World Rally News

Skoda privateer, Jan Kopecky has said that he would 'especially like to succeed' in Germany this coming weekend as it is the closest thing he gets to a home event in the WRC.

Following his strong sixth place finish in Finland two weeks ago, Xavier Pons has set his sights on once again getting in the top eight this coming weekend on the Rallye Deutschland.

Current championship leader, Marcus Gronholm has admitted that it will be a 'big task' to get the better of Sebastien Loeb on the Rallye Deutschland this coming weekend.

Manfred Stohl's Kronos Racing-run Citroen Xsara WRC will sport a special livery on the Rallye Deutschland next week, the tenth round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship, after an OMV Move & Help car design competition.

Skoda privateer, Jan Kopecky finished the Rally Finland prematurely on Sunday, when he went off the road in the first test of the day and slammed the front end of his Fabia WRC into a stack of logs.

OMV Kronos Citroen's Manfred Stohl has admitted that it was his fault he crashed out of the Rally Finland on the second test on Saturday - as he was simply going too quickly.

Petter Solberg had been hoping to be able to battle for a place on the podium on the Rally Finland this weekend, instead he was forced to withdraw from the event on leg 2 due to severe handling problems.

Yoann Bonato will make his first appearance in the C2 Junior Experience on the Rally Finland this coming weekend having secured a drive in a C2-R2 run by PH-Sport for this event and the next one in Germany.

Marcus Gronholm has confirmed that he will make a decision on whether or not he continues in the WRC post-2007 following this weekend's Rally Finland.

MG could soon have a presence again in the FIA World Rally Championship and in the new Intercontinental Rally Challenge following news that the marque has developed a Super 2000 car.

by Rob Wilkins TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH LUCA PREGLIASCO: CLICK HERE

Suzuki has revealed that it has completed its first 'fully fledged tarmac tests' with the new SX4 WRC, which will make its debut in the FIA World Rally Championship on the Rallye de France-Tour de Corse in mid-October.

The organisers of the Rallye Deutschland have announced that 106 crews will start their event next month - four more than for Finland, which had attracted the biggest entry to date this season, prior to the confirmed list of starters for this round.

Complete technical low-down on the new Ford Focus RS WRC 07 rally car, which will make its debut on the Rally Finland early next month...

by Rob Wilkins TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH PETTER SOLBERG: CLICK HERE

As rumoured since the confirmation that his time with the First Motorsport squad was at an end, Francois Duval is to join the OMV Kronos outfit for the tenth round of the World Rally Championship in Germany next month.

by Rob Wilkins TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH HENNING SOLBERG: CLICK HERE

Francois Duval could be on the verge of driving for the OMV Kronos Citroen WRT on the Rallye Deutschland next month, the tenth round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship.

The organisers of the Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo have confirmed that the 2008 edition of the event will incorporate a stage in the Col de Turini in preference to the Monaco super special.

The FIA, the governing body of the World Rally Championship, has announced that Shell will continue to supply fuel to the FIA World Rally Championship from 2008-2010.

Abarth Grande Punto driver Pieter Tsjoen has confirmed that he has decided to quit the sport following the Rally of Ypres, the third round of the 2007 Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

OMV's Manfred Stohl has confirmed that he will compete on the OMV Rally Waldviertel in November, the final round in the Austrian national rally championship.

by Rob Wilkins

The BP Ford World Rally Team will enter a third car on four of the remaining eight rounds in the FIA World Rally Championship this season, following the 'partnership' deal announced today with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority [see seperate story].