World Rally News

After taking a year out in 2006, Mitsubishi are set to announce a return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2007 with a two car team.

Citroen team leader, Sebastien Loeb was back in action earlier this week, as the French marque began their preparations for the Rallye Monte Carlo, the opening round of the 2007 season, with the all-new Citroen C4 WRC car.

The organisers of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge revealed a slightly revised calendar for 2007 this week at the Motor Show in Bologna.

BFGoodrich completed their debut season in the FIA World Rally Championship in real style on the Rally GB on Sunday, taking their win total for the year to a perfect 16 from 16.

As expected, the morning run through the challenging Brechfa and Trawscoed stages led to changes on the final leg of Wales Rally GB - most notably in the JWRC where the title chase has once again been turned on its head.

Having helped the BP Ford team to clinch its first manufacturers' title in 27 years in New Zealand, Marcus Gronholm ensured the Blue Oval ended a barren run of the same length on Wales Rally GB with victory in the 2006 WRC finale.

Fabien Fiandino has confirmed that he wants to compete in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship in 2007, using the new Citroen C2-R2.

by Rob Wilkins

by Rob Wilkins Guy Wilks has revealed that he is still in talks with Suzuki about the possibility of joining them in 2007 or 2008, when they graduate to the 'senior' level with the new SX4 WRC car.

by Rob Wilkins Astra boss Luca Pregliasco has confirmed exclusively to Crash.net Radio that they hope to again run a WRC programme with Toni Gardemeister in 2007.

The Suzuki World Rally team has confirmed that Michel Nandan has joined the outfit, as they continue their preparations to step up from the FIA Junior World Rally Championship to the 'senior' level with the new SX4 World Rally Car.

Suzuki's Per-Gunnar Andersson will find out the result of his appeal next week, when the FIA's International Court of Appeal convenes to discuss the stewards' decision to strip him of his Junior WRC win on the Rally of Turkey.

BF Goodrich rally manager, Aime Chatard has said that their latest success at the weekend on the Rally NZ, clinching the manufacturers' championship with BP Ford, to add to their success in the drivers' with Sebastien Loeb, is a 'tremendous reward' for all their hard work.

Stobart VK's Matthew Wilson has been fined and handed a one-minute penalty for the next event, the Wales Rally GB after he was clocked speeding on Friday in NZ prior to the start of the first special stage.

SS3 - Pirongia West 2 (20.38 km): Gronholm fastest through a dry but slightly rutted SS3; Hirvonen second; Stohl third; Pons fourth; Sordo fifth; Henning Solberg sixth; Rossi 20th quickest - despite a puncture; Wilson stopped in the stage and retired from the leg - engine problems; Latvala

Petter Solberg has said that he is convinced the 2007-spec Subaru Impreza will be good and that this will allow the Banbury-based team to return to the front of the pack and challenge Ford and Citroen for event wins.

Natalie Barratt may be familiar with the OMV World Rally Team, having driven for it in 2005, but there will be a number of unfamiliar elements to her return to action on this weekend's Propecia Rally New Zealand.

Subaru team leader, Petter Solberg was amongst those to send their congratulations to Sebastien Loeb at the weekend, after the Frenchman clinched his third drivers' title in succession from the 'arm-chair'.

Kronos Citroen number one driver, Sebastien Loeb has said that at the very least he is likely to do the reconnaissance for the Rally New Zealand in two-three weeks time, as he continues to recover from the injury his sustained in a mountain bike accident.

OMV Peugeot's Henning Solberg was the sole 'works' retirement on the Rally Australia over the weekend, the fourteenth round in the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship.

The FIA, the governing body for the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship unveiled the schedule for 2007 earlier this month, following a meeting of the Word Motor Sport Council.

Double World Rally champion, Carlos Sainz got his first 'proper' taste of the Renault R25 F1 car this weekend, and the Spaniard was left 'amazed' by the whole experience.

Tango Rally Team trio Gabriel Pozzo, Marcos Ligato and Sebastian Beltran have been excluded from the entire 2006 FIA Production Car World Rally Championship after their cars were found to contravene the regulations on Rally Australia.

BP Ford number two driver, Mikko Hirvonen has said that it will take a bit of time for it to sink in, after he took his maiden win in the WRC on the Rally Australia on Sunday.