WRC '14 - Who played, and who'll play in '15... [U]

The highest level of the WRC had its fair share of talent competing in 2014. Four major 'factory' teams [M] took part as well as privateer [P] entries and it's likely that 2015 will see a similar mix - some new faces will appear but some may disappear though.

The 2014 list, eighteen drivers as near as I can figure it, follows...

Ogier, France in a VW Polo

Latvala, Finland, in a VW Polo

Mikkelsen, Norway, in a VW Polo

Neuville, Belgium, in a Hyundai i20

Sordo, Spain, in a Hyundai i20

Paddon, New Zealand, in a Hyundai i20

Bouffier, France, in a Hyundai i20

Atkinson, Australia, in a Hyundai i20

Hanninen, Finland, in a Hyundai i20

Evans, UK, in a Ford Fiesta

Hirvonen, Finland, in a Ford Fiesta

Kubica, Poland, in a Ford Fiesta

Prokop, Czechoslovakia, Ford Fiesta

Tanak, Estonia, in a Ford Fiesta

Meeke, UK, in a Citroen DS3

Ostberg, Norway, in a Citroen DS3

Al Qassimi, UAE, in a Citroen DS3

Solberg (H), Norway, in a Ford Fiesta

Hirvonen, as everybody should know by now, retired from WRC after Rally Wales GB so obviously won't be competing next season.

No personnel changes at VW with Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen back for more. And after a protracted negotiation period, Osberg was confirmed as Meeke's teammate in the Citoen A team for 2015.

Hyundai have made clear their main team intention to focus on two drivers next year, so we may not see Bouffier in the WRC, nor Hanninen, nor Atkinson. Sordo and Neuville have both been testing for Monte and since there will be just two cars entered for that event, Bouffier will miss his best chance for a factory drive. He was involved in the early testing of the new i20 five door version of the WRC car, but it appears that Neuville has taken over that role* with the switch to the three door version. (Update - Kevin Abbring will do development testing on the new i20 WRC coupe).

Paddon has re-signed with Hyundai for a partial season in their Motorsport N team, the number of rounds said to be at least 9 and perhaps as many as 12*. We know for sure he won't compete at Monte Carlo and his first event will be Sweden.

Tanak has been given a full season with M-Sport for '15 alongside Evans in a Ford Fiesta, but so far there is no word of a third driver for M-Sport and closing time for Monte Carlo registrations is just a few days away.

Al Qassimi will again do selected rounds with Citroen, the schedule as yet unpublished but expected to comprise four events. It's also rumoured that Kubica has changed brand allegiance back to Citroen after his lacklustre showing in 2014, his car to be run by PH-Sport, but the Pole has yet to confirm the arrangement.

With Paddon's decision not to change teams to Citroen, the third car the French marque is reported to be running this season will be driven by Mads for Monte (Loeb's inclusion in the A team causes the Norwegian to drop to the B team for that event to make room for the maestro), Al Qassimi, and a programme of non-WRC2 rounds for Lefebvre.

The latter is somewhat of a surprise given that Matton had earlier rejected that possibility, saying Lefebvre in WRC 2015 was "too soon". Clearly Paddon's decision to stay at Hyundai has caused a re-think for the Citroen boss. All very positive for the young French driver though.

Tipped for a full season in 2015 in his own Fuckmatie team is Lorenzo Bertelli in, so the rumour mill has it, either a VW Polo or a Hyundai i20* depending, presumably, on the deal the teams offer. (Update: Bertelli will compete in a Fiesta RS WRC).


There have been rumours that PH-Sport will also run a second Citroen client car, this for Petter Solberg*, with both cars running Pirelli rubber instead of the near-ubiquitous Michelins, and the programme part-funded by the Italian tyremaker. While this rumour has been widely reported, none of the supposed participants have so far commented.

And last, but perhaps the most surprising inclusion, is Citroen's decision to invite Loeb back to compete in the Monte Carlo event. Not because he's uncompetitive - on the contrary, Loeb has won the rally 7 times out of 9 attempts - but because it could be seen as a lack of confidence in the team's full time drivers in 2015, Meeke and Ostberg.

But the excitement generated by Loeb's inclusion will no doubt override any perceived negatives for Citroen, fulfilling the driver's obligations to the DS brand. And a win will reap massive rewards in publicity.

So the lineup for 2015 as far as we can tell is: (updated January 16, 2015)*

Ogier, France, in a VW Polo [M]

Latvala, Finland, in a VW Polo [M]

Mikkelsen, Norway, in a VW Polo [M]

Neuville, Belgium, in a Hyundai i20 [M]

Sordo, Spain, in a Hyundai i20 [M] - Ten to thirteen events

*Paddon, New Zealand, in a Hyundai i20 [M] - Twelve events

*Abbring, Netherlands, in a Hyundai i20 [M] - Three events

Evans, UK, in a Ford Fiesta [M]

Tanak, Estonia, in a Ford Fiesta [M]

Meeke, UK, in a Citroen DS3 [M]

Ostberg, Norway, in a Citroen DS3 [M]

Loeb, France, in a Citroen DS3 [M] - One event  

*Lefebvre, France, in a Citroen DS3 [M] - Possibly three events

Al Qassimi, UAE, in a Citroen DS3 [M] - Three to four events

*Bertelli, Italy, in a Ford Fiesta [P]

Prokop, Czechoslovakia, Ford Fiesta [P]

*Kubica, Poland, in a Ford Fiesta [P]

*Solberg (H), Norway, in a Citroen DS3 [P]

*Bouffier, France, in a Citroen DS3 [P]

So *twenty full and part time drivers that we're reasonably certain will compete at top WRC level, but note that there could be room for another couple in Hyundai and Citroen teams, based on the spaces apparent from the potentially short programmes indicated above.

Who might they be, I wonder?