Neuville advocates for longer WRC Safari Rally

As the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally, the third round of the 2024 Championship reverts to its original traditional Easter holiday weekend date for the first time in 27 years, drivers are pushing for a more appealing competition.

The Safari will be held between March 28-31 in Nairobi and Naivasha, according to the calendar which was released by the Federation Internationale de I’ Automobile (FIA) World Motorsports Council in October.

The format of WRC events has been a hot topic this season with Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville one of the most vocal in pushing for the championship to improve its overall appeal.

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WRC drivers have been critical of the current event format with the length of the days and road sections a particular bone of contention.

“The format of the rally is too long,” Neuville told Motorsport.com. “And it is a problem as nobody follows the rally for four days.”

“However, to not completely change the rally format I would keep Monte Carlo as a four-day event, and I would make the Safari Rally longer to be like five or six days long, but with longer stages to create a bit of excitement like in the past.”

While it is understood an attempt to reduce the minimum event length to 250 kms for 2024 was rejected, the FIA has ratified a new points system that will see points attributed after Saturday’s leg and a new allocation of points specifically for Sunday, in a bid to spice up the final day of rallies.

The WRC could yet undergo further changes in the future following the FIA’s decision to create a new working group designed to help forge a pathway for rallying at all levels.

The iconic Rallye Monte-Carlo kicks off the calendar, on 25 to 28 January, and will be based in the Col de Turini passes high in the French Alps which test drivers like no other.

It will be followed closely by Rally Sweden (15 – 18 February), the only pure snow and ice fixture on the calendar.

Croatia Rally (18 – 21 April) has drawn in hundreds of thousands of spectators since its WRC debut in 2021. Its unique asphalt tracks based around the capital of Zagreb vary from smooth to badly broken and are set to return in all their glory, as will the legendary gravel tests of Vodafone Rally de Portugal (9 – 12 May) – also a huge hit with the crowds.

Mediterranean charm awaits at Rally Italia Sardegna (30 May – 2 June) before the eagerly anticipated return of ORLEN Rally Poland (27 – 30 June), back after a hiatus at the sport’s top level since 2017.

Poland’s lightning-fast gravel roads promise a thrilling spectacle that will only be amplified further by the country’s enthusiastic fan base. WRC is thrilled to welcome a newcomer in Tet Rally Latvia (18 – 21 July), located in the vibrant southern coastal city of Liepāja.

Building on years of success at FIA European Rally Championship level, the loose-surface fixture underscores the clear pathway for events to ascend to the global stage of WRC.

Speed enthusiasts can look forward to the high-octane Secto Rally Finland (1 – 4 August), renowned for its jaw-dropping speeds and gravity-defying jumps.

The excitement then takes a different form at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (5 – 8 September), offering a very different flavour with its winding, rocky mountain stages.

Once again, South America asserts its presence with Rally Chile Bio Bío (26 – 29 September), reaffirming the championship’s global reach. Central European Rally (31 October – 3 November) will sweep across Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany as the penultimate round before the grand finale unfolds in Asia at FORUM8 Rally Japan (21 – 24 November).

Date Event

25 – 28 January – Rallye Monte-Carlo – Asphalt/Ice

15 – 18 February – Rally Sweden – Snow

28 – 31 March – Safari Rally Kenya – Gravel

18 – 21 April – Croatia Rally – Asphalt

9 – 12 May – Vodafone Rally de Portugal – Gravel

30 May – 2 June – Rally Italia Sardegna – Gravel

27 – 30 June – 80th ORLEN Rally Poland – Gravel

18 – 21 July – Tet Rally Latvia – Gravel

1 – 4 August – Secto Rally Finland – Gravel

5 – 8 September – EKO Acropolis Rally Greece – Gravel

26 – 29 September Rally – Chile Bio Bío – Gravel

31 October – 3 November – Central European Rally – Asphalt

21 – 24 November – FORUM8 Rally Japan – Asphalt

Additional reporting by WRC.Com