Rally - FIA Rally Star appoints LifeLive as Official Cross Car partner

LifeLive is a FIA recognised XC manufacturer and has worked closely with the Royal Automobile Club de Belgique (RACB) to create a new national XC Championship that will support young drivers looking to forge a career in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).
 
Founded by Thierry Neuville in 2016, LifeLive established itself as a XC manufacturer driven by the Belgian WRC driver’s desire to provide accessible opportunities in off-road motor sport. LifeLive operates from a state-of-the-art facility in Belgium with Thierry’s brother, Yannick Neuville, overseeing day to day operations.
 
The discipline is being used as the entry-level tier for off-road motor sport, allowing young and aspiring drivers to discover gravel driving. Driving XCs competitively captures the essence of the basic principles needed to be a top WRC-level athlete but enables drivers to practice – even before obtaining their driving licence - and improve these skills. FIA Rally Star will make full use of the LifeLive TN5 XC for talent spotting to emphasise it is to WRC what go-karting is to Formula 1.
 
A XC is a single seater car with a tubular spaceframe chassis using a motorcycle engine that offers low running costs. Although simple in construction, XCs offer beginner drivers an insight into driving fundamentals, serving as the perfect platform to learn what it takes to be a successful rally driver.
 
This commitment to accessible motor sport and young talent highlighted LifeLive as a clear choice for FIA Rally Star’s XC partner, to help search for the best and brightest future stars of rallying.
 
After ASN selections, the FIA will organise six Continental Finals (Europe, North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Middle East and North Africa) during the second half of 2021. At the end of the sixth Continental Final, the six best female drivers will compete in the Women’s Final. Seven drivers will be selected to continue their careers with a training and competition program leading up to the FIA Junior WRC Championship in 2023.
 
Yves Matton, FIA Rally Director: “The XC platform is a hugely significant element of FIA Rally Star. In order to provide a fair and consistent evaluation method in the Continental Finals, we needed to ensure we selected a XC manufacturer that shared our common goals and values. I am delighted with the appointment of LifeLive as the Official FIA Rally Star XC Partner; they immediately demonstrated their commitment to young drivers and desire to be part of this global search for the next generation of rally drivers.”
 
Thierry Neuville, FIA World Rally Championship Driver and Founder of LifeLive: “It is a huge privilege for LifeLive to become the official XC Partner for FIA Rally Star. For a long time now, I have been determined to help promote and grow XC racing as a discipline to help spot future rally drivers. There are several core elements of XC driving that overlap with driving any rally car and it is great to see FIA Rally Star embracing this and using it as a platform to assess the drivers in the Continental and Women’s Finals. I am looking forward to seeing many drivers and talent scouts discover this discipline and see it grow as a perfect and affordable test bed for emerging young talents around the world.”