Safari Rally Kenya is about to cowl extra aggressive kilometres subsequent yr though common modifications to World Rally Championship occasion codecs are prone to be “evolutionary” relatively than “revolutionary”.
Adjustments to occasion codecs have been a subject of dialogue in 2024 with the FIA and the WRC Promoter eager to supply occasion organisers extra flexibility relating to itineraries inside the mounted Thursday to Sunday framework.
This yr, Sardinia trialled a extra compact “48 hour” dash idea whereas there was discussions that Kenya has ambitions to increase its occasion right into a extra endurance fashion idea.
Whereas important modifications are deemed unlikely for 2025, the WRC Promoter has indicated that the Safari Rally will run longer with an additional stage added on Thursday to extend its distance from the 367.76km that comprised this yr’s occasion.
“There is no such thing as a choice to have a set fashion of occasion,” stated WRC occasion director Simon Larkin. “A WRC occasion might be fairly difficult as it’s, we don’t need there to be a dash and an endurance, we don’t need to have various kinds of occasions, there’ll simply be somewhat bit extra freedom.
“I do know for instance Kenya goes to run over 350 kilometres, it’s quite a lot of kilometres which is nice, and that’s the results of an evolution of that occasion.
Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Group Hyundai i20 N Rally1
Picture by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport
“There’s going to be one other stage on Thursday on the way in which again from Nairobi. We try to encourage occasions to have totally different personalities however not occasions with mounted titles.”
Larkin additionally revealed that Sardinia will as soon as once more construct its occasion round a revised 266.12km compact itinerary which it ran this yr.
“I believe Italy is seeking to do a revised format once more like they did this yr,” he added. “That was an thrilling occasion, it was bit extra compact, we are going to see some barely totally different occasions however they are going to be evolutionary not revolutionary.”
The FIA is eager for range in occasion codecs however says guaranteeing the calendar is balanced is essential for the championship.
“I don’t suppose too many organisers will go removed from the place we’re as a result of the precept of what we’re doing in the meanwhile fits most individuals,” stated FIA street sport director Andrew Wheatley.
“There’ll some organisers that need to do one thing a bit totally different. Sardinia was an excellent instance of attempting to do a barely totally different programme.
“What we don’t need is all occasions going to a dash format and no occasions going to an endurance format, we need to have a steadiness between the 2.”
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