“The new promoter wants something closer to Formula 1”
In an interview by the president of the ACP (organiser of Rally Portugal) gave some hints about what might be the new life of WRC under the new promoter. The interview was in portuguese, so I leave a translated version here:
“The new promoter wants to do something closer to Formula 1, more show, wants the paddock itself to have all this. We are already building it. A village that has the top guests they want to have there. Next year we will have another official manufacturer, but I can't reveal it, it will be announced in June. They want to do another kind of rally, change the television broadcasts. We have already had a good conversation here with them, next year we will be the first rally of the championship that will give this smell. In Monte Carlo it's more complicated. They want to do Turini on Saturday night, but I don't believe it.”
Regarding the new manufacturer, on another interview live on portuguese tv (can’t find the source, but I saw it live), he has said that it was an european manufacturer, but it wasn’t Lancia.