NEWS: Mikko Hirvonen's Free WRC App

WRC ace Mikko Hirvonen has launched a FREE App, for his rally fans to keep up to date with his 2014 WRC season in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

The App is called – you guessed it – Mikko Hirvonen and is available to download now. 

It includes: 

• 2014 World Rally Championship calendar with information and tips but also the possibility to comment and post pictures for each event.
• An interactive zone for the fans who wants to communicate with Mikko or leave a message.
• Links to Mikko's YouTube page and new videos for 2014!
• The possibility to post pictures on the App live.
• Direct access to Mikko’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
• Team and crew information.

You can download Mikko's new App at:
For Iphone and Ipad: On the App Store
For Android: On Google Play
& For all other devices here.
Or, you can also use the QR codes :

BLOG: Just How Ace Will WRC 2014 Be?

This year's WRC has been totally splendid – with VW making history dominating the drivers' and manufacturers' championships with their new Polo R, and the season ending on such a high with a VW 1-2 at a revitalised Wales Rally GB, as you can read in our latest issue here.

And with Hyundai stepping up to the plate with the fresh-faced i20 WRC for 2014 – with the youthful talent of the new Mr consistency, Thierry Neuville, the multi-surface skills of testing ace Juho Hänninen, the tarmac-terrorist, Dani Sordo and gravel giant, Chris Atkinson driving – the sport is looking in finer and finer shape. 

It's so great to have two new teams and their cool new cars to battle alongside the more establish Citroën Racing DS3 WRC and M-Sport's Ford Fiesta RS WRC. 

And the best news – for us British rally fans, who still miss the days of Burns & McRae doing battle with the best – is that we now have not one, but two British drivers in top teams and ace, established cars in the 2014 WRC.

Kris Meeke gets a WRC seat with co-driver Paul Nagle (racing alongside Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson) in an all-new Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team line up, which you can read about here. 

And now, after a storming season in WRC2 – including his win at Wales Rally GB by a country mile – Malcolm Wilson has gifted Welshman, Elfyn Evans an M-Sport drive in the Fiesta RS WRC in 2014. Yay!

Both announcements are massive boosts for UK rallying – coming following what was without doubt the best Wales Rally GB for years – and they make for a thrilling prospect for 2014 WRC, for all rally fans, but especially us Brits.  

Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of Wales Rally GB organiser International Motor Sports is understandably ecstatic at the prospect of having two British drivers back at the sport’s highest level, saying: "This is just fantastic news for the sport in the UK and, in particular Wales. We were thrilled when Citroen signed Kris and now we are further excited that M-Sport has given Elfyn this equally fabulous opportunity. To have a Welsh driver competing at the forefront of the World Championship is a great reward for the Welsh Government, which has been a great supporter of our sport for more than a decade.

"The timing couldn’t be much better either, coming so soon after the huge success of last month’s revitalised Wales Rally GB. The move to a new base in north Wales saw the reintroduction of some classic forest stages and a huge leap in spectator numbers – the only ingredient missing was a British driver in contention for victory. Now, with Kris and Elfyn both in major teams, we have two potential British winners."
Evans is widely hailed as one of the sport’s brightest up-and-coming talents. The baby-faced 24-year-old – son of 1996 British Rally Champion and rally stalwart, Gwyndaf Evans – won the WRC Academy in 2012 and last year impressed in the WRC2 category, notably when taking top class honours on Wales Rally GB on his home soil.
Now the youngster and his co-driver Daniel Barritt graduate to one of two officially entered M-Sport Fiesta RS WRCs as team-mates to multiple WRC winner Mikko Hirvonen, who is due a better year and is sure to come out fighting, especially after his muddy, unceremonious roll in Wales!
"It is an absolutely fantastic feeling to know that I will be driving a world rally car for a full season next year!" admitted a delighted Evans. "For Dan and I it is great to be able to take the next step in our careers. The whole team is behind us and we have a long-term plan to get to where we all, ultimately, want to be. This is just the first step and I am extremely grateful to M-Sport for this opportunity and their belief in my future."

Roll on 2014! It's going to be so good to see two such talented, different British rally drivers at the top of the sport again, winning stages, rallies, even WRC titles… just like the good old Burns-McRae era, only different, as it's now Irishman Vs Welshman, not Scot Vs Englishman. I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere… 

We wish (the experienced, yet untested properly in WRC) Kris and (the WRC2 master and young gun) Elfyn all the best and you can follow their news here, on Facebook and Twitter with Road Magazine… British rally fans to the core! 

Read our latest Rally GB special FREE here.

NEWS: Wales Rally GB Entries Now Open With New 4, 3 & 2 Day Entries From £600!

Entries for the only-UK-based WRC round – Wales Rally GB 14-17th November – are now open, offering new full (four day), three day and two day entries, from its new North Wales base at Deeside – from £600! 

And, to further encourage more local faces to enter the stella event, and take on the WRC giants, there's a great chance for amateurs to compete in the FIA World Rally Championship, special discounts for local competitors, with all entries accepted on a first come, first served basis... so get involved!
As previously announced, rally crews are being offered three different options to pit their skills against the sport’s elite on this year’s revitalised Wales Rally GB (14-17 November) now based in north Wales:
1. More ambitious entrants can tackle the full four-day WRC event featuring 196-miles of timed sections starting in Snowdonia after dark on Thursday evening. To encourage local teams to gain World Championship experience in the legendary Welsh forests, the organisers are offering a significantly discounted entry fee reduced (£1500 from £2598) for crews where both driver and co-driver hold an MSA competition licence and a British passport.
And for those looking for a slightly shorter challenge, there’s a choice between two different National events. 

2. The three-day National Rally includes no fewer than 11 of the 13 Wales Rally GB stages starting on Friday with challenging tests in Hafren, Sweet Lamb and Myherin. 

3. And the shorter two-day National Rally commences on Saturday morning and shares the same route as the on-going three-day event – this includes the two exciting new RallyFest stages at Chirk Castle and Kinmel Park as well as the historic Great Orme. Adding to the high octane World Championship atmosphere and ambience, teams contesting the National Rallies will be based at the new WRC Service Park in Deeside and finishers will receive their trophies on the newly designed, high-profile WRC Start/Finish Podium in Llandudno on Sunday afternoon.
Wales Rally GB say: "As well as giving amateurs a fantastic opportunity to compete on the same classic stages as the top stars from the FIA World Rally Championship, the two National Rallies offer great value for money. The three-day event includes 114 miles of competitive stages for an entry fee of just £900 while the 72-mile, two-day alternative is priced at £600. Categories for historic and FIA classes are available all with their own awards. A generous Guest Pass package is provided that includes four guest passes that allow access to the whole event. Competitors are also being offered a dedicated low cost hospitality facility to entertain crew, family, friends and sponsors within the Deeside Service Park."
And reported Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of rally organiser International Motor Sports added: "The comprehensive changes we’ve made to Wales Rally GB have been met with widespread enthusiasm from competitors and fans, so we are expecting lots of interest from potential entrants. 

"There are not many sports where amateurs can compete alongside world champions – rallying is special in that respect and we are keen to encourage as many teams as possible to maximise this great opportunity to be part of the high-profile WRC show. What’s more all three alternatives being offered offer great value for money plus the chance to compete on some of the world’s best gravel stages.” 

There are a limited number of entries available for the two National Rallies and initial priority – on a first come first served basis – will be given to those entering the three-day event. The final closing date is Friday 1 November and competitors can enter on-line via the ‘competitors’ navigation on the official www.walesrallygb.com website.

Great value way to take on the likes of Yari-Mati, Mikko, Sebastian, Kris and all the top names, cars and teams in WRC... and make history, for great value entry fees. GO FOR IT!

 

VIDEO: 2012 WRC Wales Rally GB: Shakedown

Here's the highlights from the Rally GB shakedown, from a remarkable sunny and warm Wales... bring on the special stage action!

VIDEO: WRC 2012 Germany Preview

It's the 30th anniversary of Rally Germany this weekend, and the 10th time the tarmac event has been run in the WRC calendar. Super-Seb Loeb has won the event a massive eight times, in a row... but super-Seb Ogier robbed that off Loeb last year, so what will happen this year? Can the Scandinavian drivers in their  Fords challenge the French drivers in their Citroens? The smart money says no... but, as Didier Auriol used to say: "You can never count on anything... it's rallying, no!" Friday sees the stages blast through the vineyards, on fast flowing roads. Saturday is on the painful airfields, with their tyre-shredding tarmac and lethal hinklesteins and Sunday is a sprint day, with final power stage through Trier. Bring it on!

VIDEO: WRC 2012 Mexico Day 3 (Part 2/2)

The final video of the action in the heat and dust of Rally Mexico... and we'll let you watch it to see who wins between Loeb, Hirvonen and Solberg... great gravel rally. Tequilas all round! Shaping up to be a great season... don't you think?

VIDEO: WRC 2012 Mexico Day 3 (Part 1/2)

Sebastien Loeb, Mikko Hirvonen and Petter Solberg get stuck into the final day... but who will win Rally Mexico?

VIDEO: WRC 2012 Rally Guanajuato México: Day 2 Highlights

All the action from Day Two of WRC Mexico 2012. Some fabulous flat out, sixth gear stuff...

VIDEO: WRC 2012: Rally Guanajuato México Day 1 Highlights

First of four videos showing all the action from the first gravel round of WRC 2012... enjoy the dusty, big jump action...

VIDEO: WRC 2012 Mexico Preview

So, we've had the famous tarmac of Rallye Monte-Carlo, and the snowbanks of Sweden, now for the first bit of gravel in WRC 2012, with the heat and altitude of Rally Mexico. Here's the preview video to wet you appetites... Our money is on that man Loeb, who's won for the last four years here... unstoppable on the loose? Or maybe it's Petter Solberg's turn for a win in his new factory Ford? Should be a good one... and you can see all the action unfold here on the Road blog.