Ogier To Remain With Toyota For 2024 Season

Sebastien Ogier has confirmed he will drive for the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT for the 2024 season. 

First To Confirm

Sebastien Ogier is the first of many drivers to confirm their 2024 season plans. With Ogier confirming he will once again be a part-time driver for Toyota next season. The time World Rally Champion has driven part-time for Toyota since the 2022 season. Ogier has proven this season he still has what it takes to compete with the best. As Ogier has won 3 out of the 6 events he’s driven so far this season, and likely would’ve won EKO Acropolis Rally Greece. If it weren’t for a broken suspension arm on the final stage of the third day. Ogier is the first Toyota driver to confirm his plans for next season. As up to this point no other driver for Toyota has a contract for next season. In fact, the only driver at the WRC level with a contract for next season is Thierry Neuville for Hyundai. 

In case There Was A Doubt

There were rumours that Ogier may move to Hyundai for next season. However, that isn’t happening. Ogier has even said there wasn’t much to the talks between him and Hyundai. It was more just talking than anything. As Ogier is his own agent meaning he deals with this stuff on his own. For Ogier, sticking with Toyota seems like the right move. As the Yaris Rally1 has proven it can win, and he has a fantastic team backing him. With Hyundai, it’s a lot of uncertainty. The i20 Rally1 is unreliable, and unproven in a lot of cases. Sure Ott Tänak won a couple events in the car last season, but that was a miracle in a half. Thierry Neuville has been decent this season, same with Esapekka Lappi. For Ogier that unknown isn’t something he needs to challenge at this point in his career. 

Who Will Join Ogier?

Sebastien Ogier will likely start a domino effect of drivers announcing their 2024 plans. The lineup for Toyota will likely remain the same. Rovanperä seems happy with the Japanese team. So does Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta. For Toyota they have the perfect lineup heading into next season if they can keep the current lineup. Rovanperä is a nearly unstoppable force, and when he’s out Evans steps up. The bigger question heading into the off-season will be, does Toyota find somebody to fill in for the other half of the season when Ogier’s not there? Currently, that’s Takamoto Katstua’s role with the team. Although Katsuta has driven every event this season, he only scores manufacturers’ points at events Ogier isn’t attending. Toyota will likely keep this how it is, but could they bring another driver in to develop and give valuable Rally1 seat time to at events Ogier isn’t at? It’s possible, but unlikely. 

The Toyota Yaris Rally1 has a chance to make history at Rally Chile BioBio next weekend, but how? Find out below.

How The Toyota Yaris Rally1 Can Make History, Well Kinda

The Toyota Yaris Rally1 currently sits with 15 rally wins heading into Rally Chile BioBio next week. This 15-win number may seem random to mention, but it’s the main focus of this article. As to tie for the 10th winningest car in WRC history, the Yaris Rally1 only needs 1 rally win. Something they can and probably will achieve in Chile. If they do win, the Yaris Rally1 joins another Toyota for the 10th most wins in WRC history. The other Toyota in question? The Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD (STI85). The Celica won its first event at the 1992 running of Safari Rally Kenya, with Carlos Sainz behind the wheel. Its final win came at the 1994 Rally Sanremo with Didier Auriol behind the wheel. Anyways back to the Yaris Rally1. The first win for the Yaris Rally1 came at the 2022 running of Rally Sweden, with Kalle Rovanperä behind the wheel, and the latest win came at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece with Rovanperä also piloting the car. In fact, Rovanperä has the most wins in the car, winning 9 of the 15 events the car has won

Could The Yaris Rally1 End Up Higher On The List?

The Toyota Yaris Rally1 has a chance to tie for 7th on the all-time wins list. Joining the Fiat Abarth 131 with 18 wins. In doing this the Yaris Rally1 would pass the Ford Escort MK2 and Lancia Stratos, both are tied for 8th on the list, with 17 wins a piece. Most likely the Yaris Rally1 will be tied for 8th place by the end of the season. As it’s unlikely that the car will be brought to victory seven consecutive times. As a Toyota driver has won every event from Safari Rally Kenya onward. Rovanperä may be a good driver, but at two events he and every other driver have little experience at, it’s unlikely he or another Toyota driver will win both. Toyota will probably win their home event of Rally Japan to end off the season, however. It is worth mentioning that there is a chance no Toyota driver could win in the remainder of the season. This is extremely unlikely, however, as well Rovanperä seems unstoppable and Elfyn Evans is right behind him. 

Joining Another Toyota

Once the Toyota Yaris Rally1 joins the list of the 10 winningest WRC cars it’ll join another Toyota. Not the Cecila, it’s actually another Yaris. The Toyota Yaris WRC which was used from 2017 to 2021. Taking home its first win at Rally Sweden in 2017 with now Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala behind the wheel. Its final win came at its final event, the 2021 running of Rally Monza, with Sebastien Ogier behind the wheel. The Yaris WRC currently sits tied for fourth on the list. It’s tied with the Citroen DS3 WRC with both cars having 26 wins. Funnily enough, once the Yaris Rally1 makes the list there will be 3 Citroens and 3 Toyota’s on the list. It’s no surprise there are so many Citroens on the list seeing as Sebastien Loeb won 9 consecutive championships with the cars. 

Is there any potential that the WRC could go fully electric in the future? Find out why or why not below. 

The Facts

It’s been reported that the current deal between the WRC and Compact Dynamics has been extended to 2027. Meaning the WRC will continue to use hybrid engines until the end of the 2027 season. Giving the WRC just about 3 years to decide their next move as a result. Could their next move be to go fully electric? It’s possible but highly unlikely. It’s unlikely for multiple reasons. I’ll explore some of those reasons in a minute, but first, let’s look at why this could happen. 

Why The WRC Could Go Electric 

Simply put, going electric seems to be the way of the future and what the FIA is interested in. However, that’s about where the good reasons end. The FIA will likely have interest in the WRC going fully electric as most of their championships are going down that route, or another environmentally friendly route. However, most of the FIA’s championships that are doing that take place on a closed course. 

Why The WRC Probably Won’t Go Electric

Buckle up because this is about to be long. The WRC likely won’t go electric, for a multitude of reasons. Including battery range, safety and most importantly it doesn’t make sense. Let me break each of those down further. 

Battery Range

The total kilometres of stages on a single day would require more than just a single battery charge from an electric car. So why not just charge them at service? That’s not the issue, the issue is how long they take to charge. To fully recharge the battery or batteries would take more than 30 to 45 minutes. So why not up the service times? If only it were that simple, the WRC can only close roads for a set amount of time, expanding the service times would push the entire second half of the day back. Something the WRC likely wouldn’t be keen on doing. 

Safety Reasons 

One of the biggest things the FIA and WRC promoter will have to look at with electric vehicles is safety. Not necessarily the safety of competitors, but the safety of fans and spectators. Take a look at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece there were many instances of spectators on the stage throughout the event. The WRC and event Marshalls can’t control every spectator nor sit on every corner of a stage. For this reason, rally cars need to make some loud noise. This is something electric cars don’t make a lot of, they sound like quiet vacuum cleaners. Something you probably wouldn’t hear until it was right behind you. The WRC can’t run the risk of somebody being on stage or in a bad spot and getting hit by a car. There are rules for spectators, yes, but that doesn’t always stop people from doing what they want. Electric cars work on closed courses but on an open course where spectators are right beside the road may not be the safest idea. 

It Doesn’t Make Sense

The WRC going electric just doesn’t make sense at the end of the day. It would be a venture that would end the WRC. Sure there are some electric series that work, and then there are some that fail. The WRC promoter is seeing this firsthand with the World RX. A championship that is losing fans and slowly dying out. The WRC can’t risk the same happening to the championship. It’s not worth it for the championship to take the risk. It’s a coin toss of if it’ll work or if it’ll fail miserably. 

The WRC Needs To Focus On Other Things

Instead of focusing on a fully electric future the WRC first needs to get themselves into a good place. It’s no secret the WRC isn’t doing great currently. Having only three Rally1 teams and no new ones joining in the near future it seems. The WRC should focus on trying to attract new manufacturers and fans. Will bring fully electric bring new manufacturers? Maybe, will it bring new fans? Maybe. It’s all unknown, there’s a 50% chance it will bring new manufacturers and fans and there’s a 50% chance it won’t. The WRC needs to stick with and grow what they have until they are in a comfortable enough spot to try a major change like becoming fully electric. 

Rally Chile BioBio takes place in a week’s time, let’s take a look back at the last time it was in the WRC.

New Event New Experience

Rally Chile BioBio made its WRC debut in the 2019 season. Marking the first time the championship went to Chile and the first time the event had run. Running just a few weeks after Rally Argentina, Chile was sure to give drivers and new experience at the event. Being a new experience for both the WRC and organizers something unusual was probably going to happen and that something didn’t take long to happen. As on just the second stage of the event the stage was halted due to a safety concern. This didn’t really have much of an effect on the stage as it was caught early. However, Thierry Neuville who was first on the road was interrupted due to this. Meaning he was awarded time after the stage. 

Rally Recap

Day One

The first day of Rally Chile 2019 was dominated by Ott Tänak. Tänak took 3 of the 6 stage wins on the day to take a lead of 22.4 seconds heading into the second day of the event. Sebastien Ogier sat second heading into the second day, and Jari-Matti Latvala sat third, 6.4 seconds behind Ogier. 

Day Two

The second day of the event was slightly less dominated by Tänak. As the Estonian only took 2 wins on the days six stages, tying for the most stage wins on the day with Sebastien Loeb. Kris Meeke rolled his Toyota on the opening stage of the day but would carry on. For Thierry Neuville, it was a different story. After taking the stage win on SS7, Neuville crashed out on a blind right-hander, ending his event as a result. Ott Tänak maintained the lead on the second day, now sitting 30.3 seconds ahead of Sebastien Ogier for the lead. Sebastien Loeb took hold of third as a result of Latvala breaking his driveshaft on the final stage of the day. Loeb now sat 5.1 seconds back from Ogier at the end of the day. 

Day Three

The third and final day of Rally Chile saw Ott Tänak only take one stage win. That stage win just so happened to be the Powerstage, awarding him 5 extra points. Sebastien Ogier gained back time on Tänak, however not enough to take the rally lead. As in 4 stages there isn’t much time to be had. Anyway, Tänak held on to win the first-ever Rally Chile. Beating Sebastien Ogier by 23.1 seconds. Sebastien Loeb held on to third, finishing 7.1 seconds back from Ogier. 

Subaru has been linked to a WRC return, but why does the manufacturer need to return to the championship? Find out below.

Continuing A Legacy

Subaru has one of the largest and most iconic histories in the WRC. This isn’t the reason the manufacturer needs to return to the WRC however. It’s deeper than that, and it’s not just a Subaru thing. For the health of the WRC, they need to attract more manufacturers, especially ones with the amount of legacy that Subaru has. For the WRC they need to keep the history of manufacturers alive, especially ones like Subaru that are still around and thriving. The WRC can’t risk letting the history or legacy of Subaru be forgotten. It’s also a way for Subaru to continue their legacy and be able to go out of the championship on their own foot. Not forced out via a financial crisis. 

Adding Another Manufacturer 

This isn’t something that only Subaru can solve. It’s no secret the WRC needs to add another manufacturer to the championship. Currently, the WRC only has two fully back manufacturer teams (Toyota and Hyundai) and one partly backed team (M-Sport), the WRC cannot continue with this. It may look fine for now, because all the teams are committed to the WRC. But what about in the long run? Is M-Sport going to be able to survive and be in the championship in 5 or 10 years? The WRC cannot let that be a risk, you can’t run a championship with 2 teams. It’s not good for the drivers nor the championship. At that point, you risk turning into the World RX. Subaru seems to be the only manufacturer that may have an interest in the WRC, and the WRC needs to do everything in their power to make it happen. 

Takamoto Katsuta has been in the WRC for nearly 4 seasons, is he ready for a larger role with Toyota?

Proving Himself

Takamoto Katsuta has competed in Rally’s top class since the start of the 2020 season. Katsuta has made slow but steady progress with Toyota. Having 4 podiums under his belt so far. With his highest finish being 2nd at Safari Rally Kenya in 2021. Katsuta has been consistent so far in a WRC1/Rally1 car. However, he’s finishing consistently at 5th or lower. Unless somebody has an issue that is. The biggest question is, does Toyota think he’s ready to step into a larger role with the team? As Katsuta has been the teams third full-time driver since 2020. However, Katsuta has only scored Manufacturers’ points at select events. With Sebastien Ogier being the other part-time Manufacturer points scorer for Toyota. 

Why He Needs More Time 

Katsuta is a talented driver, who is slowly improving. However, for a team like Toyota, he may not be ready to step into a full-time manufacturer scoring role. Although even if he did take that next step he likely wouldn’t score many manufacturers points. As Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans rarely make mistakes. The biggest thing Katsuta needs to improve on is finishing fifth or higher at each event. Finishing sixth isn’t terrible but for a team like Toyota, it’s not favorable. Consistency is key and finishing at or around fifth isn’t bad considering everyone else who’s in the championship. However, at most events, 6th is second last in class. As most of the time, there are only 7 or 8 Rally1 cars at an event. If Katsuta can find a way to consistently finish top five, even if nobody has an issue, he’ll be a good fit for a full-time role with the team. 

Depends On A Different Thing 

If Katsuta steps into a larger role next season is up to not just Toyota, but 8-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier. There were rumours circulating that Ogier may leave the team at the end of the season for Hyundai. However, that doesn’t look like it’ll be the case. As for Ogier, he’s in a perfect situation. He’s in a car that can win relatively easily. Ogier has also proven he can still win events. He’s won the most events this season, and would likely lead the championship if he was doing a full campaign. 

The 2024 WRC Calendar has yet to be released, it’s gotta be released soon right? But when could it be released? Find out below. 

A Possible Delay 

It was previously reported that the 2024 WRC Calendar was to be released before Greece. Well, Greece finished just over a week ago and still no calendar. So where is it? Is possible that the WRC and FIA are held up by an event? As for the 2024 calendar to be confirmed, all events have to be confirmed. If an event is struggling to get permits to run or is having another issue it could delay the calendar. We know basically the entire calendar already. As all but 3 event slots are confirmed. The remaining slots will likely be filled by Croatia Rally, Rally Japan and Rally Poland or Argentina. It’s possible that any one of these events are holding the release of the 2024 calendar up. It’s also possible the FIA and WRC are just waiting until October to release it.

When Could The 2024 WRC Calendar Be Released? 

The earliest the 2024 calendar could be released is Rally Chile BioBio in just under 2 weeks time. It’s also possible it’s unveiled as late as the Central European Rally in October. The calendar will probably be released sometime between Chile and Europe. That is if everything goes according to schedule. 

Why The 2024 WRC Calendar Needs To Come Out Soon

The 2024 Calendar doesn’t just tell fans when a WRC event is taking place. It also is normally the start of silly season talks and talks of drivers retiring and such. Most drivers, unless they are 100% sure they want to retire, don’t retire until after they see the next season’s calendar. It’ll also be the kind of true start to contract negotiations. Which have been silently taking place, but nothing has really materialized. Things will likely stay this way after the calendar is released. As everyone will likely remain with who they currently drive for. Besides maybe Ott Tänak and a few others. Nobody really wants to make a move until they see what’s next for the WRC. 

Pirelli announced earlier this week it would not be the tire supplier for the WRC past the 2024 season. So who could replace them? 

Michelin 

Michelin was the main tire supplier for the WRC from the start of the 2011 season, until the end of the 2020 season. Of course, other tires were used within this timeframe. Such as Pirelli and D-Mack. However, those were pretty much only used by privateers and teams sponsored by said tire brand. Michelin has already been involved in rumours regarding who could become the WRC’s trite supplier in 2025 and beyond. Michelin would make sense for the WRC to choose. As they have past experience with the brand, and it’s one some drivers will be familiar with. Due to the previous experience with the WRC and overall having the budget and brand recognition, Michelin will probably be the new tire supplier for the WRC after 2024. 

MRF Tyre

MRF Tyre is currently used in the ERC by their own team and some other drivers. The MRF Tyre team has won the Teams championship in the ERC the past two seasons. Proving the tire can do good at rally events. Plus with it being used in the ERC, the FIA and WRC get to see firsthand how the tire holds up. If MRF were to become the main tire supplier for the WRC it’s likely their team will come along with them. Whether or not this is in the Rally1 class is a different story. However, if it is in the Rally1 class. It’s another positive for the WRC as another team, even if it’s not a new manufacturer is needed in the WRC. 

Yokohama 

Yokohama is a bit of a dark horse. As they haven’t been used by any of the FIA’s rally championships. However, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been used in rallies. Yokohama is the main tire supplier for Subaru Motorsports USA. The biggest issue with tires is normally how easily they debeed or get punctured. Yokohama, much like Michelin would have the budget to do such a large venture. However is Yokohama ready for something as large as the WRC? Only time will truly tell if they are ready for that big of a venture.

 Pirelli To Leave The WRC After 2024

Sebastien Loeb has been absent from the WRC since the beginning of the season. What could be next for the 9-time champion?

A WRC Return?

Sebastien Loeb has won the most World Rally Championships in WRC history. Taking home a whopping 9 of them. Loeb also owns a handful of other WRC records. Including most rally wins, stage wins and podium finishes. Could Loeb return to the WRC next season? It’s a possibility but unlikely. As Loeb’s spot at M-Sport was lost after the team signed Ott Tänak which took all their funding. Loeb could find himself a seat with Toyota or Hyundai next season, however. That being if a seat opens up between now and January. Which is unlikely unless Dani Sordo doesn’t return to Hyundai. The 49-year-old would be welcomed back into the WRC paddocks with open arms. Loeb’s knowledge of the sport could be usual for a team looking to develop new drivers. 

World RX? 

After Loeb was pushed out of the WRC, he turned back to the World RX. Things were going decently for Loeb until they weren’t. As his World RX season ended abruptly after the Special One Racing team cars and tents caught fire. Ending the team’s season and freeing Loeb’s calendar completely. Loeb did compete and win a RX event in a different championship recently. Winning an event in Loheac of the French RX championship. Loeb could stick to Rallycross next season if a team picks him up. Before this season Loeb had driven for the Hansen World Rallycross Team in 2016,2017 and 2018. Finishing 5th in the championship in 2016 and 4th in 2017 and 2018. 

Extreme E? 

Loeb returned to Extreme E this past weekend with the ABT CUPRA XE team. Loeb and Klara Andersson took home podiums on both days at the IslandXPrix. Finishing second on day one and third on the second day. Could Loeb return to Extreme E for more than just one event? Only time will tell if that’s what the Frenchman does. Loeb won the 2022 Extreme E championship with Team X44. He also finished second in the championship with Team X44 in 2021. 

Retirement 

This is probably the least likely option for Loeb. As the 49-year-old appears to still want to compete in Motorsport events. Even if it’s just occasionally. Loeb has nothing left to really prove, however. As he’s won 9 WRC championships, an Extreme E championship, and a bunch of other things. For Loeb, it’s more or less about fun now. With Loeb still driving like he is, why retire? It’s still enjoyable for him and he can still bring it to anybody. So it’s unlikely Loeb will retire unless there are no opportunities for him. 

Earlier this week the full car list for EA Sports WRC was released. What cars will the game contain at launch? Find out below.

What Cars Will Be In The Game?

EA Sports WRC will feature a wide variety of historic and modern WRC cars. With everything from a 1960s Mini Cooper to the championship-winning Toyota’s of today. The full car list includes 78 different vehicles across 18 different classes. Those classes are the same as Dirt Rally 2 (minus GT), with the addition of WRC classes. What cars will be in the game and what surprises does the list include? Let’s take a look, shall we?

The Full List 

WRC Car List

• Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID
• Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID
• Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID

WRC2 * Cars

• Citroën C3 Rally2
• Ford Fiesta Rally2
• Hyundai i20 N Rally2
• ŠKODA Fabia Rally2 Evo
• ŠKODA Fabia RS Rally2
• Volkswagen Polo GTI R5

Junior WRC

• Ford Fiesta Rally3

World Rally Cars 2017-2021

• Ford Fiesta WRC
• Volkswagen Polo 2017

World Rally Cars 1997-2011

• Citroën C4 WRC
• Citroën Xsara WRC
• Ford Focus RS Rally 2001
• Ford Focus RS Rally 2008
• MINI Countryman Rally Edition
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI
• Peugeot 206 Rally
• Seat Córdoba WRC
• ŠKODA Fabia WRC
• SUBARU Impreza 1998
• SUBARU Impreza 2001
• SUBARU Impreza 2008

Rally2 *

• Ford Fiesta R5 MK7 Evo 2
• Peugeot 208 T16 R5

Rally4 Cars

• Ford Fiesta MK8 Rally4
• Opel Adam R2
• Peugeot 208 Rally4
• Renault Twingo II

NR4/R4

• McRae R4
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
• SUBARU WRX STI NR4

S2000

• Fiat Grande Punto Abarth S2000
• Opel Corsa S2000
• Peugeot 207 S2000

S1600

• Citroën C2 Super 1600
• Citroën Saxo Super 1600
• Ford Puma S1600
• Renault Clio S1600

F2 Kit Cars

• Ford Escort Mk 6 Maxi
• Peugeot 306 Maxi
• Renault Maxi Mégane
• Seat Ibiza Kit Car
• Vauxhall Astra Rally Car
• Volkswagen Golf IV Kit Car

Group A

• Ford Escort RS Cosworth
• Lancia Delta HF Integrale
• Mitsubishi Galant VR4
• SUBARU Impreza 1995
• SUBARU Legacy RS

Group B (4WD) Car List

• Audi Sport quattro S1 (E2)
• Ford RS200
• Lancia Delta S4
• MG Metro 6R4
• Peugeot 205 T16 Evo 2

Group B (RWD)

• BMW M1 Procar Rally
• Lancia 037 Evo 2
• Opel Manta 400
• Porsche 911 SC RS

H3 (RWD)

• BMW M3 Evo Rally
• Ford Escort MK2 McRae Motorsport
• Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500
• Lancia Stratos
• Opel Ascona 400
• Renault 5 Turbo

H2 (RWD)

• Alpine Renault A110 1600 S
• Fiat 131 Abarth Rally
• Ford Escort MK2
• Hillman Avenger
• Opel Kadett C GT/E
• Talbot Sunbeam Lotus

H2 (FWD)

• Peugeot 205 GTI
• Peugeot 309 GTI
• Volkswagen Golf GTI

H1 (FWD)

• Lancia Fulvia HF
• MINI Cooper S
• Vauxhall Nova Sport

Builder Cars

• WRC Builder Car
• WRC2 Builder Car *
• Junior WRC Builder Car

The Surprises 

Fans of the game were quick to take notice of some unexpected cars. Namely the Sköda Córdoba Rally which was last featured in Colin McRae Rally 2. Others include the Vauxhall Astra Rally Car, Ford Escort Mk 6 Maxi and the McRae R4 among others. The list doesn’t feature too many surprises as it’s mostly just content from Dirt Rally 2. However, the list is definitely comparable or better than the one in WRC Generations. Sure EA Sports WRC won’t feature as many of the more modern World Rally Cars such as the Citroen C3 and the Toyota Yaris but that’s minor. 

What’s Next To Be Revealed?

Next up on the list for EA Sports WRC reveals is a gameplay deep dive. Something that should give us a lot more to talk about. Seeing as we’ve only gotten a single video with maybe 30 seconds of actual gameplay footage. Which as a result doesn’t tell us much in terms of what to expect at all. The gameplay deep dive will likely come out sometime in the next week or so. Keep your eyes peeled.