What's next for the WRC?

When reading the numbers that will evolve next year in Rally1, the answer to this question could be short. This observation would be very first degree, because it is false to say that there is no hope. The actions of the federations, the role of the FIA and private initiatives allow young people to apply, even if the context is far from favorable.

Published on 09/12/2022 à 09:00

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Dani Sordo could have passed the baton to Oliver Solberg at Hyundai but the Korean manufacturer and the Norwegian hopeful are already no longer traveling together © Red Bull

Very recently, the authorities responsible for the world championship WRC Junior have published the 2023 calendar. More than the names of the five events on the program, what is worrying is the low number of candidates who will be present in this competition "sold" as being the one offering "the biggest prize of the rally ».

It must be admitted that winning a Ford Fiesta Rally2 for four races in WRC2, with the stock of Pirelli tires that goes with it, is tempting. On paper, this process looks like the ideal tool to create a host of hopefuls capable of fueling the high level. Looking at the list of the latest winners to check their success, the picture suddenly becomes much less idyllic.

Lark mirror?

Every year, when praising the advantages of Junior, or WRC3 Junior as we must say now, the organizers invoke Sébastien Loeb, Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans, Craig Breen or Dani Sordo. This mantra is true. These five drivers all won this category and are still present in the WRC.

What is never specified, however, is that since the Irishman in 2011, all the champions have disappeared just after their title. Some have stayed in the industry and try to continue racing, but their careers are already behind them. These repeated failures are perhaps responsible for the disaffection observed for this formula.

This year's switch to the 3-wheel drive Fiesta Rally4, which was supposed to facilitate the transition to Rally2, was no joke.