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All the reasons why you should be very excited for the new WRC season
The 2019 World Rally Championship is set to be the most open in the series' 40-year history. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming season.
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Once again, it's time to roll the dice at round one of the World Rally Championship. Just 66 days after closing out the 2018 season in Australia, a new season dawns in the French Alps on January 24, at the famed Rallye Monte-Carlo.
With old faces and new places, there's plenty to talk about ahead of the first round in and around the principality on France's Mediterranean coast.
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The return of the king (part 1)
Eight years ago, Citroën relished the start of what looked to be a fascinating season, with Sébastien Loeb and Sébastien Ogier lining up alongside each other. Ultimately, though, things didn’t go to plan. Ogier departed for five years at Volkswagen, and then two with M-Sport Ford, but now the six-time world champion is back in Versailles.
"I've got to get used to working in French again," says Ogier. “It's been a nice welcome for Julien Ingrassia[co-driver] and me at Citroën, but the only thing that matters for me is a fast car and a nice atmosphere."
Sébastien Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
All change for Sébastien Loeb
When Sébastien Loeb took a sensational 79th career WRC win in Spain last year, the writing was on the wall: he was coming home. Sort of.
The intention appeared to be that he would drive more WRC rounds for Citroën this year, but when PSA Group stablemate Peugeot canned their World RX effort, Loeb was left high and dry, with no deal. Enter Hyundai, and Loeb's first professional contract outside of Peugeot Citroën.
Loeb will jet in to the start of round one just days after the finish of the Dakar Rally 2019.
"When Peugeot went, I was completely surprised," says Loeb. "I had nothing, no plans. After Spain, I thought to do more WRC. Rallying is the discipline I know best, this is my sport. I was happy to find a solution with Hyundai for these six rallies."
Hyundai look to turn promise into prizes
Starting its sixth season in the world championship, Hyundai's lead driver, Thierry Neuville, is blunt in his assessment of what's needed for the year ahead. "We need to improve," says the Belgian. "We were missing some speed and consistency last year – we need to find both this year if we want to challenge Toyota."
Neuville will be joined by Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo,as well, of course, as Loeb. Norway's Mikkelsen knows he has to turn a tough 2018 into a winning 2019. "It's really important that I get out of this bad spiral," he says. "I didn't forget how to drive."
Thierry Neuville
© @World/Red Bull Content Pool
Meeke's musical chairs
"It's been a game of musical chairs in the driver market this year," says Northern Irish driver Kris Meeke. And when the music stopped? "I find myself, to be honest, in the seat I really wanted."
That seat is in a Toyota Yaris WRC. Having been dropped by Citroën halfway through last season, Meeke made a deal with Toyota chief Tommi Mäkinen for 2019.
"My priority is to enjoy myself," says Meeke. "I have realised, in my break away from the sport, that I haven’t enjoyed myself as much as I should have. This is one of the best jobs in the world, and it's such a pleasure to drive one of these current generation World Rally cars."
After winning the manufacturers' title in just its second year back in the sport, Toyota, the world's biggest car maker, is tipped for more success this season.
Meeke's arrival only serves to strengthen an already impressive driver lineup, including last year's fastest man Ott Tänak (who won more stages than anybody else), and the series' most experienced campaigner, Jari-Matti Latvala.
Enjoy the sights (and smells) of the WRC
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
New destinations join old favourites on the calendar
The World Rally Championship will include two South American events for the first time since 1982, but it's Chile, rather than Brazil, joining Argentina on rallying's finest roster for 2019. Following Rally Argentina, the WRC makes the trip over the Andes for Chile's Concepción-based debut a fortnight later in May.
Chile's in, and Kenya and Japan could be joining the party, but it’s still the sport's own backyard where the most fun is to be had – Finland.
'There's no place like it," says M-Sport Ford team leader Elfyn Evans. "I love driving on tarmac, and I love my home event in Wales, but the buzz in Finland is unbelievable. When you fly over those jumps at high speed, and the car lands perfectly, just in time for you to turn it into the next corner… there's no feeling like it."
There's no argument from Evans's fellow 2019 Fiesta WRC campaigner, Teemu Suninen. "It's a special place for the sport," says Suninen. "Finland loves the rally. We have big support and great roads."
It's lift off for Teemu Suninen at the Finnish stop of the 2018 WRC
© @World/Red Bull Content Pool
WRC celebrates the big 40 this year
The WRC drivers' championship turns 40 years old this month. Sweden's Björn Waldegård won the first title in 1979, and since then, 16 drivers have taken at least one title. For the last 15 years however two names have dominated the WRC's most-prized possession: Sébastien Loeb and Sébastien Ogier.
This year's WRC is set to be one of the most open in the series' history, though. Each of the four teams features crews and cars capable of winning rallies, and titles. So let's get started.
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This is what it's like to go flat-out at Rallye Monte-Carlo
Put yourself behind the wheel of a WRC car and relive the legendary rally that opened the 2018 season.
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