READY TO GO INTO BATTLE FOR GLORY
It is nearing the end of January, and that only means one thing: the World Rally Championship is about to blast back into life with the Monte Carlo showpiece. This year’s competition is set to be a belter with each of the major entries containing at least one star driver. Ott Tanak’s switch from Hyundai, where he cut an unhappy figure over the latter part of 2022, is perhaps the most intriguing of all. The Estonian has huge ambition and wants to take a second World title and the fire in his belly to beat his former employers will only be a boost for M-Sport. The Rally1 Puma has already proved itself capable of winning rallies in the right hands, and Tanak will extract the absolute maximum from the hybrid machine.
Tanak will have to overcome Toyota Gazoo Racing. The Japanese giant steamrollered its way to glory last season with young sensation Kalle Rovanpera at the controls. He proved adept on all surfaces and nothing seemed to faze the sport’s youngest-ever champion. With another year’s learning under his belt and more experience of the stages and conditions he is likely to face, he will only get faster.
That will be a concern to his Yaris team-mate Elfyn Evans, who is aiming to recapture his mojo in 2023. Last year was a struggle for the Welshman who finished fourth in the points. While that is not a disaster, it was a long way from his title-challenging seasons in 2020 and 2021. He really needs to get back to the front and go toe-to-toe with Rovanpera to guarantee himself a long-term future in rallying’s top-flight.
Thierry Neuville will front up the Hyundai challenge, and the South Korean manufacturer has a new hand on the tiller with ex-Formula 1 man Cyril Abiteboul at the top of the tree. There was always the feeling that the i20 N had more pace than the drivers were able to show in 2022, and they will be desperate to put that right in the new season.
Elsewhere in this issue, we look back at last week’s Autosport International show. Our staff spent all four days checking out the sights and sounds in Birmingham, and we pick out our favourites on page 24.
The subject of our readers’ Q&A this week is proud Brummie Phil Andrews, a single-seater battler who made it through the ranks to Formula 3000 and he also came within a whisker of an Indy Racing League seat. He also tackled Le Mans on two occasions, following in the footsteps of his father.
Motorsport News and Motul UK are also on the hunt for your favourite American racer of all time, so turn to page 26 to make your opinions heard.