The 2020 Rally Belgium (also known as Renties Ypres Rally Belgium 2020) was a motor racing event for rally cars that was scheduled to hold between 20 and 22 November 2020,[2] but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] It was set to mark the fifty-sixth running of Ypres Rally and was planned to be the seventh round of the 2020 World Rally Championship, World Rally Championship-2 and World Rally Championship-3.[4] It was also going to be the final round of the Junior World Rally Championship.[5] The 2020 event was set to be based in Ypres in West Flanders and was scheduled to be contested over twenty-three special stages. The rally was planned to cover a total competitive distance of 265.69 km (165.09 mi).[1]
| 2020 Rally Belgium 56. Renties Ypres Rally Belgium 2020 | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2020 World Rally Championship | |
 Ypres Rally features narrow asphalt lanes and big ditches. | |
| Host country |  Belgium |
| Rally base | Ypres, West Flanders |
| Dates run | 20 – 22 November 2020 |
| Start location | Zonnebeke, West Flanders |
| Finish location | Stavelot, Liège |
| Stages | 23 (265.69 km; 165.09 miles)[1] |
| Stage surface | Tarmac |
| Transport distance | 633.66 km (393.74 miles) |
| Overall distance | 899.35 km (558.83 miles) |
| Statistics | |
| Cancellation | Rally cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. |
Background
editSchedule changes and event inclusion
editFollowing the cancellation of 2020 Rally Japan, the Ypres Rally of Belgium replaced Rally Japan to hold the seventh round of the championship. This would mark the Ypres Rally run as a WRC event for the first time. The country was set to become the thirty-fourth nation to stage a championship round in the WRC.[6] Unfortunately, the rally was eventually announced to be called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
Route
editThe first two days of action would take place in the area around Ypres, while Sunday's final leg would be focused on the iconic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, with the rally-closing Power Stage featuring the famous Eau Rouge-Raidillon section of the track.[8] This meant the Sunday's route would run alongside the 2020 World RX of Benelux of the World Rallycross Championship.[9]
Itinerary
edit
All dates and times are BET (UTC 1).
| Date | Time | No. | Stage name | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 08:31 | — | Langemark [Shakedown] | 9.81 km |
| Leg 1 — 104.71 km | ||||
| N/A | 13:38 | SS1 | Zonnebeke 1 | 9.48 km |
| 14:31 | SS2 | Wijtschate 1 | 12.49 km | |
| 15:09 | SS3 | Kemmelberg 1 | 13.13 km | |
| 15:59 | SS4 | Reninge 1 | 11.82 km | |
| 16:36 | SS5 | Vieteren | 10.87 km | |
| 19:08 | SS6 | Zonnebeke 2 | 9.48 km | |
| 20:01 | SS7 | Wijtschate 2 | 12.49 km | |
| 20:39 | SS8 | Kemmelberg 2 | 13.13 km | |
| 21:27 | SS9 | Reninge 2 | 11.82 km | |
| Leg 2 — 114.06 km | ||||
| N/A | 09:38 | SS10 | Watou 1 | 14.02 km |
| 10:39 | SS11 | Dikkebus 1 | 12.53 km | |
| 11:20 | SS12 | Westouter 1 | 8.16 km | |
| 12:08 | SS13 | Middelhoek-Mesen 1 | 7.95 km | |
| 12:46 | SS14 | Zillebeke 1 | 14.37 km | |
| 15:08 | SS15 | Watou 2 | 14.02 km | |
| 16:09 | SS16 | Dikkebus 2 | 12.53 km | |
| 16:50 | SS17 | Westouter 2 | 8.16 km | |
| 17:38 | SS18 | Middelhoek-Mesen 2 | 7.95 km | |
| 18:16 | SS19 | Zillebeke 2 | 14.37 km | |
| Leg 3 — 46.92 km | ||||
| N/A | 09:08 | SS20 | Circuit de Spa 1 | 10.43 km |
| 10:04 | SS21 | Ster | 9.25 km | |
| 10:49 | SS22 | Bellevaux | 14.62 km | |
| 12:18 | SS23 | Circuit de Spa 2 [Power Stage] | 12.62 km | |
| Source:[1] | ||||
References
edit- ^ a b c "Rally Guide 2 Appendix" (PDF). ypresrally.com. Ypres Rally. pp. 18–20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ "New date confirmed for Italy's 2020 FIA WRC fixture". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ Craig, Jason; Klein, Jamie (30 October 2020). "WRC's Ypres Rally called off amid COVID-19 restrictions". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Rally Monza to form 2020 FIA World Rally Championship finale". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ "Ypres added to Junior WRC calendar". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ Klein, Jamie (19 August 2020). "Belgium gets WRC round for the first time after Rally Japan axed". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
- ^ "Belgium's Ypres Rally off as Coronavirus numbers rise". wrc.com. World Rally Championship. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Belgium added to 2020 FIA World Rally Championship". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
- ^ Ridge, Hal (1 September 2020). "WRX to run alongside WRC at Spa as Belgium round moved to November". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
External links
edit- Official website (in Dutch, English, and French)
- 2020 Ypres Rally at ewrc-results.com
- The official website of the World Rally Championship