Rally1 debutants highlight Rally Chile Bio Bío entry list

Released on Tuesday (5 September) just over three weeks out from the WRC’s return to the South American country, 24-year-old Munster was among the biggest surprises on the entry list, confirmed to pilot an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1.

It is just the latest achievement in what has been a meteoric 12 months for the youngster, highlighted by WRC2 victory at last November’s FORUM8 Rally Japan and Junior WRC victory at Rally Estonia back in July.

Heller, along with brother Pedro have both made various WRC appearances over the years but their home rally will mark the first time younger brother Alberto drives at the sport’s highest echelon. Pedro will compete in WRC2, driving a Citroën C3 Rally2.

Regulars Ott Tänak and Pierre-Louise Loubet will command M-Sport’s other two Pumas.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing pairing of Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans headline the entry list with Takamoto Katsuta confirmed for the third GR Yaris Rally1 whilst for Hyundai, Teemu Suninen will get his second start of the season alongside Thierry Neuville and fellow Finn Esapekka Lappi.

The WRC2 field is once again stacked with a number of WRC2 championship contenders, highlighted by Yohan Rossel, Sami Pajari, Oliver Solberg, Gus Greensmith, defending WRC2 champion Emil Lindholm and Kajetan Kajetanowicz.

They will be met by stiff local competition with Pedro Heller joined by WRC regulars Emilio Fernandez and Jorge Martinez whilst Marco Bulacia joins from neighbouring Bolivia and Fabrizio Zaldivar crosses the border from Paraguay.