What does the future hold for Mexico?

At the end of the 19^e edition rally of Mexico, almost all the corporations of WRC were satisfied. After 2 years of absence, the event based in León resumed the course of a story completed in the haste and panic of a Saturday evening in March 2020 while the world was closing down to face the pandemic. Difficulties in traveling and lack of insurance on this side of the Atlantic had prevented Mexico from appearing on the program for the previous two seasons, but the organizers had intelligently set up a Rally Of Nations last year to demonstrate that everything was operational again in the Guanajuato region and the WRC could return. This came to fruition successfully a few days ago.

Despite these two years of absence, the rally took place as if it had never disappeared. The course was more or less the same in this fairly limited geographical area, the roads were still just as demanding and the round was indecisive until the last meters. The start ceremony lived up to its reputation, the facilities improved and the race did not experience any major problems. In this excellent assessment, it is nevertheless necessary to point out the abuse of passages carried out in the new superspecial of Las Dunas whose surface did not resist the 4 visits of the competitors. Then, although the rally attracted spectators, there seemed to be fewer of them than in previous years. It is undoubtedly a question of once again becoming an unmissable event in the region and this is perhaps where the greatest concern lies. Mexico is by no means guaranteed to appear on the calendar again next year.

Sébastien Ogier and Patrick Suberville, the director of the Mexican rally, will they meet again in 2024? (Photo: Loïc Rocci)

For the WRC promoter, holding a round in the USA is one of the major objectives and this is about to become a reality. A test event will take place this year in Tennessee and if successful this rally could join the WRC in a few months. Will he do it to the detriment of Mexico? In León, Gilles Spitalier, who heads operations, didn't really know which way to go. “ We will begin negotiations for the future, but we do not have the assurance that Mexico will be renewed next year and in the years to come. We are also the organizers of the rally which will take place in the USA. We will see what is decided, but for us it would be a good solution to combine the two. » The man in the hat takes up the idea that was mentioned at the time of the emergence of the American project. In order to save on logistics, these two races could in fact follow each other in the competition a few weeks apart. If the arrival of the United States would be an important step forward for the globalization of the WRC, it would be regrettable if this were to the detriment of Mexico, whose particularities bring real variety to the championship.

If Mexico stays, will a European round pay the price for the addition of the USA? Can the calendar increase to 14 meetings? The coming months and the conduct of the test in Chattanooga, Tennessee will provide answers regarding the contours of the 2024 program.