Rally New Zealand and Supercars in doubt
Organisers are pressing ahead with plans for Rally New Zealand to take place in September as the NZ Rally Champs are cancelled and the Auckland round of Supercars also remains in doubt.
The prestigious WRC event, which is scheduled to take place around Auckland, is in danger of being postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
This month’s Portugal round of the World Rally Championship has been cancelled, while the rounds in Argentina, which was planned for April and June’s
Rally Italy postponed.
With almost no international travel taking place and the New Zealand Government requiring have both been everyone entering the country to spend 14 days in isolation, the prospects of the rally happening are slim.
However, there’s still a lot of water to flow under the bridge between now and September and RallyNZ 2020 chief executive Michael Goldstein says they’re still pressing on.
The last time the WRC came to New Zealand was in 2012 and it was only making a reappearance this year while a new venue is found for Rally Australia, as Coffs Harbour was now regarded as too small.
If New Zealand does miss out this time, it’s not known when or if it might ever come back.
It was announced yesterday that the New Zealand Rally Championships have been cancelled. The two opening rounds, in Otago and Whangarei, had already been postponed but the decision has now been made to scrap the entire season.
‘‘It was a really difficult call to make but one we know is best for the long-term health of our sport,’’ NZRC coordinator Blair Bartels said.
Meanwhile, Supercars could resume again next month, but there is the possibility that it continues without an event in New Zealand this year.
Ateed, an arm of the Auckland Council which finances the New
Zealand round, had been hoping for the event that was supposed to be at Hampton Downs over the Anzac weekend, be rescheduled to November, probably switching back to Pukekohe Park Raceway.
However, while Supercars may hit the track in Australia next month, it’s likely to be without any crowds.
Supercars events could take place across Australia without spectators, but even if there’s a trans-Tasman bubble there would be little point in Supercars forking out the extra expense of shipping or flying everything over to New Zealand when Supercars fans in this country won’t be able to go to the circuit.