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The world’s best rally drivers, like Elfyn Evans of Wales, planned to be in New Zealand in September.
Organizers follow through with plans for the New Zealand Rally to take place in September as the New Zealand Rally Champions are canceled and the Auckland Supercars round is also still in doubt.
The prestigious WRC event, which is scheduled to take place around Auckland, is in danger of being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This month’s Portugal round of the World Rally Championship has been canceled, while rounds in Argentina, which were planned for April and Rally Italia in June, have been postponed.
With almost no international travel taking place and the New Zealand Government currently requires that everyone entering the country spend 14 days in isolation, the chances of the concentration occurring are slim.
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However, there is still a lot of water flowing under the bridge between now and September, and RallyNZ 2020 CEO Michael Goldstein says they are still pushing.
“The New Zealand Rally continues to prepare to host a stage of the World Rally Championship in Auckland in September,” Goldstein said in a statement last month.
Not for syndication
Hayden Paddon is a three-time NZ Rally winner
“Of course, there is still great global uncertainty that affects everyone, including the 2020 World Rally Championship.
“In the coming weeks we will continue to work closely with local and central government agencies, as well as with the WRC Promoter and the international government agency (FIA).”
The last time the WRC came to New Zealand was in 2012 and it was only reappearing this year, while a new venue for the Rally Australia is found as Coffs Harbor was now considered too small.
If New Zealand misses this time, it is unknown when or if it could ever return.
The WRC and the sport’s governing body, the FIA have yet to make any announcements about the end of the season, but there have been suggestions that European events be delayed later in 2020, while long-distance travel to New Zealand , Japan and Argentina take place in early 2021.
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It could be that Scott McLaughlin will not compete in New Zealand again before heading to the United States in 2021.
It was announced on Monday that the 2020 New Zealand Rally Championship has been canceled.
The initial two rounds, at Otago and Whangarei, had already been postponed, but now the decision has been made to scrap the entire season.
“It was a really difficult decision to make, but we know it is the best for the long-term health of our sport,” said NZRC coordinator Blair Bartels.
“We love the rally; It is something we are very passionate about and it is really difficult to make a call that means there will be less than this year, but we have to be pragmatic in these unprecedented times.
“The economic consequences will be significant, and it’s simply not practical to think that the entry numbers will be strong enough this season to make the events sustainable at the national championship level, especially with as many of our competitors as small business owners.”
Meanwhile, the Supercars could resume again in June, but the possibility exists that it will continue without an event in New Zealand this year.
Ateed, an arm of the Auckland Council that funds the New Zealand round, had been waiting for the event that was supposed to take place at the Hampton Downs over the Anzac weekend, to be rescheduled for November, probably back on track. from Pukekohe Park.
However, while the Supercars may arrive in Australia next month, there are likely to be no crowds.
Supercars events could take place in Australia without spectators, but even if there is a trans-Tasmanian bubble, it wouldn’t make much sense for Supercars to shell out the extra expense of shipping or flying to New Zealand when Supercars fans in this country don’t They will be able to go to the circuit.
