World Rally News

The manufacturers entered in the FIA World Rally Championship have nominated the following drivers to score points in the first round of the 2001 World Championship, the Monte Carlo Rally, to be held on January 18 - 21.

Thomas Radstrom, 1997 Swedish Rally Champion, will drive for Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart in the International Swedish Rally (9-11 February), the second round of the 2001 FIA World Rally Championship.

The Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart team completed their final test of the year in Lapland, Northern Finland - the home of Santa Claus, in preparation for the 2001 Swedish Rally.

Francois Delecour has salvaged his World Rally career by signing with Ford for next year's FIA World Rally Championship.

The FIA World Rally Championship contenders may be taking a well-earned rest from competition, but testing continues in anger with the start of the 2001 season just over five weeks away.

Francois Delecour, fired by Peugeot after the Network Q Rally of Great Britain, may find salvation in the arms of another former employer.

Skoda Motorsport's Luis Climent made his final appearance in a Skoda Octavia WRC in yesterday's (Sunday) Race of Masters in Madrid, won by Britain's Colin McRae.

Tommi Makinen today took the 2000 Michelin "Champion of Champions" title in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

Dates and locations for the 2001 World Rally Championship.

An impressive field of rally drivers, race specialists and bike racers gave the spectators plenty of excitement today in the Canary Islands, scene of the Nations Cup and Rally Masters phases of the Race of Champions weekend.

Francois Delecour's sacking by Peugeot, and the row over the use of specialist drivers for 2001 has cast a few new names into the hat at Castrol's rally team.

Despite rumours that his international rally career may be over following his surprising sacking by Peugeot yesterday, Francois Delecour may yet find himself a drive via the laws of supply and demand.

The four rally fans hurt when storms dismantled a hospitality marquee at Cardiff's superspecial on Saturday night are recovering at home following time in hospital.

Jenson Button may have been barred from taking part, but Mitsubishi rally driver Tommi Makinen will head for some island sun next month, as he contests the Michelin Race of Champions.

Less than 24 hours after helping Peugeot land a championship double, Francois Delecour finds himself surplus to requirements at the French team.

"It's like driving a grizzly bear!" was how Mark Fisher summed up the Friday stages of the Rally of GB. Unfortunately, Saturday would be no better, and retirement soon beckoned for the Super 106 Cup prize winner.

The SEAT Sport team reflected on their WRC adventure after finishing their final World Rally event today.

NEWS FLASH : Almost immediately after being acknowledged as 'unmatchable' by his teammate Carlos Sainz, Colin McRae crashed out of the Rally of Great Britain on SS12 (Rheola 2).

Irishman Mark Fisher, along with his experienced co-driver Gordon Noble, endured a dreadful day on the first 'real' stages of the Rally of Great Britain.

Mitsubishi's Tommi Makinen has dropped behind Carlos Sainz in the Rally of Great Britain, after a series of problems which included sliding off the road at SS10 (Rheola) - and hitting a tree.

Welsh rally hero Gwyndaf Evans retired 16kms into the opening stage of the second leg of the Rally of Great Britain today, when the clutch failed on his SEAT C?rdoba WRC E3.

Bruno Thiry will partner Armin Schwarz in the works Skoda team next season, the Czech outfit revealed yesterday.

The finale of the 2000 World Rally Championship takes place this weekend, with Peugeot's Marcus Gronholm holding a nine-point advantage over Subaru's Richard Burns in the driver's championship.

Tapio Laukkanen scored his first WRC points in Australia on the weekend, having replaced the Subaru-bound Petter Solberg in Ford's Focus.