Earlier this season, the WRC Promoter stepped in to assist M-Sport financially when the team signed Latvian driver Martiņs Sesks to drive a Rally1 car. Sesks competed in Rally Poland and Rally Latvia with the promoter’s backing.
Toyota also received financial support from the promoter earlier this season when Sami Pajari drove a Toyota Rally1 car in Rally Finland. Pajari delivered an excellent performance, finishing an impressive fourth overall in the event.
Sesks also showed great speed right from the start and could have secured a podium in Latvia, had technical issues not ruined his chances of a top finish towards the end of the rally.
The success of these young drivers has been a fantastic advertisement for the sport. There is a desire to continue promoting young talent and giving them the opportunity to prove themselves at the highest level of rallying.
“We offer all manufacturers involved in the championship the chance to get a new driver. You get financial support from us,” promised Peter Thul, the WRC Promoter’s senior director of sport, during the Acropolis Rally in Greece.
Regarding Sami Pajari’s situation, Thul suggested that Toyota might provide more details, but reaffirmed their willingness to continue supporting manufacturers.
“Toyota knows, in case something happens, we would love to support. We also offered it to Hyundai, but at Hyundai, I think the issue is car availability, though they love the idea as well. So this is something we’d like to continue next year too,” Thul explained.
Thul has been particularly impressed with how quickly young drivers have adapted to the Rally1 cars. Sesks competed in Poland without a hybrid unit, but then had one installed in his car for his home event in Latvia.
“I lost (a bet) because of the last stage, as I said he would be on the podium with the hybrid. He nearly was,” Thul laughed.
“But this opens a gate, and I think next year we might see more non-hybrid cars, because it’s the right way to step up from WRC2 into WRC,” he added.
The next rising star who could be given a shot in a Rally1 car is Estonia’s Robert Virves. Estonia is returning to the WRC calendar next year, so it would be natural for Virves to make his Rally1 debut in his home event.
“I’ve already received an email, and we now have to check our budget, because money doesn’t just fall from the sky. But he is definitely one name on the list,” Thul revealed.
While the promoter provides financial assistance, the responsibility is also shared with the driver and the manufacturer.
“We are not fully paying everything. The driver is also bringing his contribution. M-Sport did something on that, and so altogether we can make it work, because it’s not cheap to run a Rally1,” Thul reminded.
