Yesterday, (Saturday), WRC Promoter officially announced a ground-breaking ten-year agreement with Saudi Arabia, securing the Middle Eastern nation’s position on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar from 2025.
Revealed during Rally Italia Sardegna, the sixth round of the 2024 WRC season, this exciting deal marks the WRC’s return to the Middle East for the first time since the 2011 Jordan Rally. More than just a strategic move, the agreement underscores the WRC’s commitment to provide fans worldwide with a fresh and exhilarating experience.
Rally Saudi Arabia promises to showcase the country’s diverse and challenging landscapes on surfaces ranging from volcanic rock to sandy desert terrain, providing a novel test for crews with conditions never previously encountered in WRC history.
While Saudi Arabia is a newcomer to the WRC, it boasts a proven track record as a host for a multitude of international sporting events including the Dakar Rally, Formula 1, football, and golf.
HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company, was delighted to welcome WRC to Saudi Arabia: “We are thrilled to host the FIA World Rally Championship for the first time in 2025. The arrival of another racing series of global stature in Saudi Arabia confirms the extent of our transformation into a major hub for motorsport in the region.