2020 Rally New Zealand

The 2020 Rally New Zealand (also known as the Rally New Zealand 2020) was a motor racing event for rally cars that was scheduled to be held over four days between 3 and 6 September 2020,[1] but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] It was set to mark the forty-fifth running of Rally New Zealand and planned to be the ninth round of the 2020 World Rally Championship, World Rally Championship-2 and World Rally Championship-3. The 2020 event was scheduled to be based in Auckland in Auckland Region.

2020 Rally New Zealand
40. Rally New Zealand
Part of the 2020 World Rally Championship
Rally New Zealand's return to the World Rally Championship was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Host countryNew Zealand
Rally baseAuckland, Auckland Region
Held onScheduled for 3–6 September 2020
Stage surfaceGravel
Results
CancellationRally cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena were the overall reigning rally winners.[3] Citroën Total World Rally Team, the team they drove for in 2012, when Rally New Zealand held a World Rally Championship event last time, were the defending manufacturers' winners.[3] However, they would not defend the rally either as they withdrew from the championship at the end of 2019.[4]

Background

Preparation and cancellation
See also: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on motorsport

The rally had been planned to be the mark of Rally New Zealand after an eight-year absence from the championship, sharing a spot with Rally Australia in the WRC calendar since 2020.[5] However, concerns regarding whether the rally should be held were raised in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] On 4 June 2020, it was officially announced that the rally would not be held in 2020, but a 2021 event is expected.[7]

References
  1. Herrero, Daniel (27 September 2019). "Australia drops off WRC calendar in 2020". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  2. "New Zealand's 2020 WRC return off". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. Evans, David (24 June 2012). "Sebastien Loeb clinches Rally New Zealand win as Citroen gets another one-two". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  4. Evans, David (20 November 2019). "Citroen ends WRC programme, cites Ogier's exit as reason". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  5. Herrero, Daniel (27 September 2019). "Australia drops off WRC calendar in 2020". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  6. Rauli, Giacomo; Thukral, Rachit (23 May 2020). "WRC News: New Zealand and Japan rallies set to be axed as a result of pandemic". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  7. Brockie-David, Merran (4 June 2020). "Rally New Zealand look towards the future after WRC event cancelled". rallynz.org.nz. Rally New Zealand. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
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