The penultimate round of the season will be held across the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria. A total of 44 crews have registered for the tarmac rally.
The entry list revealed an anticipated piece of information: in Central Europe, Hyundai’s third car will be driven by Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen.
This season, Mikkelsen has been alternating in Hyundai’s third car with Esapekka Lappi and Dani Sordo. Although the Norwegian’s pace wasn’t particularly convincing in the Monte Carlo or Croatia asphalt rallies, Hyundai still trusts him for the rally taking place in just over three weeks. Neither Lappi nor Sordo will participate in the Central European round.
A total of ten Rally1 cars will take part in the event. Competing for Hyundai are Thierry Neuville, Ott Tänak, and Mikkelsen, while Sebastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta, and Sami Pajari will drive Toyota’s Rally1 cars. M-Sport Ford’s regular drivers Adrien Fourmaux and Gregoire Munster will be joined by Greek gentleman driver Jourdan Serderidis, who is making his third WRC appearance of the season in his own Ford Puma.
It was also confirmed that Toyota star Kalle Rovanperä will sit out the Central European Rally. However, Rovanperä is expected to take the start in the season-ending Rally Japan, which is Toyota’s home event.
The WRC2 class will feature 15 competing crews. Among the top names in the category are Citroen drivers Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin. Skoda driver Oliver Solberg will also be on the starting line, though he won’t be competing for WRC2 points in Central Europe. Solberg will contest his final points-eligible event this coming weekend in Chile, where he could secure the championship title with a win.
In the WRC3 class, three notable names will take part. Earlier this week, it was announced that Finland’s Suvi Jyrkiäinen, Belgium’s Lyssia Baudet, and Germany’s Claire Schönborn were selected for the final stage of the Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development Programme, organised by the WRC Promoter. Following the Central European Rally, one of the trio will be chosen as the winner and awarded the opportunity to compete in next season’s Junior WRC category.
The Central European Rally is scheduled to take place from 17-20 October. Before that, the championship battle will continue in Chile this coming weekend.
