The FIA has confirmed that a final decision regarding the future of the 2026 Rally Saudi Arabia will be made by the middle of September as uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East continues.
The event is currently scheduled to host the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship on 11–14 November. However, ongoing regional instability has forced the FIA and WRC Promoter to closely monitor developments before committing to the season finale.
Speaking during Rally Finland, FIA Road Sport Director Emilia Abel explained that discussions are taking place on a regular basis with the championship promoter and the manufacturers. She stressed that the situation remains highly unpredictable, meaning any decision could quickly become outdated if circumstances change. According to Abel, mid-September represents the latest practical deadline due to the logistical planning required to organise a WRC event.
While the governing body is continuing to work towards holding the rally as originally planned, it is also aware of the challenges that teams and suppliers could face if conditions in the region deteriorate further. Similar concerns have already affected other international motorsport championships, with several Middle East events either postponed, relocated or cancelled during the 2026 season.
For now, the FIA has not announced any replacement venue should Rally Saudi Arabia prove impossible to stage. Its priority remains delivering the championship finale according to the published calendar, although officials acknowledge that alternative plans may become necessary if the security situation changes in the coming weeks.
"At the current stage, we are working very closely with the promoter to try to find the best way forward", said FIA road sport director Emilia Abel at Rally Finland.
"As we all know, this situation can very quickly change, and even if we take the positive decision one day, it can still happen that the week after, the situation has changed.
"Currently, we are really actively discussing this also with manufacturer teams, because based on what has happened in other championships, we know that this can also become a constraint.
"Somewhere in the middle of September would be the time to take a decision, because obviously we are working also with the logistics of the championship".
Source: Motorsport.com
Photo Credits: Toyota
Post a Comment