Poland set for 2014 World Rally Championship return
Poland's return to the World Rally Championship is set to be confirmed when the 2014 calendar is voted on later this week
The calendar was expected at June's World Motor Sport Council meeting, but had to be delayed due to ongoing contractual negotiations between individual event organisers and the WRC promoter.
AUTOSPORT understands that a fax vote will be taken on Friday, with official confirmation of the calendar soon after.
Monte Carlo, Sweden, Mexico, Portugal, Argentina, Finland, Germany, Poland, France, Spain and GB are believed to be on the schedule, although negotiations are known - even at this stage - to be still ongoing with some of those events.
A question mark remains over Sardinia, Greece and New Zealand/Australia. The indication is that Sardinia is in the best position, with finance in place and an improvement in the quality of this year's rally over previous seasons.
Hopes of Brazil or China being included have all-but disappeared for 2014, but both countries will continue to run a candidate event this year.
Dropping the Acropolis Rally and Rally New Zealand would be a significant move: Greece was part of the calendar when the WRC for manufacturers' began in 1973, while New Zealand was on the itinerary when the drivers' title was first fought for in 1979.
Poland last ran a WRC round in 2009, when the Mikolajki-based event was an instant hit with fans from across central and eastern Europe.
Rally Poland will run as a European Rally Championship round in September, where high numbers of spectators are expected to attend to support local hero Robert Kubica.
Loeb surprised by form of struggling Hirvonen, Sordo
Chris Atkinson joins Hyundai's WRC test team
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause
How Rovanpera overcame rallying royalty in Portugal to extend his WRC lead
Although the Rally Portugal entry list featured World Rally Championship royalty in Sebastiens Loeb and Ogier, victory was secured by rallying's rising star in Kalle Rovanpera. Here's the story of his 2022 hat-trick, as his key rivals faltered among the gravel and asphalt ahead of them
The former WRC star playing the unsung hero role for Rovanpera
Kalle Rovanpera’s 2022 World Rally Championship displays have been spectacular, with the Toyota driver benefitting from a secret weapon in his crew to win two of the opening three rallies. But while the former challenger to Sebastien Loeb won’t take credit for his fellow Finn's performances, a key bond has been formed which could prove key to Rovanpera’s title charge
How Rovanpera's Croatia turnaround sent a message to his WRC rivals
After a dominating Rally Croatia, a wrong tyre choice on the final day looked to have undone all Kalle Rovanpera's hard work and left him with a mountain to climb heading into the power stage. That he emerged the winner all the same has surely quelled any lingering doubts that the Finn is the man to beat in the 2022 WRC
How M-Sport's faith in Loubet led to a WRC reprieve after a dismal 2021
It's fair to say 2021 was a year to forget for Pierre-Louis Loubet. A maiden full World Rally Championship season offered hope but soon turned into a nightmare that ended in hospital, after being hit by a car in a road traffic accident. Now handed a lifeline by M-Sport, the Frenchman is desperate to rebuild his career
Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect
The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Autosport donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the trials and tribulations of a rally mechanic
The African McRae aiming to become a WRC pioneer
Taking his first step into the Junior World Rally Championship category, McRae Kimathi - named after 1995 world champion Colin - found himself in the unfamiliar climes of Sweden's snow and ice. Having impressed, Kimathi hopes to blaze a trail to the top level of WRC and help other African drivers to step onto the ladder