FIA to expand the WRC calendar to 15 rallies

FIA and WRC Promoter are thinking of adding a second country from Asia/Pacific to WRC calendar, possibly being held after Rally Japan, which means that the World Rally Championship may visit 15 countries from 2027.

The FIA is considering the possibility of expanding the WRC calendar to 15 rounds by adding one more event to the schedule. WRC Event Director Simon Larkin explained why Japan took Italy’s place in the calendar, stating that a second rally in the Asia-Pacific region could feasibly take place after Rally Japan. There are four candidate countries: Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, and China. China was on the WRC calendar back in 1999, and since then, the championship has never returned to the largest country in Asia. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the FIA and WRC Promoter had entered discussions with the Indonesian government regarding the country’s return to the WRC. Australia has been absent from the WRC calendar since 2019, as the 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic. Finally, New Zealand hosted a WRC round in 2022, but unfortunately failed to reach an agreement with the FIA and WRC Promoter to extend its stay in the championship.

"That May/June date is more of an ideal place for Japan", Larkin said. 

"It serves a few purposes.

"One is it does provide a break-up of the tougher gravel events with an asphalt event. 

"Elfyn Evans hasn’t had the easiest run of events opening the road so there are sporting reasons for it as well. 

"It also means we can have better timelines for a sea freight movement and also it then puts Japan in an area of the calendar where we can hopefully add another event in that region without interfering with sea freight schedules in 2027 and beyond. 

"We have always said we have the aspiration to have more than one event in Asia/Pacific region and this now means that can sort of be paired, if you like, a little bit better with that. There is room for an additional event there".

Source: Motorsport.com

Photo Credits: Hyundai