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CAMPEONATO DO MUNDO DE RALIS 2018 - WRC PRESENTES EM BIRMINGHAN

Terça, 16 Janeiro 2018 06:27 | Actualizado em Quarta, 27 Março 2024 08:42

Birmingham blast-off for 2018 FIA World Rally Championship 

 

·         Spectacular season launch for WRC at Autosport International show

·         Stars and cars take centre stage at WRC’s Takeover Thursday

·         Teams unveil new season World Rally Cars to global media

 

 – The 2018 FIA World Rally Championship hit top gear with a spectacular high-profile launch at the Autosport International show in Birmingham on Thursday.

 

Manufacturer teams representing Citroën, Hyundai, M-Sport Ford and Toyota provided a first public look at their 2018 World Rally Cars as the quartet lined up side-by-side on the central stage during a day dubbed Takeover Thursday.

 

All the big-name drivers, co-drivers and team principals were present to share their views on the new season, two weeks before the prestigious Rallye Monte-Carlo (25 - 28 January) ushers in the opening action in Monaco’s glamorous Casino Square.

 

A packed day of WRC activities heralded the opening of Europe’s biggest pre-season motorsport show at the NEC Birmingham. All cars will stay on display throughout the weekend with more driver appearances lined up.

 

Support category competitors from WRC 2 and Junior WRC also took part.

 

WRC Promoter managing director Oliver Ciesla said there was no better place to launch the championship than at an event affectionately regarded as the beginning of the new motorsport season.

 

“Takeover Thursday provided a marvellous opportunity to showcase the 2018 WRC to a global media audience. It was a fitting way to kick-off the new season and raise the anticipation ahead of the opening round in a couple of weeks. Let battle commence!” he said.

 

Major news stories from launch day activities included:

 

·         WRC Promoter, the championship’s commercial rights holder, announced ground-breaking plans to show live coverage of every special stage from every rally as it happens. The new WRC All Live service will offer more than 25 hours of coverage from each round as a continuous live stream, including expert analysis from the WRC’s TV studio and breaking news, interviews and reactions from across the service park. 

 

·         Ford announced extended support to M-Sport, winner of both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles in 2017. The renamed M-Sport Ford World Rally Team will receive additional technical help from Ford Performance in USA, as well as extra financial backing.

 

·         Mads Østberg will join Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team for Rally Sweden (15 - 18 February). The Norwegian and co-driver Torstein Eriksen will drive a third C3 alongside Kris Meeke and Craig Breen. “We’re talking about further rallies but nothing has been confirmed,” said Østberg.

 

·         World champions Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia were joined by M-Sport Ford boss Malcolm Wilson in opening the four-day show.

 

·         Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja made their first official appearance in Toyota Gazoo Racing colours after joining the Finnish-based team from M-Sport for 2018.

 

·         Dani Sordo appeared with new co-driver Carlos del Barrio. Del Barrio, who previously partnered his fellow Spaniard between 2011 - 2013, replaces Marc Marti alongside Sordo at Hyundai Motorsport.

 


 

Photograph captions

1. All the WRC’s manufacturer teams unveiled their 2018 cars in front of a huge media corps in Birmingham. 

2. Mads Østberg will join Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team for February’s Rally Sweden.

 

About WRC Promoter GmbH

WRC Promoter GmbH is responsible for all commercial aspects of the FIA World Rally Championship, including TV production and the marketing of global media and sponsorship rights. The Promoter also has responsibility to increase the field of participants and to propose the venues that form the FIA WRC calendar.

 

The World Rally Championship is the FIA’s premium rally series. WRC showcases authentic motorsport, high performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings ranging from the ice and snow of Scandinavia to the stifling heat of Sardinia. Established in its current format in 1973, WRC participants battle for the drivers’ and manufacturers’ world titles at 13 rallies spanning 15 countries and five continents. Additional championship information can be found at www.wrc.com and www.wrcplus.com.

 

Next rally: Rallye Monte-Carlo, 25 - 28 January 2018


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