What’s a church without its congregation? What’s a temple of speed without the ability to mark the passing of the fastest rally cars in the history of time?
Last year’s Monza Rally provided a fitting climax to what was a thrilling title race. But it did so to an empty house. Not this time. Fans will be permitted to this year’s World Rally Championship finale.
Anybody who’s ever been to the Monza Rally Show will tell you so much of the weekend comes from the atmosphere and the atmosphere comes from the northern Italian tifosi.
Throughout last week’s Rally Finland, there was talk of seeing the current generation World Rally Cars on gravel for the last time – Monza Rally on November 19-21 will be an even more memorable occasion when these cars conclude their fifth and final season of what’s been the fastest and most spectacular homologation cycle in WRC history.
Next year, the WRC moves into a hybrid era with the onset of Rally1 specification cars.
Precise details of the route for round 12 of this year’s series are expected in the coming days, and ACI has told DirtFish it plans to hold two days in the mountains above Milan and less of the mileage taking place in Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.
The more eagle-eyed among you will have spotted FORUM8’s arrival as a sponsor – and yes, you’re right, it was the Japanese software firm which was running as Rally Japan’s title sponsor. Unwilling to miss out on WRC action, it has taken naming rights to Monza and will partner the 2022 WRC season – which includes Rally Japan.
WRC Promoter’s senior director of marketing and sales Thomas Tap said the partnership was a natural extension of FORUM8’s first step into motorsport with its home rally.
“We look forward to developing this partnership and jointly investigating projects to integrate FORUM8’s expertise and future technologies into the WRC eco-system,” said Tap.
“The WRC’s ground-breaking new hybrid era, part of a portfolio of regulations to lead the series into a more sustainable future, is rapidly gathering momentum ahead of its introduction in 2022 – which also marks the championship’s 50th season.
“So this is an exciting time for FORUM8 to be joining the WRC family and there will be a warm welcome awaiting at what I’m sure will be another thrilling climax to the season at ACI Rally Monza.”
FORUM8’s president Yuji Ito added: “FORUM8 is pleased to become an official partner of the FIA World Rally Championship and FORUM8 ACI Rally Monza.
“We have chosen WRC as a global platform to generate awareness for our VR / CG design software packages for planning traffic infrastructure and building architecture.
“We see WRC as a global challenge for drivers and cars in many different situations, and believe it will inspire us to create smarter and safer traffic simulations for our clients around the world.”
