2024 FIA World Rally Championship / Stage 07 / Rally Poland / June 27-30, 2024 // Worldwide The 2024 FIA World Rally Championship continued with Stage 07, Rally Poland, which took place from June 27 to 30, 2024. This stage of the championship featured seven stages covering a total distance of 124km. On the second full day of rallying, teams faced various challenges. The first stage had to be temporarily interrupted due to unruly spectators, but eventually resumed after a 15-minute break.
During the first stage, Fourmaux initially set the fastest time. However, Rovanpera quickly caught up and surpassed the Frenchman by a margin of 3.5 seconds. Evans closely followed, trailing by just 0.9 seconds. Mikkelsen also performed well, finishing only 1.3 seconds behind Rovanpera. As a result, Mikkelsen took the lead by a narrow margin of half a second. Evans maintained his position in third, just 1.1 seconds behind the leader. Fourmaux secured fourth place and began to establish a comfortable advantage over Sesks. Meanwhile, Neuville in seventh place put pressure on Munster, while Katsuta remained in eighth.
Tanak made a comeback and achieved the fifth fastest time in the stage. However, he was ranked 14th overall. The tenth stage proved to be crucial as Mikkelsen lost 5.1 seconds to Rovanpera, dropping to third place overall. Evans closely followed every move of the two-time champion. Neuville, aiming to reach fifth place overall, overtook Munster and secured sixth place before the final stage of the morning loop.
The Stage 11 also faced delays due to spectator control issues. Similar problems occurred when the WRC last visited Poland in 2017, resulting in the exclusion of the event from the calendar. The return of the Polish rally this year is a unique occurrence and, considering the stage cancellations and delays, it is unlikely to be included in future championships.
As soon as the stage began, the intense three-way battle for the lead continued. Rovanpera, despite not being satisfied with his pace, managed to maintain his lead by just one-tenth of a second over teammate Evans. Mikkelsen won the stage, reducing the gap between the top three to just 2.2 seconds. Fourmaux showed an impressive performance, securing fourth place and further extending his advantage over Sesks. Neuville managed to reduce Sesks’ time by 0.1 seconds in his pursuit of fifth place.
During the 18.7 km stretch of the stage, Kajetan Kajetanowicz encountered problems when his car tilted onto two wheels and went off track, causing significant damage to the front left suspension of his Skoda. In the WRC2 category, Pajari maintained a comfortable half-minute lead over Robert Virves in a Skoda.
No significant changes occurred during the Super Special before the service break. However, Tanak decided to retire from the rally due to engine issues. With no points available on Saturday, he chose to return to the service area to update his i20 N before Super Sunday.
Unfortunate events unfolded during the 13th stage, when Evans had a delaminated tire, costing him 8.9 seconds and dropping him to third place overall, 6.5 seconds behind Mikkelsen. In the WRC2 category, Oliver Solberg, who struggled on the first day, made significant progress, finishing seventh and reducing the gap to Virves to just 2.5 seconds.
In the penultimate stage of the day, Rovanpera extended his lead to 5.2 seconds. Evans, who had exhausted his spare tire, had to manage the situation and was 13.3 seconds behind the leader and 8.1 seconds behind his Hyundai rival. Fourmaux maintained a secure fourth place, with a comfortable advantage of approximately 20 seconds over Sesks, who faced immense pressure from Neuville, trailing by just 2.4 seconds. In the WRC2 category, Solberg continued to close the gap to Virves.
During the final stage of the day, Neuville gave it his all but made a small mistake, which he believes cost him a second. However, that second was crucial as Sesks also pushed to the maximum and managed to hold onto fifth place by just 0.1 second. Rovanpera delivered an exceptional performance, finishing the final stage 6.5 seconds faster than any other competitor. Evans overtook Mikkelsen but finished third in terms of points on Saturday. Fourmaux finished fourth, followed by Sesks, Neuville, Munster, and Katsuta.
In the WRC2 category, Sami Pajari maintained complete control, while Solberg, who pushed his car to the limit throughout the day, moved up to second place, trailing the flying duo from Toyota by 26 seconds.
© 2024
In the past year, the world of sports has been shaken by a series of scandals and controversies. From doping to corruption, fans have been left disillusioned and disappointed with their sports heroes. However, a new report suggests that the sports industry is about to face another scandal that could shake its foundations.
According to reliable sources, there is an underground network of illegal gambling operating behind the scenes of the sports world. This network is composed of players, coaches, and even sports officials who are involved in match-fixing. The most affected sports are football, basketball, and tennis.
This network of illegal gambling is extremely sophisticated and difficult to detect. Bettors use advanced technology to communicate and coordinate their illegal activities. They also have access to insider information and can influence the outcome of a game in various ways.
The report reveals that this network of illegal gambling has connections with organized crime groups. They use the betting money to finance other illegal activities, such as drug trafficking and money laundering. This makes the situation even more concerning, as sports are used as a cover for criminal activities.
Authorities are aware of this situation and are working to identify and arrest those involved in this network of illegal gambling. However, it is a challenging task as the bettors are always one step ahead of the authorities. A coordinated and international approach is needed to effectively combat this network of illegal gambling.
Sports fans are outraged by this shocking revelation. They invest time and money to support their favorite teams and players, only to discover that the game’s outcome may have been manipulated. This affects the integrity of the sport and undermines fans’ trust.
It is time for the sports industry to take drastic measures to combat this illegal betting network. Stricter security measures need to be implemented, surveillance needs to be increased, and those involved in this criminal activity need to be severely punished. Fans deserve a clean and fair sport, and it is up to authorities and sports organizations to ensure this.
This scandal may have long-term consequences for the world of sports. Sponsors may withdraw, fans may lose interest, and the sport’s reputation may be tarnished forever. It is essential that actions are taken now to protect the sport and restore fans’ trust. The future of the sport is at stake.
