Four drivers change engines
Four drivers made engine changes yesterday after they all struck rocks embedded in the road during a shakedown test ahead of today's start of the Rally Mexico

The four - reigning champion Sebastien Loeb, Mitsubishi pair Harri Rovanpera and Gilles Panizzi, and Skoda's Jani Paasonen - have been allowed to make an effectively penalty free change before the first stage.
A new rule was introduced this year stating all competitors have to run for two events per engine, along the lines of the recent Formula One ruling. Should a rally team change engines they would normal incur a penalty of twenty seconds added to their driver's time.
However, given that the recent rains in the region have washed away large parts of the normal gravel base to expose the large rocks below, officials are understood to have handed down a cursory financial penalty, as the problems were not of the teams' making.
All teams will now be very wary of this problem during the rally, and it is likely to remove a number of drivers over the course of the weekend.
Peugeot drivers Markko Martin and Marcus Gronholm were the quickest runners over the shakedown.

Previous article
Rain expected for Rally Mexico
Next article
Loeb Hoping to Salvage Points in Mexico

About this article
Series | WRC |
Four drivers change engines
Trending
Why the casualty of rallying's evolution should still be cherished
The WRC's support categories are in a process of streamlining that will spell the end of a formalised 2WD world championship-level category. While its relevance to the top level has been questioned for some time, that doesn't mean it should be swept quietly under the carpet
Why WRC's hybrid path could leave it at a crossroads
With all three major manufacturers committing to the World Rally Championship’s hybrid era from 2022, the future of the series is assured for now, but it could lead to trickier twists and turns further down the road
How Tanak froze out the competition at the Arctic Rally
Ott Tanak made up for a disastrous Monte Carlo Rally by leading all the way on the snow-kissed stages of the Arctic Rally Finland and in the process hit back at an event Toyota had been expected to dominate
What to expect from the WRC's venture to the Arctic
This week's Arctic Rally Finland will bring the World Rally Championship into new territory. And, almost without exception, the service park can't wait for the subzero challenge to commence
How Ogier achieved a fitting Monte Carlo farewell
Against pandemic-shaped odds, the World Rally Championship season opener went ahead in Monte Carlo last weekend as a familiar face again took top spot. But for an emotional Sebastien Ogier, his record-breaking eighth win meant more than most
What to look out for in the 2021 WRC
As the 2021 World Rally Championship prepares to launch amid tight COVID-19 restrictions in Monte Carlo, here are the eight things unrelated to the pandemic that you should keep an eye on this year
Evans on the talking points of WRC 2021
He came close to the title last year, and now Toyota's Elfyn Evans gives his verdict on what to expect from 2021 as the World Rally Championship prepares to reconvene for the Monte Carlo season opener
Why Britain's continued WRC absence is a wake-up call
OPINION: With Rally GB dropping off the World Rally Championship calendar for the second year in a row, one of Britain's best-attended sporting events faces an uncertain future. It's an unfortunate situation that points to troubling times ahead