AUSTRALIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR CHANGES

The next round of the Australian Rally Championship has been postponed until September in reaction to Victoria’s latest COVID-19 pandemic.

The upcoming Rally Tasmania was originally slated for July 2-4, but will instead be held on September 10-12 to allow crews to prepare and avoid a last-minute cancellation.

These alterations leave Victoria’s new Gippsland Rally as the third round in the championship, scheduled to take place in August.

Also affected is the Adelaide Hills Rally, which has now been delayed a week to October 22-24.

Motorsport Australia director of motorsport and commercial operations, Michael Smith explained postponing the event was a risk prevention measure.

“It may have been possible to hold the event on its original date if the situation in Victoria improved, however with many crews having to pass through Victoria to get to Launceston, the risk of any extended border closures means we were eager to make a decision now to provide certainty for all our teams and personnel involved in the event,” said Smith.

“We’re tremendously grateful to the partners of the event, including Les Walkden Enterprises, the Tasmanian Government and the City of Launceston for understanding and supporting this decision which will allow us to bring a full field to Tasmania.

“With this change, the Les Walkden Enterprises Rally Tasmania event will now be the fourth round of the RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship, with Adelaide to follow in October. Victoria now takes over as the official third round in August, with the Gippsland Rally on 6-8 August.

“Excitingly, we hope these tweaks to the calendar will allow us to enjoy a full six round calendar of the RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship. We’ve always said we’ll do our best to be nimble and adaptable and appreciate the rally community’s support.”

Preparations are already taking place for the Adelaide Hills Rally, said organiser Andrew Admiraal.

“There has been a lot of work put into this event over many months and we have some very exciting plans for the 2021 edition of the AGI Sport Adelaide Hills Rally,” Admiraal explained.

“Not only will we see the best rally drivers take on some of the best rally roads in the country, but we’re also pleased to confirm the event will act as a qualifier for the APRC – an opportunity for both South Australian and Australian crews to showcase their talents on the international stage.

“We can’t wait to welcome the ARC and APRC to our back yard and encourage everyone to keep an eye on our website and social media for more information as the event draws closer.”

October’s event in Adelaide will double as a qualifier for the Coffs Coast Rally, the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship finale in November. The top three outright finishers, plus two Wildcards will be accepted to progress.

Updated ARC Calendar

Round 3: Gippsland Rally, Victoria: 6-8 August
Round 4: Les Walkden Enterprises Rally Tasmania: 10-12 September
Round 5: AGI Sport Adelaide Hills Rally: 22-24 October
Round 6: Coffs Coast Rally: 26-28 November

For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the current issue of Auto Action. Also make sure you follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates between issues.