In the 2024 season, there are only six drivers competing throughout the series in a Rally1 car. Among these, M-Sport Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux and Gregoire Munster are unlikely to contend for the championship.
Although Toyota’s Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta has proven capable of achieving podium positions in the WRC, his resources are not yet sufficient for a championship battle. Thus, the competition for the World Championship title will likely be between Hyundai’s Ott Tänak and Thierry Neuville, and Toyota’s Elfyn Evans.
Drivers driving selected WRC events are Sebastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä for Toyota, and Esapekka Lappi, Dani Sordo, and Andreas Mikkelsen for Hyundai. With such a group driving a partial season, it raises the question of whether this makes any sense.
“The way you phrase things, it probably doesn’t make sense. It’s probably a sign that something needs to be done, and efforts have been made. But the points system doesn’t relate to what drivers want to do or what would solve our predicament” Hyundai driver Lappi tells Rallit.fi, referring to the WRC’s revised point system.
Drivers find touring the entire series with its numerous media obligations and partner meetings too demanding. Decades ago, rallies were even longer, and there were far more tests, but Lappi notes that times have changed.
“Back in the day, people raced for weeks and even months on end and still partied all night, yet they still drove, so it must have been tough. It seems the current generation can’t keep up anymore. We’re apparently lazier than people used to be” Lappi comments in his style.
“Maybe the demands have also changed, as back then, they weren’t constantly looking at computer screens and videos. Cars were probably a bit slower, too.”
However, Lappi does not believe that all part time drivers will manage to keep their race count modest.
“Something needs to be done with the format, although I can’t say exactly what. This (many drivers doing half a season) is surely a sign of that. Still, I guess one of the part time drivers will end up racing more events and try to contend for the championship anyway” Lappi predicts.
Could it even be Lappi himself?
“Definitely not me. I’d guess a certain Frenchman.”
