WRCPedia
Don't have an account?
Register
Advertisement
Register
in: Seasons

2014 Season

Edit
This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). Smallwikipedialogo.png

The 2014 World Rally Championship season will be the forty-second season of the World Rally Championship, an auto racing championship recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile as the highest class of international rallying. Teams and drivers will contest thirteen rallies across four continents, competing for the FIA World Rally Championships for Drivers and Manufacturers. The WRC-2, WRC-3 and Junior WRC championships will all be run in support of the premier championship.

The 2014 season will see Hyundai return to the championship as a manufacturer for the first time since the 2003 season. The Rally of Poland will return to the calendar after a five-year absence, replacing the Acropolis Rally.

Sébastien Ogier will start the season as the defending drivers' champion. His team, Volkswagen Motorsport, will start the season as the defending manufacturers' champions.

Teams and drivers[]

The following teams and drivers are scheduled to compete in the World Rally Championship during the 2014 season:

World Rally Car entries eligible to score manufacturer points
Constructor Team Tyre No. Drivers Co-drivers Rounds
Volkswagen
(Volkswagen Polo R WRC) 		Germany Volkswagen Motorsport[1] M 1 France Sébastien Ogier[2] France Julien Ingrassia[2] 1–8
2 Finland Jari-Matti Latvala[2] Finland Miikka Anttila[2] 1–8
Germany Volkswagen Motorsport II[3] M 9 Norway Andreas Mikkelsen[3] Finland Mikko Markkula[3] 1–5
Norway Ola Fløene[4] 6–8
Citroën
(Citroën DS3 WRC) 		France Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team[5] M 3 United Kingdom Kris Meeke[6] Ireland Paul Nagle[6] 1–8
4 Norway Mads Østberg[6] Sweden Jonas Andersson[6] 1–8
Ford
(Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 		United Kingdom M-Sport World Rally Team[3][7] M 5 Finland Mikko Hirvonen[8] Finland Jarmo Lehtinen[8] 1–8
6 United Kingdom Elfyn Evans[8] United Kingdom Daniel Barritt[8] 1–8
United Kingdom RK M-Sport World Rally Team[3] M 10 Poland Robert Kubica[9] Poland Maciek Szczepaniak[7] 1–8
Czech Republic Jipocar Czech National Team[10] M 21 Czech Republic Martin Prokop[10] Czech Republic Michal Ernst[10] 1
Czech Republic Jan Tománek[11] 2–8
Hyundai
(Hyundai i20 WRC) 		Germany Hyundai Shell World Rally Team[12][3][13] M 7 Belgium Thierry Neuville[14] Belgium Nicolas Gilsoul[14] 1–8
8 Spain Dani Sordo[15] Spain Marc Martí[15] 1, 5
Finland Juho Hänninen[16] Finland Tomi Tuominen[16] 2, 4, 6–8
Australia Chris Atkinson[17] Belgium Stéphane Prévot[17] 3
Germany Hyundai Motorsport N[18] M 20 Spain Dani Sordo[19][20] Spain Marc Martí[19][20] 4
New Zealand Hayden Paddon[18] New Zealand John Kennard[18] 6–8

Team changes[]

  • Citroën will scale back its involvement in the championship, limiting its programme to two full-time works-supported cars, with a third car entered in selected events. As a result, its customer car programme will be brought to an end.[28] The decision to reduce its commitment to the WRC stemmed from Citroën's expansion into the World Touring Car Championship and the logistical challenges of establishing itself in a new series.[29][30]
  • Martin Prokop's M-Sport-supported Czech National Team will expand to enter a second Ford Fiesta RS WRC at selected events throughout the season.[10] The second car will compete under the name "Slovakia World Rally Team".[3]
  • Korean car manufacturer Hyundai will return to the championship as a manufacturer team, competing with the i20 WRC.[12] The Hyundai World Rally Team had originally planned to compete with two full-time entries, but later expanded to include two part-time entries as well.[19][31] Hyundai had previously competed in the WRC with the Hyundai Accent WRC from 2000 to 2003.[32]
  • The Qatar World Rally Team and Lotos Team WRC will not start the season.[3]

Driver changes[]

  • Nasser Al-Attiyah will not start the season after the Qatar World Rally Team did not submit an entry and the Qatari government ended its sponsorship of M-Sport.[3]
  • Chris Atkinson will join Hyundai on a part-time basis, competing in selected events including Rally Australia. Atkinson will share the team's second entry with Dani Sordo and Juho Hänninen.[33]
  • 2012 Super 2000 World Rally Champion Craig Breen will make his debut in a World Rally Car-specification car at the Rally of Sweden[24]
  • Elfyn Evans, who won the Junior World Rally Championship in 2012 and placed seventh overall in the 2013 World Rally Championship-2 season will join M-Sport.[8]
  • Juho Hänninen, who contested three events in 2013 with Qatar World Rally Team, will compete at selected events in 2014 with Hyundai.[16] Hänninen will share the car with Dani Sordo and Chris Atkinson. Hänninen will make his first appearance for the team at the Rally of Sweden.[33]
  • Mikko Hirvonen lost his seat at Citroën after two seasons with the team.[6] He will return to M-Sport, the team he competed with from 2006 to 2011, when it was known as the Ford World Rally Team.[8]
  • Former Formula One driver and reigning World Rally Championship-2 champion Robert Kubica will join the sport's top tier of competition in 2014, driving an M-Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta RS WRC as a satellite team of M-Sport.[9]
  • After taking part in selected events during the 2013 season, nine-time World Drivers' Champion Sébastien Loeb will leave the World Rally Championship, moving to the World Touring Car Championship with Citroën Racing.[29]
  • Kris Meeke will return to full-time competition, joining Citroën after making guest appearances in the team's third car in 2013.[6]
  • Slovakian driver Jaroslav Melichárek will make his WRC debut, driving a Ford Fiesta RS WRC run by the Jipocar Czech National Team under the name "Slovakia World Rally Team".[10] Melichárek had previously campaigned a Citroën C4 WRC in the Czech and Slovakian national championships before joining the team.
  • Thierry Neuville will leave the Qatar World Rally Team to join Hyundai's works team.[14]
  • Evgeny Novikov lost his seat with M-Sport.[8] He ruled out contesting the full 2014 season as he focused on securing funds for a drive in 2015, but expressed a willingness to make guest appearances at selected events.[34]
  • Mads Østberg will leave M-Sport after two seasons competing for Ford-backed teams M-Sport and Adapta. He will be driving for Citroën alongside Kris Meeke.[6]
  • 2011 Production Car World Rally Champion Hayden Paddon will compete part-time throughout the 2014 season, driving an i20 WRC.[31]
  • Dani Sordo will leave Citroën for Hyundai, sharing the team's second entry with Chris Atkinson and Juho Hänninen.[15] Sordo will be the first of the three to drive the i20 WRC, starting the Rallye Monte Carlo.[33]
  • Ott Tänak will return to the World Rally Championship, contesting selected events in a privately entered Ford Fiesta RS WRC whilst campaigning in the WRC-2 series with a Fiesta R5.[23]

Calendar[]

The 2014 calendar was announced at a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Croatia on 27 September 2013.[35] The season will be contested over thirteen rounds in Europe, North and South America and Australia.

Round Dates Rally name Rally headquarters Surface
1 16–18 January Monaco 82ème Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo Gap, Hautes-Alpes Mixed
2 5–8 February Sweden 62nd Rally Sweden Hagfors, Värmland Snow
3 6–9 March Mexico 28º Rally Guanajuato México León, Guanajuato Gravel
4 3–6 April Portugal 48º Vodafone Rally de Portugal Faro, Algarve Gravel
5 8–11 May Argentina 34º Rally Argentina Villa Carlos Paz, Córdoba Gravel
6 6–8 June Italy 11º Rally d'Italia Sardegna Alghero, Sardinia Gravel
7 27–29 June Poland 71st LOTOS Rally Poland Mikołajki, Warmia-Masuria Gravel
8 1–3 August Finland 64th Neste Oil Rally Finland Jyväskylä, Keski-Suomi Gravel
9 22–24 August Germany 32. ADAC Rallye Deutschland Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate Tarmac
10 12–14 September Australia 23rd Coates Hire Rally Australia Coffs Harbour, New South Wales Gravel
11 3–5 October France Rallye de France – Alsace 2014 Strasbourg, Alsace Tarmac
12 24–26 October Spain 50º Rally RACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada Salou, Tarragona Mixed
13 14–16 November United Kingdom 70th Wales Rally GB Deeside, Flintshire Gravel

Calendar changes[]

  • Rally Australia and Rally New Zealand will abandon the event-sharing arrangement established in 2008 that saw each event host a round of the championship every other year. After hosting an event in 2013, Rally Australia will remain on the calendar throughout 2014 and 2015 before the arrangement is due to be renegotiated.[36]
  • The Rallye Monte Carlo will relocate its base from Valence in the French province of Rhône-Alpes to the town of Gap in the neighbouring province of Hautes-Alpes.[37]
  • The 2014 calendar will see the Rally of Poland return to the championship for the first time since 2009.[36] The event will also cross the border into Lithuania for one day of competition.[35] Its inclusion came at the expense of the Acropolis Rally, which was removed after struggling with its financial obligations to the championship. The Acropolis Rally later moved to the European Rally Championship for the 2014 season.[38] The rallies of Brazil and China had also been considered for inclusion on the WRC calendar before the FIA approved of the Rally of Poland.[39][40]

Standings so far[]

FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers[]

Driver Placings
Pos Driver Monaco Sweden Mexico Portugal Argentina Italy Poland Finland Germany Australia France Spain United Kingdom Pts
1st Ogier 1st 6th 1st 1st 2nd 1st 1st 2nd Ret 1st 13th 1st 1st 267
2nd Latvala 5th 1st 2nd 14th 1st 3rd 5th 1st Ret 2nd 1st 2nd 8th 218
3rd Mikkelsen 7th 2nd 19th 4th 4th 4th 2nd 4th 3rd 3rd 2nd 7th Ret 150
4th Hirvonen Ret 4th 8th 2nd 9th Ret 4th 5th 5th 5th 5th 3rd 2nd 126
5th Østberg 4th 3rd 9th 3rd Ret 2nd Ret Ret 6th 16th 7th 4th 3rd 108
6th Neuville Ret 28th 3rd 7th 5th 16th 3rd Ret 1st 7th 8th 6th 4th 105
7th Meeke 3rd 10th Ret Ret 3rd 18th 7th 3rd Ret 4th 3rd 19th 6th 92
8th Evans 6th Ret 4th 22nd 7th 5th 35th 7th 4th 8th 6th 14th 5th 81
9th Prokop Ret Ret 5th Ret 8th 6th 10th Ret 7th 8th 9th 44
10th Sordo Ret Ret Ret 2nd 5th 40
11th Solberg 7th 5th 7th 9th 9th Ret 26
12th Bouffier 2nd 14th Ret 9th 20
13th Hänninen 19th 8th Ret 6th 20
14th Paddon 12th 8th 8th 6th 9th 10th 19
15th Tänak 5th 15th Ret 17th 21st 11th 12th 10th Ret 7th 17
16th Kubica Ret 24th Ret Ret 6th 8th 20th 34th Ret 9th Ret 17th 11th 14
17th Guerra 6th 18th EX 8
18th Atkinson 7th 10th 7
19th Tidemand 8th 11th 9th 28th 6
20th Kuipers 8th 11th 4
21st J. Melichárek 8th 19th 14th 4
22nd Al-Attiyah 10th Ret 17th 11th 10th 17th 4
23rd Bertelli 12th 18th 13th 30th 13th 9th Ret 50th 14th 2
24th Gamba 9th Ret 2
25th Breen 9th Ret EX 2
26th Protasov 10th 15th 10th 31st Ret 13th 43th 11th 13th 16th 20th 20th 2
27th Ketomaa 12th 10th 21st 12th 11th 12th 12th 12th 1
28th Kruuda 11th 10th 24th 16th 1
29th Al-Qassimi 16th 13th 10th 15th 1

References[]

  1. ↑ Burrows, Gus (20 June 2013). "Volkswagen halt 2014 development to ensure WRC future". SpeedCafe.com. http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/06/20/volkswagen-halt-2014-development-to-ensure-wrc-future/. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Evans, David. "Jari-Matti Latvala not expecting to be Sebastien Ogier's number two". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111783. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 "Rallye Monte Carlo 2014 Entry List". ACM.mc. Automobile Club Monte Carlo. http://www.acm.mc/documents/4/LISTE%20DES%20ENGAGES%20PAR%20LISTE%20DE%20PRIORITE.pdf. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Mikkelsen replaces co-driver Markkula". WRC.com (WRC Promoter GmbH). 15 May 2014. http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/may/floene-is-back/page/1396--12-12-.html. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Evans, David (12 July 2013). "Kris Meeke eyes 2014 Citroen WRC chance". Autosport.com (Hayparket Publications). http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108740. Retrieved 13 July 2013. "Citroen team principal Yves Matton confirmed to AUTOSPORT that he will run Al-Qassimi and two frontline drivers next season."
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 "Kris Meeke, Mads Østberg and Khalid al Qassimi to compete for Citroën Racing in 2014". Citroen-WRC.com (Citroën Racing). 9 December 2013. http://www.citroen-wrc.com/en/2013/news/wrc-news/6832/kris-meeke-mads-ostberg-khalid-al-qassimi-compete-citroen-racing-2014/. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 "Rally Sweden Entries". Rallysweden.com. http://www.rallysweden.com/en/tavlingen/anmalda/. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 "Youth and experience: M-Sport confirm Hirvonen and Evans for 2014". M-Sport.co.uk. M-Sport.co.uk. http://www.m-sport.co.uk/m-sport-news/fiesta-rs-wrc/youth-and-experience-m-sport-confirm-hirvonen-and-evans-for-2014.html. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Beer, Matt (13 December 2013). "Robert Kubica commits to 2014 WRC with M-Sport". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111843/. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 "Prokop confirms 2014 WRC programme". M-Sport.co.uk. Crash.net. http://www.crash.net/wrc/news/198991/1/prokop-confirms-2014-programme.html. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  11. ↑ "Prokop back with former co-driver". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/january-2014/prokop-co-driver-switch/page/995--12-12-.html. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Evans, David (17 December 2012). "Hyundai World Rally Car makes European test debut". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104846. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "Twitter "Shell is delighted to announce its Title Sponsorship of the new Hyundai Shell World Rally Team!"". Shell Motorsport. Twitter.com. https://twitter.com/ShellMotorsport/status/410366937483735040. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Neuville signs with Hyundai for 2014". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. http://www.wrc.com/news/neuville-signs-with-hyundai-for-2014/?fid=19344. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Twitter: "I am very happy to be part of this exciting Hyundai WRC project."". HyundaiWRC. Twitter.com. https://twitter.com/HyundaiWRC/status/410366365724196864. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Hyundai adds Hänninen". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. http://www.wrc.com/news/hyundai-adds-hauml%3Bnninen/?fid=19449. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 "Rally Mexico Entry List". Rallymexico.com. Rallymexico.com. http://www.rallymexico.com/files/rep/EntryListMx14.pdf. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "Paddon Joins Hyundai Line-up". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/february-2014/paddon-hyundai/page/1097--12-12-.html. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Hyundai Goes large in Portugal". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/february-2014/hyundai-trio/page/1087--12-12-.html. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Hyundai N team to debut with Sordo". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/march-2014/hyundai-sordo/page/1127--12-12-.html. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  21. ↑ "Citroën Racing continues its involment in rallying". CitroenRacing.com (Citroën Racing). 16 December 2013. http://www.citroenracing.com/en/2013/news/wrc-news/6861/citroen-racing-continues-involvement-rallying/. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 "Rally Sweden 2014 Entry List". rallysweden.com. http://www.rallysweden.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Rally-Sweden-Entry-List-2014.pdf. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "Ott Tanak back in WRC in 2014". Crash.Net. Crash.Net. http://www.crash.net/wrc/news/199059/1/tanak-returns.html. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 Evans, David (3 January 2014). "Craig Breen and Pontus Tidemand get WRC Fords for Rally Sweden". Autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112017. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 "Rally Poland Entry List". rajdpolski.pl. http://www.rajdpolski.pl/pliki/zawodnicy/2014/entry_list_lotos_71st_rally_poland.pdf. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 "Draft Entry List — Neste Oil Rally Finland 2014" (PDF). Rally Finland. AKK Sports. 14 July 2014. http://www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi/attachements/2014-07-14T10-59-45253.pdf. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 "WRC news in brief". WRC.com. http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/february-2014/news-in-brief/page/1095--12-12-.html. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  28. ↑ Evans, David (24 September 2013). "Citroen rules out customer WRC cars for 2014". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/110120. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "Citroen to enter WTCC with Loeb". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). 25 June 2013. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108282. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  30. ↑ "Citroen names C-Elysée for WTCC campaign". World Touring Car Championship (Kigema Sport Organisation). 24 July 2013. http://www.fiawtcc.com/news/detail/id/1230/t/CITROËN-NAMES-C-ELYSÉE-FOR-WTCC-CAMPAIGN. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Hyundai hands Hayden Paddon WRC lifeline". Speedcafe.com. 27 February 2014. http://www.speedcafe.com/2014/02/27/hyundai-hands-hayden-paddon-wrc-lifeline/. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  32. ↑ "Hyundai". World Rally Archive. http://www.juwra.com/hyundai.html. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Evans, David (10 December 2013). "WRC – Hyundai sign Sordo and Atkinson for 2014". Eurosport.com (Yahoo!). http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/wrc-sordo-atkinson-land-hyundai-deals-120256362--spt.html. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  34. ↑ Kabanovsky, Aleksander (25 December 2013). "Evgeny Novikov to skip 2014 World Rally Championship season". Autosport Russian Edition (Haymarket Publications). http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111958. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 "2014 WRC calendar revealed". WRC.com. 27 September 2013. http://www.wrc.com/news/2014-wrc-calendar-revealed/?fid=19124. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Evans, David (25 September 2013). "Greece set to lose WRC slot to Poland in 13-round 2014 calendar". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/110138. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  37. ↑ "Rallye Monte Carlo heads home for Ogier". WRC.com. 9 July 2013. http://www.wrc.com/news/rallye-monte-carlo-heads-home-for-ogier/?fid=18759. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  38. ↑ Evans, David (7 November 2013). "Acropolis Rally secures ERC slot for 2014". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111183. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  39. ↑ Evans, David (29 May 2013). "2014 WRC calendar set to be confirmed in June". Autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107755. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  40. ↑ Evans, David (10 July 2013). "Poland leads race as World Rally Championship plans new 2014 event". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108708. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
Advertisement

Fan Feed

More WRCPedia