Motorsport: Rally NZ return less likely

Hayden Paddon in action during Rally Argentina this year. Photo / Getty Images

The chances of the World Rally Championship returning to New Zealand next year appear to be diminishing.

Rally New Zealand has been lobbying for a Tauranga-based WRC rally for 2018 and for the best part of the past year it was thought a near formality it would return. However a lack of support from teams has changed that.

The WRC Commission will meet in at Rally Germany at the end of the month to discuss next year's calendar but Autosport is reporting that a gravel event in Turkey is likely to replace the troubled Poland rally and that Croatia is more likely to get the nod should the category expand to a 14th event.

Rally New Zealand boss Peter Johnston has heard nothing to suggest New Zealand is out of the running.

"We have heard nothing from the FIA as yet and we have not given up hope of hosting the event here next year."

RALLY FANS please RT this to show what the fans + WRC want/need - Rally New Zealand! This is a last ditch effort, it's now or never #2018 pic.twitter.com/afwVMJQ4J6

— Hayden Paddon (@HaydenPaddon) August 7, 2017

The Herald understands the FIA and WRC promoter were keen on New Zealand but the WRC teams have demonstrated a resistance to traveling the long distance to New Zealand and the cost associated with it. The FIA are known to want more events outside of Europe to try and make the championship more global while the promoter Oliver Ciesla preferred a New Zealand round to make better use of the shipping and storage of cars and equipment used in the Mexico, Argentina and Australia swing of events.

But while Hyundai are believed to be on board Rally New Zealand, thanks to their Kiwi connection with driver Hayden Paddon, the other teams are reluctant to take on the extra cost of a second trip Down Under or see the sport expand to additional events.

One suggestion was to run the Australian and New Zealand rallies back-to-back but there would need to be at least one week in between to make it work logistically and that would see the costs of keeping teams on the road higher than making two trips at separate times during the season.

If Turkey was to be included on a draft calendar it could be met with resistance. Citroen has previously threatened not to travel there because of the political situation and the FIA removed a scheduled Formula 1 race there in the past for the same reasons.

New Zealand is likely to continue to push for future inclusion if it does miss out next year.