2024 FIA World Rally Championship - Central European Rally (round 12/13) - Event Preview
An FIA World Rally Championship event that broke new ground in 2023 returns next week when the second running of Central European Rally takes place from October 17-20.
With a variety of sealed-surface stages in three countries – Austria, Czech Republic and Germany – Central European Rally is unique. It’s also eagerly anticipated as Thierry Neuville and Martin Wydaeghe prepare to start the all-Tarmac contest in touching distance of the FIA WRC Drivers’ and Co-drivers’ titles.
Indeed, the Hyundai-powered crew can become Belgium’s first FIA WRC champions providing they score two more points than team-mates Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja, drop no more than 10 points to Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais, or drop no more than 16 points to Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin if Evans/Martin do not win the rally or 15 points if Evans/Martin do win.
But this potentially significant moment is just one of several notable highlights in store when Central European Rally forms the third sealed-surface event of the FIA WRC season and the penultimate round of another action-packed campaign.
Female participation in the spotlight as Junior WRC prize drive awaits
Central European Rally provides an opportunity for three female drivers to stake their respective claims for an FIA Junior WRC Championship prize drive in 2025.
Lyssia Baudet, a 21-year-old from Belgium, 24-year-old Finn Suvi Jyrkiäinen and Germany’s Claire Schönborn, 25, are contesting the event in Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally3s run by M-Sport Poland.
They out-performed 12 rivals in WRC Promoter’s Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development Programme shootout in Poland last month where Chair of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission Burcu Çetinkaya and WRC Commission President Pernilla Solberg were part of the judging panel.
Whoever produces the best performance on Central European Rally will secure a fully-funded drive in next season’s FIA Junior WRC.
FIA Member Clubs unite to deliver WRC event
Once again, Central European Rally has been made possible through an extensive collaboration between three FIA Member Clubs.
the Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club (ADAC), the Autoklub České Republiky (ACCR) and the Austrian Motorsport Federation (AMF) have joined forces to organise the penultimate round of the FIA WRC season for the second time.
The rally also relies on the support of some 5000 people who have volunteered their time to help ensure the safe and successful running of the event.
Central European Rally achieves three-star FIA Environmental Accreditation
Ahead of the second running of Central European Rally, event organisers were awarded three-star FIA Environmental Accreditation for their commitment to environmental sustainability. It follows a through audit into a several activities, such as waste management, resource conservation and CO₂ reduction. Noise protection as well as efforts towards biodiversity and air quality were also assessed.
CENTRAL EUROPEAN RALLY ROUTE IN SHORT
Starting in the Czech capital Prague and finishing in the historic German city of Passau, the second Central European Rally totals 18 stages across a challenging all-asphalt route in Austria, Czech Republic and Germany.
The timed action begins on Thursday October 17 with two stages in Czech Republic, the Velká Chuchle racecourse superspecial close to central Prague – the only stage using an unchanged layout from 2023 – and the Klatovy test, which runs at night.
Leg one resumes on Friday from the overnight halt in Klatovy and includes two further visits to Klatovy, plus two passes of the Strašin and Šumavské Hošticestage stages. At 26.69 kilometres, Strašin is the rally’s longest stage.
With the rally leaving Czech Republic for Germany on Friday afternoon, leg two, the longest of the rally at 123,46 kilometres, begins on Saturday morning from the Karpfhamer Volksfestplatz service park close to Bad Griesbach in the Passau region. The day’s itinerary includes three stages run twice, the new Granit und Wald test, the Beyond Borders run, which, for the first time, features competitive kilometres in Germany and Austria, plus Schärdinger Innviertel, which is held entirely in Austria.
Sunday’s deciding leg is made up of twin visits to the untried Knaus Tabbert Am Hochwald stage, plus the Passauer Land test, which has been revamped for 2024. The second run of the 14.87-kilometre test forms the Wolf Power Stage from 13h15 local time.
CENTRAL EUROPEAN RALLY DATA
Stage distance: 302.51 km
Total distance: 1584.44 km
Number of stages: 18
RALLY1 CONTENDERS
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team
Thierry Neuville starts Central European Rally, which he won in 2023, targeting his first FIA World Rally Championship crown with one round to spare. He’s 29 points ahead of team-mate Ott Tänak, the driver with the most realistic prospect of denying Neuville the sport’s biggest prize. Andreas Mikkelsen makes his first start in Hyundai colours since ORLEN 80th Rally Poland and his first on asphalt since April’s Croatia Rally. Central European Rally is a happy hunting ground for Mikkelsen, who secured the FIA WRC2 title on the event in 2023.
M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire Munster will fly the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team flag on Central European Rally. Jourdan Serderidis competes in a third Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid, although the Greek driver won’t be eligible for Manufacturer Championship points. While Munster has previous experience of the event in a Rally1 car, Fourmaux took part in a Ford Fiesta Rally2 12 months ago, winning his class no less.
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans head the Toyota challenge on an event it must win to maintain its push for the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers. After missing last month’s Rally Chile Biobío, Takamoto Katsuta returns to the Toyota fold with Sami Pajari making his third start in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid and his first on Tarmac.
SUPPORTING CATEGORIES
Central European Rally is a must-win event for Yohan Rossel if the Citroën C3 Rally2 driver is to remain in contention for the FIA WR2 Championship on Forum8 Rally Japan next month.
Rossel’s DG Sport Competition team-mate Nikolay Gryazin needs a top-two finish in the FIA WRC2 Challenger category to prevent Sami Pajari from winning the title. But if Gryazin is third or lower and Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Škoda Fabia RS) does not win, then the title goes to Pajari such has been the strength of his performances earlier this season.
Oliver Solberg, meanwhile, heads the WRC2 standings but is only eligible to score points for his team, Tokspot WRT 2, alongside team-mate Josh McErlean, who is supported by the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy.
Czech Filip Mareš (Toyota GR Yaris) is stepping up from the FIA European Rally Championship for his ‘home’ event, along with Miko Marczyk (Škoda Fabia RS) who will contest the ERC season-deciding Rally Silesia in his native Poland from October 11-13.
Armin Kremer, who claimed the WRC Masters Cup laurels at the Acropolis Rally Greece in September, is at the start of his home event in his Škoda Fabia RS, while his protégé, Marijan Griebel, a multiple German champion, will be competing in the WRC2 Challenger class in a similar car.
All WRC2 crews will take part in a mandatory FIA First-on-Scene briefing session in Bad Griesbach on Monday as part of the governing body’s ongoing work to improve safety within the sport.
In addition to the WRC Beyond Rally trio of Lyssia Baudet, Suvi Jyrkiäinen and Claire Schönborn, the FIA WRC3 entry includes Prague-based Czech Filip Kohn, who is competing as part of his prize for winning the FIA European Rally Championship-based ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy.
Jan Černý is another Czech driver contesting the Rally3-based category with Renault Clio Rally3 Matteo Chatillon is the top seed.
TALKING TYRES
For Central European Rally, Pirelli, the official FIA World Rally Championship tyre supplier, will provide its PZero RA tyres in hard and soft compounds, plus its Cinturato RWB tyre in the event of heavy rain. The soft compound is the first choice for use in cool and damp conditions. The hard compound will be selected if it’s warm and dry. Rally1 teams can use a maximum of 28 tyres for the event including four for Thursday’s Shakedown.
