DirtFish understands Toyota and Hyundai have confirmed to the FIA and WRC Promoter that – as the situation stands – they are unable to travel to Rally Saudi Arabia.
It’s reported the two manufacturers have company-wide travel restrictions in place for certain locations in the Middle East and that includes the location for the final World Rally Championship round of the season.
Toyota and Hyundai sent a joint letter to the FIA from sporting directors Kaj Lindström (Toyota) and Andrew Wheatley (Hyundai) outlining their position regarding November’s Jeddah-based event.
Hyundai told DirtFish: “There are some restrictions on business travel to the Middle East which are being monitored on a daily basis and are evolving constantly.”
A Toyota statement added: “Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team is fully dependent on Toyota Motor Corporation and all of its team members need to comply with TMC regulations. There is a TMC policy which currently doesn’t allow to travel in the Middle East. We, as a company and as a team, are updated weekly by the by head office whether there are changes [to this policy].”
Countering the Toyota and Hyundai stance, M-Sport team principal Richard Millener said: “Naturally, in these scenarios we follow the government’s foreign office advice and, as of now, the restriction is only on travelling within 10 kilometers of the Saudi border with Yemen.
Current company travel advice doesn't allow Toyota and Hyundai employees to travel to Saudi
“Naturally, our primary concern is for the safety of our team and we will respect whatever decision is taken.”
Despite the communication from Toyota and Hyundai, the FIA is focusing its efforts on finding a solution to deliver a Rally Saudi Arabia finale.
FIA road sport director Emilia Abel said: “For the moment there, there is no official decision or announcement that has been made. Work is progressing as planned, nothing has been postponed or put on hold. But it’s true there comes a limit for the logistics.”
Abel refused to be drawn on details of a potential deadline from the FIA side, but it’s thought it could come as soon as Monday.
One source told DirtFish: “If you look to Rally Italy, you can see the deadline for entries has been extended by one week – now entries for Sardinia will close on Monday [September 7] at midnight. Maybe this is giving some idea for a decision coming from Saudi on Monday.”
WRC Promoter’s COO Julien Vial added: “We are, of course, monitoring the situation very closely. We need to take into account the FIA’s recommendations and the teams’ concerns, which we fully share when it comes to safety, while also recognising our contractual commitments with Saudi Arabia.
DirtFish has contacted Rally Saudi Arabia for comment.
