The organisers of the Belgian rally event Ypres Rally are now negotiating with the FIA World Rally Championship promoter to host a WRC round this season.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced many rally events around the world to be either postponed or cancelled due to the public restrictions to prevent the spreading, but now many countries are lifting the restrictions and the racing world is getting ready to restart soon.
The Ypres Rally was postponed from June to early-October, while many of the WRC rounds have been cancelled; WRC Promoter has been looking elsewhere to find alternative rallies for the series and has identified Ypres Rally as a possibility.
“It is of course a great honour that we are being considered for the WRC 2020, that is the merit of the hundreds of volunteers and members of our club who are selflessly committed to our organisation every year. Only thanks to them can we organise rallies.” Jan Huyghe, Club Superstage Committee, said.
“This is the merit of our entire team. Moreover, for years, the Ypres Rally in Europe has received praise for the quality of the organisation, the experience and safety. We are honoured that the FIA asked us, and from that moment, Club Superstage accelerated to formulate a new timing, to draw the special stages, to approach the City of Ypres, the federation and other authorities, etc.”
Club Superstage, the organiser of the event was asked to host the 56th edition of the rally as a WRC round this season and they are under evaluation to host it on 1-4 October.
“The project was well received by the authorities, the City of Ypres, who have rally-sport in their genes, and from our partners. We have drawn up a competition that has a Belgian character, in which we have two icons of Belgian motorsport, where Ypres and Spa-Francorchamps can unite with each other,” Huyghe added.
“But let’s be clear: nothing has been decided yet. Club Superstage is currently negotiating with the FIA and the WRC Promoter and soon the decision will be made.”
