Akau. A tyre fitting zone in Raglan separates the two loops, rather than a full service. Saturday takes place to the north of Auckland with two more loops of three stages run either side of service, while Sunday is made up of two repeated stages on the city’s eastern side, with the second pass of the purpose-built Jack’s Ridge as the rally-ending Power Stage.

Quotes:
Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“Personally I am really looking forward to going back to New Zealand and I think it’s a rally that our team can look forward to as well. Greece was of course disappointing for us and there are lessons we can take from there to be stronger on similar rallies in the future. But Rally New Zealand is a very different gravel rally. The surface is smoother, the roads are fast and flowing, and the camber makes it feel like you are dancing with the car. The roads are amazing and you don’t find them anywhere else in the WRC. I had the pleasure to win there myself in 2010, actually in a very close finish with Sébastien. For the rest of our drivers it will be a new challenge but I think they will all enjoy those roads and I’m confident we can be fighting for the victory once again.”

Sébastien Ogier / Benjamin Veillas
Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 1)
“After a nice break it’s exciting to be getting back in my GR YARIS for these three events to end the season. Rally New Zealand is one of the rallies I really wanted to do this year. I was there once before in 2010 and I have mostly good memories; it was a very close fight until the final corners when a spin handed the win to Jari-Matti. At the time it was hard to take but thankfully I could score my first WRC win just a few weeks later. The rally itself is beautiful with some of the best roads in the world. After this break it won’t be easy to get back in the rhythm right away, but like always I will try to compete for the victory and help the team to the best possible result.”

Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin
Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“It’s going to be exciting to finally have the chance to compete in New Zealand for the first time. I’ve heard many great things about the event and especially about the roads and how rewarding they are to drive. So if what everybody says is true then I’m sure we’re going to have a lot of fun there and hopefully we can have a good rally. It’s never easy to prepare for a new event like this, particularly because we’re not able to test outside of Europe, but within the team we do at least have some previous experience from New Zealand, not least from Jari-Matti and Seb. We’ve also been having a look through the archives for old videos of the stages just to get an idea of what we’re likely to face.”
Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen
Kalle Rovanperä (Driver car 69)
“It will be really interesting to go to Rally New Zealand. I have only heard good things about the country and the rally and how nice the roads are. To prepare we have been watching whatever videos we can to get an overview of how the stages are and to understand what we might need from the car before we get there. Recent rallies have not been ideal for us but we know what we need to improve and we are working hard to have more pace and be more comfortable. Again we will be opening the road in New Zealand but hopefully we can have good speed, enjoy the event and finish with a good result.”

Hyundai Motorsport Preview: Round 11 – Rally New Zealand

Posted: September 28, 2022 11:00 AM

Hyundai Motorsport travels to new pastures next weekend to compete in its first-ever Rally New Zealand, the eleventh round of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season. The team is currently enjoying a strong run of form, having achieved a 1-2-3 finish at the previous event, Acropolis Rally.

As well as claiming all three spots on the podium in Greece, the victory was the Alzenau-based outfit’s third consecutive trip to the top step and the first of the year for Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe. The Belgians, alongside their teammates, will be aiming to be in contention for the win on gravel once again.

Rally New Zealand returns to the WRC calendar in 2022 after a 10-year absence from the series. With the previous edition held two years prior to Hyundai Motorsport’s inaugural WRC season, it is a brand-new rally for the team. There is some experience of the event within the driver line-up, as both Neuville and Tänak took part in the 2012 edition.

The rally presents another grueling gravel test for the hybrid-powered Hyundai i20 N Rally1 and its crews. It will be particularly tough for those earlier in the running order, as the loose surface becomes smoother with each pass as the cars clear an increasingly cleaner line. The competitors will also need to be careful to avoid mechanical issues on Friday, which boasts over 150km of stages but no midday service.

Reliability has been a strength of Hyundai Motorsport in recent events and was key to the team’s landmark result in Greece. The victors and runners-up of Acropolis Rally, Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe and Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja, will be joined on the Auckland roads by Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson.

Deputy Team Director Julien Moncet said:
“Despite us never having competed at Rally New Zealand before, we travel to the event with great confidence and belief after our first-ever 1-2-3 finish in WRC. The result demonstrated the capabilities of our Hyundai i20 N Rally1 and was a deserved reward for the hard work and dedication the entire team has shown this season. Rally New Zealand is another gravel event, a surface on which we have taken three of our four wins this year. Although it will be difficult, as the level of competition is very high, the event will be a level playing field for everyone and reliability of the cars will be key. It is our hope that we can continue our strong form and fight for the victory.”

Crew Notes: Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (#8 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)?
Estonians aiming for fifth consecutive podium finish
Crew has two previous wins on gravel in 2022

Tänak?said:?“I competed at Rally New Zealand ten years ago and I have good memories of the event, so I am looking forward to going back. I have been watching videos to refresh myself and the roads look fantastic; they have a lot of positive camber and seem as if they were made for rallying. As it is in a far corner of the world, we have not been able to test on similar roads, meaning getting the right set-up will be difficult. We will just have to do our best to learn from the shakedown and adjust as we go. Hopefully we can get 100% from the car and achieve a strong result.”

Crew Notes: Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (#11 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)?
Belgians secured first win of the year at previous round, Acropolis Rally
Neuville finished fifth at Rally New Zealand in 2012

Neuville said:?“Rally New Zealand was an event I always dreamed of going to when I was a kid growing up watching guys like Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz on TV. For me it always looked like the rally with the most beautiful scenery in WRC. I was lucky enough to compete there in 2012 and it was an incredible event with very interesting and enjoyable stages. The roads are very loose on the first pass but grippy on the second pass, where you need to have a very precise and stable car. It is hard to prepare for such an event, but we will try our best to perform well.” ??

Crew Notes: Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (#2 Hyundai i20 N Rally1)?
Duo finished fourth at last outing in Ypres Rally Belgium
Crew targeting strong result on first visit to New Zealand

Solberg said:?“It is my first time going to Rally New Zealand, so I am very excited for this new adventure. The roads look amazing and the whole event seems to be very beautiful. Of course we do not know what to expect from the stages, but hopefully we can get up to speed quickly and find a good balance and rhythm. The season has been a rollercoaster for us so far, but our last rally was a good one, coming fourth in Belgium. Our target for this event is to keep learning, keep pushing, and hopefully get a good result for the team.”

Weekend at a Glance
Rally New Zealand gets underway on Thursday evening with the Pukekawa Aukland Domain (1.78km) super special stage
Friday’s itinerary is extensive, containing two loops of three stages that combine to a total of 158.56km, more than half of the overall rally distance
Two passes each of Kaipara Hills (15.83km), Puhoi (22.50km) and Komokoriki (5.81km) make up Saturday’s schedule
The rally concludes on Sunday with the crews twice taking on Whitford Forest – Te Maraunga Waiho (8.82km) and Jacks Ridge Haunui (6.77km), with the final pass of the latter acting as the rally’s Power Stage.

Entry List

Posted: September 5, 2022 6:02 AM

New Zealand (WRC) - 29 Sep-2 Oct 22 - ENTRY LIST

Sébastien Ogier to feature at Repco Rally New Zealand

Posted: September 5, 2022 5:58 AM

Eight-time World Champion, Sébastien Ogier has confirmed he will line-up in this month’s Repco Rally New Zealand.

The reigning World Champion from France, racing a part-time basis for his Toyota Gazoo Racing team in the FIA World Rally Championship this year, is keen to return to one of his favourite rallies on the world calendar.

The 11th round of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship returns to New Zealand for the 32nd time and first occasion in 11 years, staged in and around Auckland from 29 September to 2 October.

Ogier will make his fourth start of the season, and after 54 WRC victories in 19 different rallies around the world, he returns to one of just a handful of venues where he has not tasted victory.

“Rally New Zealand was on the top of the list of rallies that I wanted to do this year,” said Ogier. “I have only done this rally once before. The rally itself is really beautiful. Your roads are one of the best in the world for rallying. And I fell in love with the diverse and beautiful nature of the country.”

Ogier was involved in one of the most storied finishes in Rally New Zealand history in 2010 when he was within grasp of his first WRC victory. The Frenchman led by over six seconds going into the final stage on the iconic Whaanga Coast stage near Raglan, when he spun three corners from the finish, gifting the win to Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala, now his team boss at Toyota-Gazoo Racing.

Despite competing less often this year, Ogier has lost none of his desire for success in New Zealand and remembers his 2010 experience vividly.

“It was tough to take back in 2010 because I was chasing my first win. It is always a very important step in your career. I was lucky that three weeks later I had my first win at Rally Portugal so I did not have to wait too long.

“There is still some unfinished business in New Zealand and another reason to come back. Even if I am not competing fulltime, I expect to be competitive and hopefully enjoy more victories in the future.”

The key for Ogier is the unique gravel roads in this country.
“The rally roads in New Zealand are magic to drive. In Europe we do not have this camber on the roads where you are dancing along the road and it has a nice flow to drive. That is so attractive to a rally driver.”

Rally New Zealand Chairman, Peter Johnston said the organisation is honoured to host Ogier at the event.

“We are thrilled that Sébastien has chosen to come back to race in New Zealand,” said Johnston. “We boast about our roads, our scenery and our people but it is a real credit to hear it from one of the absolute legends of the sport as the reason he is coming back.

“We thank the many New Zealanders on who live and travel on the rally route. They can share in the success of this event, especially with the knowledge that the world’s best, like Sébastien Ogier, hold these roads in such high regard.

“What’s more, there will be a global audience of around 80 million people in 150 countries watching the action on these spectacular roads and showing off our beautiful country.”

Rally Guide / Event Website / Details

Posted: August 11, 2022 10:55 AM

Rally New Zealand