The WRC event director, Simon Larkin, says that Rally Argentina may not return to World Rally Championship next year as USA is possible to host a WRC round.
2019 was the last year when Rally Argentina was at WRC calendar and Thierry Neuville was the latest winner of this event. The organizers were forced to cancel it in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic and since then it was impossible for them to be back in World Rally Championship. Despite their efforts, Mexico and Chile became the first Latin countries from United States that hosted a WRC round, but USA is likely to return to the championship in 2024 after a 35-year absence from it whereas the Chilean government has signed a multi-year deal with WRC Promoter and FIA meaning that their event will be included to the next year's calendar.
"We’re still in discussion", Larkin said.
"Even next year our ambition is for a 14-round calendar.
"Almost all of those slots are already spoken for, but we all know what’s happened over the last few years – you always need to keep a couple of options in your pocket, you never know what might happen.
"Doors are opened with a number of markets.
"I think Argentina is like México.
"I think the WRC has missed both those events, it just never was logistically possible with the way things were in planning for 2023 to include Chile, Argentina and México in one logistic sweep with the way we’re set up at the moment.
"That’s unfortunate, we’re clear about that.
"Even now the logistics market and timelines are softening considerably week on week on week, things are looking better even for the second half of this year.
"Argentina always brought something very special to the championship, it has a huge history in the championship.
"The passion of the fans is like México.
"There’s not many major events in the entire world that get the number of fans that we get in Rally Argentina and it would be great to bring that back.
"However, we can’t deny that the economic situation in Argentina is extremely difficult.
"Even getting money out of the country is a political and logistical challenge.
"But it’s something we’re in discussions about with the government in Argentina and with potential event regions".
Source: DirtFish.com
Photo Credits: M-Sport
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