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Kompany urges Karl and is delighted that his request has been granted

Jason Maverick
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Kompany urges Karl and is delighted that his request has been granted

Munich’s winning streak continues unabated. Even on the third match day of the Champions League, FC Bayern was unstoppable, beating Club Brugge 4-0. Meanwhile, the coach was particularly pleased about something else.
“It was a good home game, we could have scored more goals,” Vincent Kompany told DAZN after the match. “We saw some young players who will have to help us as the season progresses,” said the Munich head coach, referring not only to Lennart Karl’s historic performance.

When asked how he would compare himself as a player at the same age as Karl, Kompany said with a grin: “I played in the Champions League, was a national team player, a regular starter. But joking aside, that’s not normal at this level. He’ll continue to get the chance to do so, but he’ll also need some rest. It was important that he showed it today in such a big game. But I also told him that he has to do the same at 30. Because Harry does that too.“

Kompany on contract extension: ”I wanted it just as much”

Kompany had already preached restraint when asked another question that concerned him personally – his contract extension until 2029: “It feels like the extension was a month ago because the preparation for the game was so intense. My biggest request to the club was that it not become a big issue in the public eye now that we have momentum,” Kompany said.

He was ultimately completely satisfied with how it was handled. “The club did a very good job, and I’m very grateful,” said the Belgian, who emphasized once again that signing a new contract was “really nothing special” for him. “I’ve been in the professional game for over 25 years now. We had an important game today, so I didn’t want it to be a distraction. That’s exactly how I wanted it.”

Dreesens double joy with Kompany

Jan-Christian Dreesen was delighted not only about the contract extension with Kompany himself, but also about the circumstances: “Normally, we’re as full of holes as Swiss cheese when it comes to things like this. Given that this was perhaps the most important extension for the club at the moment, I was particularly pleased,” said the Munich club’s CEO, who also added the following explanation: “Both sides want to build something together for the long term. This idea was deeply rooted in both sides. And that’s why it was really okay how the negotiations went.”

How VfB plans to crack Fener

Sports Of The Day
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How VfB plans to crack Fener

Fenerbahce and VfB Stuttgart are two teams that are currently on a roll. Sebastian Hoeneß wants to score points on the Bosporus with the usual style elements.

“We have ideas. We want to try to get the ball into our ranks quickly,“ said the VfB Stuttgart coach ahead of Thursday evening’s away game at Fenerbahce. Sebastian Hoeneß’s recipe: beat the opponents at their own game, because: ”This is a team that likes to have the ball and doesn’t like to defend. That’s exactly the situation we want to put them in.”

“It’s relatively clear how he will play. And so are we.”

The fact that he has a full squad to choose from is, of course, an advantage. With the exception of Ermedi Demirovic (foot injury) and Jamie Leweling (muscle problems), none of the regulars are unavailable. Hoeneß already has a clear idea of which players he will send onto the field, as his words at the matchday press conference on Wednesday evening suggest. With regard to his counterpart Domenico Tedesco, who took over the traditional Istanbul club in September and has a good interim record with four wins, three draws, and one defeat, he explained: ” Like us, he has two or three personnel decisions to make. Otherwise, it’s relatively clear how he will play. And so will we.”

Given the hosts’ attacking qualities, a formation with three central defenders, as seen in the recent 3-0 win at VfL Wolfsburg, would offer certain options to allow high pressing with many players in the build-up to run into space and then switch quickly. The fact that Bilal El-Khannouss, who sets the pace and provides ideas in the final third, and Angelo Stiller, who sets the tempo and is the man for the killer passes, are currently in top form should certainly not be detrimental.

VfB is the Bundesliga’s second-half leader

It is striking that Fenerbahce is struggling under Tedesco, especially in the final stages of games, as Kerem Aktürkoglu, Sebastian Szymanski, Talisca & Co. are not (yet) used to the German’s intense style. When asked about this, Hoeneß was cautious: “I can’t say whether that’s a weakness, but I want to talk more about us. We want to impress them with our intensity, our style of play.” However, should it be a close final phase, VfB can go into it with confidence despite the expected heated atmosphere: in a table that only takes into account the results of the second half of the season, the Swabians would be in first place in the Bundesliga with 18 points. That speaks for their physicality and mentality.

Kramaric overtakes Ibisevic and Hoeneß

Jason Maverick
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Kramaric overtakes Ibisevic and Hoeneß

With his goal in the 3-0 win at St. Pauli, Andrej Kramaric has also moved up the Bundesliga’s all-time scoring charts. And he has completed a special collection.

Andrej Kramaric crowned his outstanding performance at St. Pauli on Sunday with his goal to make it 2-0, and after Bazoumana Touré’s debut goal to give his side the lead, the game was as good as over. It was only the Hoffenheim striker’s second goal of the season in his seventh game, but it was remarkable in two respects.

It was his first against St. Pauli. The 34-year-old has now completed his personal “collection” and scored against all current Bundesliga teams, with the Hanseatic club being the only one missing.

He “only” scored against Fürth in the cup

But that’s not all. Kramaric has been hunting goals for TSG in the Bundesliga since winter 2016. During this period, the striker, who was signed from Leicester at the time, has faced a total of 28 different opponents with Hoffenheim in the top flight. He was successful as a goalscorer against 27 of them. Only SpVgg Greuther Fürth slipped through the striker’s fingers. The Fürth team had only been able to enjoy top-flight status for one year during Kramaric’s tenure, but Kramaric came away empty-handed in the spectacular 6-3 win in Fürth, and there were no goals at all in the return match in Sinsheim. And yet Kramaric was also successful against Fürth, not in the league, but two years earlier in the cup, when he scored the 1-0 for TSG in a narrow 7-6 victory on penalties (2-2).

With Sunday’s 2-0 win, however, Kramaric was able to overtake two renowned strikers in the all-time scoring list. With his 128th goal in the top flight, he surpassed Dieter Hoeneß and former Hoffenheim player Vedad Ibisevic.

27th place in the all-time scoring charts

Kramaric is now hot on the heels of Karl Allgöwer (129) and has his sights set on the top 25. Michael Zorc (131) currently ranks there behind Rudi Völler (132) and Giovane Elber (133). With Kramaric, that could happen very quickly. And since Hoffenheim’s star regularly scores in double digits, Horst Hrubesch (136) and Uwe Seeler (137) are also well within reach by the end of the season. However, the absolute elite remains out of reach for the 34-year-old.
To break into the top 10, Kramaric would have to add another 50 goals to overtake Dieter Müller and Klaus Allofs, who are tied for 10th place. And the giant Gerd Müller towers above them all, with 365 goals to his name, more than the two of them combined.

Somewhere between down-to-earth and cheeky

Jeffrey Gooding
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Somewhere between down-to-earth and cheeky

Lennart Karl played his way into the spotlight during his Champions League debut in the starting lineup—but this came as no surprise to his coach.

At home, Lennart Karl has “a wall” where he hangs items such as the jersey he wore during his professional debut at the Club World Cup and the one he wore during his first Bundesliga appearance. As of today, there will also be a silver metal ball, which the 17-year-old FC Bayern youngster earned as the official “Man of the Match” in Wednesday evening’s 4-0 win over Bruges. In his Champions League starting debut, by the way.

It’s a “really crazy story” that Karl is currently writing in Munich, but Christoph Freund isn’t really surprised. “You see it every day in training,” explains Bayern’s sporting director. “He plays with the team, is simply a really good footballer and has an outstanding finish.”

The overwhelmed Belgians felt this after just four minutes, when number 10 Karl got the ball in midfield, left four opponents standing and scored a spectacular goal from 20 meters to make it 1-0. Or, in the words of the carefree teenager: “Very good first touch, the shot was perfect.”

Karl is cheeky and down-to-earth at the same time, as demonstrated not only by his very courageous, entertaining and, above all, good performance against Bruges, but also by the way he presented himself in the interview afterwards. In front of the camera, the youngest German Champions League goalscorer of all time said very mature things like “keep working hard.”

Kompany and Freund fell into each other’s arms

Later, when DAZN and Co. were no longer watching in the mixed zone and a huge crowd had formed around this youngster, he stuck to his script, which, since his first steps with the Bayern pros, has sounded almost like the lyrics of a German rap song: “I don’t know if I should be afraid of my opponents now. I don’t need to be afraid of my opponents. That’s why I’m just going to do my thing.“

At FC Bayern, they always smile when the name Karl is mentioned, and Lennart usually becomes ”Lenny.” The way Vincent Kompany, the entire coaching team, and sporting director Freund embraced each other when celebrating the first goal spoke volumes. “Because it was still a surprise to many that he was in the starting lineup,” says Freund. “Not for the coaches, though. We talked beforehand and had a feeling that Lenny would score his first goal today. Because he always finishes so well in training.”

And when the coaching team told Lenny, “I’m going to score a goal, I just went for it.” . What else? “The guys really respect him because he’s just a good soccer player,” explains Freund with a permanent grin. “Then he scores a goal like that… it’s a really nice story.”

Now he has to keep “working hard,” because one goal in the Champions League is not the end. “He works under a great coach who will keep him grounded,” assures teammate Harry Kane, who even dedicated his obligatory post-match social media post to the ‘fantastic’ Lenny. “He has many good qualities to become a top player,” says Kane.

These include modesty (“In my opinion, he’s very down-to-earth, so we don’t have to worry about that” – Manuel Neuer), but also the boldness and cheekiness that produces such wonderful and unusual phrases as “I’ll do my thing” or “I don’t need to be afraid.”

Karl also got goosebumps on Wednesday when the Champions League anthem rang out and he was allowed to hum along on the pitch for the first time. “I always had that as a spectator up above,” back when veterans like Sadio Mané and Matthijs de Ligt were still playing for Bayern. “It’s a dream to be down there, of course.”

Schröder squanders Kings’ big lead in Phoenix

Jason Maverick
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Schröder squanders Kings’ big lead in Phoenix

Dennis Schröder lost his first game with the Sacramento Kings. The Californians squandered a big lead and lost 116-120 to the Phoenix Suns.

This was certainly not how the Kings had imagined their season opener. The Kings were leading by up to 20 points at the end of the first half, but by the start of the fourth quarter, that lead had completely evaporated. The two guards, Grayson Allen (18 points) and Devin Booker (31, 10/19 FG, 10/15 FT), had caught fire, and the visitors were barely able to stop them.

After two three-pointers from Royce O’Neale, the Suns took the lead for the first time since the opening minutes and didn’t relinquish it for the rest of the game. The Suns always had an answer, Dillon Brooks (22) was fouled late on a three-pointer, and Booker converted a short jump shot with about 38 seconds left, which ultimately sealed the deal.

Schröder makes solid Kings debut

The Kings were missing two key players in Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray, but DeMar DeRozan (29, 12/17) and Zach LaVine (30, 13/24) took over the lion’s share of the scoring. LaVine had already scored 22 points by halftime, but cooled off noticeably after the break. Schröder, on the other hand, played just under 30 minutes and had occasional problems scoring in the zone. His jump shot, however, was much better, with two successful mid-range shots and two three-pointers.

In the end, the DBB captain had 14 points (6/13 FG, 2/4 three-pointers), seven assists and two steals, but also four turnovers. In the final phase, Schröder was hardly on the ball, with DeRozan and LaVine repeatedly getting the chance to try their luck.

The Kings now return home, where they will host the Utah Jazz at the Golden 1 Center on Saturday night, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers two days later.

“If this game flops…”: A rollercoaster ride with FM26

Sotd Editor
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“If this game flops…”: A rollercoaster ride with FM26

Football Manager 26 is about to be released in beta—which makes boss Miles Jacobson “both very excited and nervous.” Because he and his team cannot afford to fail.

It was like a big bang in the community when Sports Interactive announced in February that FM25 was being discontinued. For the first time, the developer had to deviate from its annual release cycle—the switch to the Unity Engine proved too much of a challenge. As a result, there is now a lot of pressure on Football Manager 26. The beta version of FM26 will be released on Thursday—and it’s already causing Miles Jacobson’s emotions to run high. In an interview with FM.Zweierkette, the studio director of Sports Interactive rates his emotional state on a scale of 1 to 10: “Today I’ve already been at 2, 5, 8, and 10. Right now, I’m probably around 7.”

Between 2 and 10: “Life is a rollercoaster”

Jacobson gives the confirmation of the FIFA partnership, which also includes the license for the 2026 World Cup, a positive maximum rating of 10. “But there was also a bug this morning that we thought had been fixed, but it came back—that was a 2 moment,” says the FM boss, explaining the downside of the current pre-release phase.

Jacobson uses the 2000 hit “Life is a Rollercoaster” by Boyzone singer Ronan Keating as a metaphor.

He says he is “both very excited and nervous” about the release of the beta. That’s because Football Manager 26 is “not a sequel to FM24” – rather, it can be thought of “as a reboot.” According to Jacobson, “everything has changed.” This could pose some hurdles for experienced and passionate players at the beginning.

Fans “who play 500, 600, or 1,000 hours a year” would need “significantly longer to familiarize themselves with the user interface. Because they have to forget everything they know.” While previous Football Manager games were designed more for absolute experts, the new FM26 will be more beginner-friendly.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” decides

Despite strong pre-order numbers, this could have a negative impact on financial success. And consequently on the future of the series. “At the end of the day, our studio belongs to SEGA – so Sonic the Hedgehog decides, not me,” explains Jacobson. “If this game flops, Sonic will be angry with me—and then that might be it.”

Because: “If we don’t sell anything, there probably won’t be an FM27, right?” he suggests. It’s a grim scenario, but one that the studio director himself doesn’t consider too realistic: “I think the game is really good.” If die-hard fans of the previous installments give FM26 a chance, they’ll recognize that too.

Jacobson raves about “FMPedia”

In addition to the Unity Engine and many major changes, small details are also intended to ensure the success of the new Football Manager. “The way the ‘back’ and ‘forward’ arrows work, i.e., the navigation keys, is really important and well done,” reports Jacobson. The Football Manager creator also raves about “FMPedia.”

“FMPedia means that you can no longer just search for players or clubs in the search bar. For example, you can enter ‘tactics’ or ‘scouting’ and get a description of what that is—plus links to the corresponding screens in the game,” says Jacobson. A “central point of contact for the game and the game world.”

“Discussion over”: Ferrari team boss Vasseur welcomes Elkann’s message

Andrew Jackson
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“Discussion over”: Ferrari team boss Vasseur welcomes Elkann’s message

Rumors of former team boss Christian Horner moving to Ferrari persist—Fred Vasseur explains President John Elkann’s statement on the matter

The latest rumors that former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner could move to Ferrari have also caused a stir at Scuderia: Lewis Hamilton is annoyed about it, but Ferrari president John Elkann has clearly backed current team boss Fred Vasseur.

How did the Frenchman react to the backing? “Honestly, I think it’s good for everyone to get news like this,” says Vasseur. “But since we are in constant contact, we already had the message—it was more intended for third parties and external audiences.”

Specifically, this means that with his official statement on Vasseur, Elkann wanted to make it clear to the public that there are no changes to the current lineup at Ferrari and that all rumors about a possible move by Horner are untrue.

“It’s important because it puts an end to the discussion and allows us to focus on the next one, instead of answering all the questions about it,” adds Vasseur, whose future has been called into question more than once this season. The Frenchman was already under criticism in the first half of the season.

New contract for Vasseur with moderate success

At the end of July, the contract with the current Ferrari team boss was extended to put an end to the rumors once and for all. However, this strategy by the Italians was not entirely successful: speculation about Christian Horner continues unabated.

“It distracts us a little as a team,” says Hamilton, who has known Vasseur for a long time. “Of course, the team has made it clear where it stands on Fred’s contract extension, and Fred, myself, and the entire team are working hard on the future of the team. So things like this are obviously not helpful.”

“I know that everyone at the factory is working incredibly hard and is focused, and rumors like this can sometimes be distracting.” Let’s hope that Elkann’s latest clarification will finally bring some calm—and that Ferrari can once again concentrate fully on its performance on the track.

Mielke’s replacement has been confirmed: Tobias Schimon will be the new commentator at ProSieben

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Mielke’s replacement has been confirmed: Tobias Schimon will be the new commentator at ProSieben

Following the departure of DTM commentator “Eddie” Mielke, his successor for 2026 has already been confirmed: Tobias Schimon will take over – why his voice is not unfamiliar

A few days ago, it was announced that Edgar “Eddie” Mielke will no longer be commentating on the DTM on ProSieben and ran.de next year. Now it has been confirmed who will be taking over from him: Tobias Schimon will be the new voice of DTM broadcasts!

The 40-year-old from Nuremberg is no stranger to the DTM, however: Schimon already commentated on the race at the Norisring in the 2024 season because Mielke was unable to attend due to the MotoGP weekend taking place at the Sachsenring at the same time. He received a lot of praise for his work.

Schimon, who wanted to work in television even as a child, started his career as an intern at Sport1 and in the ran editorial office. Born in Franconia, he now commentates on other sports for various broadcasters and is a fixture in motorsport.

Among other things, the TV journalist is responsible for pre- and post-race reports in the DTM and hosts DTM Fan TV directly at the race track. In the past, he has also commentated on Formula 3, Audi TT Cup, and ADAC GT Masters races.

Schimon “at almost every DTM race since 2011”

There is no doubt about his expertise and experience: “Since 2011, I have been on site at almost every DTM race in various professional capacities,” says Schimon. “Now, to be a commentator for my beloved DTM on ‘ran Racing’ is a great honor. From intern to commentator. Thank you to ProSieben for their trust.”

“First of all, of course, a big thank you to Eddie Mielke for his extraordinary commitment over the past few years,” says ProSiebenSat.1 sports director Gernot Bauer about Mielke, who had been commentating on the DTM since 2018. “Starting with the upcoming DTM season, we want to consciously take a younger path with a new voice.”

“Tobias Schimon is the perfect choice for this generational change,” adds Bauer, who particularly emphasizes the new commentator’s background: “I’m all the more pleased because Tobi is another colleague who started out as an intern in the ‘ran’ editorial department and is now moving up to the front row.”

Is Aprilia on its way to becoming number 1? Here’s what riders and competitors have to say

Sports Of The Day
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Is Aprilia on its way to becoming number 1? Here’s what riders and competitors have to say

Aprilia scores with Bezzecchi and Fernandez: The RS-GP seems to be putting Ducati under serious pressure – has Noale now reached the top of MotoGP?

After recent strong weekends for Marco Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez, who celebrated his maiden victory in Australia, the question arises: Is Aprilia currently the benchmark in MotoGP? While Ducati is struggling without Marc Marquez, the RS-GP is more competitive than ever.

Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola sees his team’s recent form as the result of hard work in Noale. “I think the bike is competitive,” he says. “On fast tracks, it can now be considered the benchmark. We’re not yet the benchmark on stop-and-go tracks, but we’re nowhere near as far off as we used to be.”

Rivola expressly praises the work of Fabiano Sterlacchini’s technical team: ” The bike has improved significantly overall, and we owe that to Fabiano and the people in Noale. I’m very proud of what they’re doing.“

However, the Aprilia CEO is not yet willing to confirm that Aprilia is competitive on every track. ”I’m very curious to see how we do in Sepang. It’s a very complete track where we’ve never really been strong before. If we perform well there, it will show that our growth is real.“

At the same time, he warns against too much euphoria: ”I can’t say that we’re super fast now just because we’ve had two good weekends. After all, it was Fermin who won in Indonesia, not Raul like here.“ Nevertheless, he emphasizes that Bezzecchi was ”by far the fastest on the track” recently.

Savadori: “We are developing in the right direction”

Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori, who has recently been competing regularly as a substitute rider, is also satisfied with the form curve. “I’m really happy with Marco and Raul’s results,” he says, looking back on the weekend in Australia.

The current third-placed rider in the world championship cites the stability of the RS-GP as the biggest improvement: “That was my biggest problem at the start of the season. Now I can brake as hard as I did a few years ago. That gives me enormous confidence.”

“My own results are secondary because I’m here to develop the bike—and we’re doing that in the right direction,” he emphasizes his own role.

He particularly stresses the value of development work on race weekends: “When you have four bikes on the track at the same time, you have a lot more comparative data. The conditions are identical, and that helps enormously.“

”We have taken advantage of this situation and perhaps made greater progress than in private tests,“ explains Savadori. He particularly highlights the efforts of the Aprilia engineers: ”Everyone in Noale is working extremely hard to bring something new to every race and further improve the bike.”

Bezzecchi: “I feel really comfortable with the RS-GP”

Bezzecchi, who is currently spearheading Aprilia’s efforts, does not want to jump to conclusions, however. When asked whether Aprilia is already on a par with Ducati, he replies: “I don’t know. I don’t ride a Ducati, so I can’t make a comparison. But I feel really comfortable with my bike at the moment.“

The engineers are doing ”a wonderful job.“ ”Of course, there are tracks where the characteristics of the bike are a perfect fit, and others where the field is closer together. But overall, we are making great progress,” said Bezzecchi.

“Getting closer and closer”: Ducati feels the heat from Noale

The competition is also taking note of Aprilia’s performance. Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46-Ducati), who was Fernandez’s closest rival in second place in Australia, sees the brand as a growing threat.

“We knew Ducati had a lead, but now Aprilia is getting closer and closer – or maybe it’s already ahead. Yamaha has also improved a lot,” he analyzed. Ducati must continue to work hard “to maintain its small lead” and “work on the 26 Ducati to increase the gap again.”

Pol Espargaro, Tech3-KTM’s replacement rider at Phillip Island, on the other hand, is pleased with the change in the balance of power and attributes it primarily to the concessions.

“It’s nice to see Honda getting faster again, Yamaha getting closer, and some Ducati riders having to fight. This diversity is fantastic. It shows that all the teams’ hard work is finally paying off again,” says the KTM test rider. Whether Aprilia really has the best bike will only become clear on all-round tracks such as Sepang or Valencia. But one thing is certain: Ducati is feeling serious pressure for the first time in years – and this season, that pressure is clearly coming from Noale.

Hyundai and WRC27: “The train has left the station for a completely new car”

Jeffrey Gooding
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Hyundai and WRC27: “The train has left the station for a completely new car”

Will Hyundai continue to compete in the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2027? If so, only a modified Rally2 car will be eligible for use.

Hyundai could only continue its participation in the World Rally Championship (WRC) from 2027 onwards if the manufacturer uses an upgraded Rally2 version of the i20 N. Team boss Cyril Abiteboul confirmed this to Autosport,

“We have a Rally2 car and I hope that rallying doesn’t become a one-make series. That’s why existing Rally2 cars will play a role,” said Abiteboul last week on the sidelines of Rally Central Europe.

The Korean manufacturer’s future in the WRC beyond the current season had been unclear until now. Hyundai is currently reviewing its long-term motorsport strategy and evaluating various options for future factory entries, including against the backdrop of its entry into the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with its Genesis sub-brand. Abiteboul emphasized that developing a completely new vehicle in accordance with the planned regulations for 2027 would not be feasible. Instead, Hyundai could remain in the championship by further developing its existing Rally2 vehicle. The new technical regulations, which are to apply from 2027, stipulate a cost limit of €345,000. The vehicles are to have around 300 hp and be based on a space frame with components from the Rally2 category.
According to the FIA, the new WRC27 cars will offer similar performance to current Rally2 vehicles.
“Train for a completely new car has left the station”

To ensure a full starting grid, the WRC27 cars will compete alongside Rally2 vehicles in the top class.
This should give manufacturers and teams additional flexibility. However, Abiteboul explained that Hyundai needs clear assurances from the FIA to ensure that Rally2 cars can compete with the new WRC27 cars. At the moment, Toyota is the only current manufacturer working on a completely new car for 2027.
“Many things are unclear at the moment. Will it be the same category or a different classification? How do we balance the performance between the new rally car and the Rally2 cars?” asks Abiteboul. “Once we have clarity, we can finalize our plans and, if necessary, push ahead with further development of our Rally2 car to ensure it is competitive under the new rules.”

Abiteboul hinted that Hyundai only has a few weeks left to make a decision. “With the new technical regulations, the train has probably left the station for a completely new car, but an updated Rally2 specification for 2027 is still possible,” he said.

FIA responds to concerns about competitiveness

Xavier Mestelen Pinon, technical director of the FIA, the world motorsport governing body, assured that the two regulations—WRC27 and Rally2—are closely aligned and that the cars should achieve a similar level of performance. However, a Balance of Performance (BoP) system, such as that used in the WEC, is not planned for the WRC. “Ultimately, both regulations should enable manufacturers to achieve the same level of performance,” said Mestelen Pinon. “If we were to talk about Balance of Performance, that would be the end of our championship. We must avoid this discussion.”

Instead, the FIA wants to equalize factors such as downforce and the weight-to-power ratio. If tests show that a vehicle has a significant advantage, the FIA could adjust the minimum weight before the start of the season to ensure a level playing field.

“We don’t want to make changes after a few rallies,” emphasized Mestelen Pinon. “Once we have data from test drives, we can make adjustments before the start of the season if necessary – and the means to do that is weight.”

The FIA plans to publish the final details of the WRC27 regulations by the end of the year. The necessary safety tests have already been successfully completed.

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