A new era begins
2022 saw the biggest change in the FIA World Rally Championship as the hybrid era of cars roared into action. The championship introduced a new set of technical regulations known as “Rally1” to replace the World Rally Car. This took the form of an e-motor that produces 100 kW (134.1 hp) fitted to current 1.6 L turbocharged inline-4 engine and must be used to power the car when travelling around service parks and through built-up areas when driving between stages.
Drivers were free to use the e-motor to offer additional power when competing in a stage, with the FIA dictating how much power can be used and how long a driver can deploy it for. Whilst this made the sport a bit more “greener” this did not take away that the cars where still mind blowingly fast on tarmac, gravel, snow and mud!
The World Rally Championship provided another competitive season in 2022 with Kalle Rovanperä, Elfyn Evans and Thierry Nueville all fighting for this year’s title. The 2022 championship also saw the return of Rally New Zealand for the first time since 2012 treating fans to action on the stage’s famously fast flowing gravel roads.
Round 1 – Monte Carlo
Nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb returned to the championship with M-Sport and was immediately in a battle for the victory with reigning world champion Sébastien Ogier. a front-left puncture at the penultimate stage plus a penalty for a jump-start at the Power Stage lost Ogier and Veillas the lead, handing the rally victory to Loeb and Galmiche. This was Loeb’s eightieth rally victory and his first since the 2018 Rally Catalunya.
Round 2 – Sweden
Toyota’s young star Kalle Rovanperä followed in his father’s footsteps to win Rally Sweden, 21 years down the road from his dad’s success, and take control of the World Rally Championship chase. He overhauled Neuvile on the final day and never looked by as he cleared the Belgian by over 20 seconds. Esapekka Lappi on a part time role with Toyota took the final podium spot. His first since Turkey 2019.
Round 3 – Croatia
The Croatia Rally oversaw a series of punctures, with surprisingly low-grip conditions on wet tarmac making the rally very eventful. Championship leaders Rovanperä and Halttunen held a commanding lead, which was over a minute at one point.
However, a compromised tyre choice plus a flat tyre saw the lead snatched by Tänak and Järveoja of Hyundai after the penultimate stage. Rovanperä and Halttunen gave a final push at the Power Stage to overcome Tänak and Järveoja, and with it, a back-to-back victory.
Round 4 – Portugal
Next up was the first gravel event of the season, Portugal. Seb Loeb didn’t lose any touch following his race victory at Monte Carlo has he led the opening stages at the event. Sadly, it all ended for the legend following a mistake at Stage 5 and thus ending his participation on the day.
This allowed Rovenpera following a shaky start at the event to overhaul long-time rally leader teammates Evans and Martin by the end of Saturday and eventually won their third event of the season, making it a hat-trick, with another Power Stage win.
Round 5 – Italy
A couple of crews were battling for the lead as the Sardegna rally began, with Esapekka Lappi and Janne Ferm came out in the lead at the end of the first leg. However, the Finnish crew crashed out at the opening stage of the following day, handing the rally lead to Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja.
The former world champions steadily increased their lead and eventually took the victory, ending their winning drought that lasted 462 days. Breen and Nagle finishing in 2nd their best result since moving to M-Sport earlier in the year with Dani Sordo only selected on a part time basis for Hyundai finishing in 3rd place for the Korean company.
Round 6 – Kenya
Arguably the most challenging event on the calendar and it did not disappoint. While both M-Sport and Hyundai suffering, Toyota steered out of troubles and finished the event with a 1-2-3-4 finish, the first team to do so since Citroën Total WRT at the 2010 Rally Bulgaria. Championship leaders Rovanperä and Halttunen sealed the victory, their fourth of the season.
Round 7 – Estonia
The unstoppable form of Rovanperä and Halttunen continued in Estonia, where the Finnish crew claimed their fifth win in six rallies. Halfway through the season, their championship leads were stretching to a doughty eighty-three points.
Round 8 – Finland
Hyundai crew of Tänak and Järveoja, led the event from the start to finish but the first stage to secure their second win of the season. This helped the 2019 champions climbed up to second in the championship. For the British pair of Evans and Martin who could only finish 4th in the event openly admitting that their championship challenge was over at this point.
Round 9 – Belgium
The tricky tarmac did not trap the Hyundai crew of Tänak and Järveoja, who fended off the Toyota pair of Evans and Martin to secure their third victory of the season. Lappi and Ferm achieved back-to-back podium finish, with Solberg and Edmondson completed the rally in a career-high fourth place.
However, it wouldn’t be enough for Solberg with disappointing results and too many unforced errors, the pair would eventually be dropped by Hyundai at the end of the season.
Round 10 – Greece
Hyundai carried on their form at Acropolis, finishing the rally with a first-ever 1-2-3 in team history, with Neuville and Wydaeghe took the victory followed by Tänak & Järveoja and Sordo & Carrera respectively.
Round 11 – New Zealand
Rovanperä and Halttunen turned the table around as they won the New Zealand, which was enough for the Finn to secure their first world titles. At the age of 22 years and 1 day, Rovanperä also became the youngest World Rally Champion, breaking the previous record set by Colin McRae at the age of 27 years and 89 days in 1995.
Round 12 – Spain
Toyota also secured the manufacturers’ title at the following round in Spain, with Ogier and Veillas who sealed his first win of the season. It was also the final time Breen and Nagle would pair up together as Nagle announced that he would retire as a co-driver at the end of the event.
Round 13 – Japan
In the final round it started up in a unexpected fashion as Hyundai’s Sordo and Carrera destroyed by fire on the second stage. Neuville and Wydaeghe eventually won the rally, with teammate Tänak and Järveoja completed a Hyundai 1-2 at their final outing for the team.
The final top 3 in the standings would be Rovenpera, Tanak and Neuville. At the tender age of 22, Kalle Rovanpera is redefining what’s possible to achieve in rallying and inspiring a new legion of fans as a result.
A new flying finn
It has previously been perceived that to conquer the WRC requires a wealth of wisdom and experience of competing at the top level. Arguably the sport’s two greatest drivers, nine-time world champion Sebastien Loeb and eight-time title winner Sebastien Ogier, claimed their first crowns aged 30 and 29 respectively.
Dubbed a talent that comes along once in a generation, Kalle Rovanpera has not only rewritten the World Rally Championship record books but has already changed rallying forever.
