WRC Calendar 2025

[J4MIE]

They did say they’ll be in the MERC at the beginning of next year.

Also regarding the rally (& the corruption behind it):
https://yle.fi/a/74-20091834

Yes March will be candidate/MERC event, full event in November.

[J4MIE]

Last version in a log line of sport-washing events in that region.
Why do they get event after event, the people that decide need to look behind the facade!

Money talks…

[WRCStan]

There's two points to make here people aren't getting: 1) Saudi is experiencing growth, diversification, investment and social change. Europe has peaked and is facing decline. 2) It's a commercial World series, not a European sport, and it's in decline which is linked to being too European. Those are at the crux of this deal.

Within this series the UK, France, Germany, Spain (soon Italy ?), have all lost their events before Saudi was even announced, and commercial attempts are struggling to gain feasibility. Enough remain, some at a cost for the Promotor, but still, Saudi is expanding the WRC calendar and won't be taking another's slot. 10 years is unprecedented, but it may just have been necessary to save the series. It may have been enough to kill the urgency of the changes by the working group. It may have enabled Hyundai to remain, or the promoter's ability to field them or other participants. OK, the FIA could try going to a Rally2 privateer, non-commercial, European based series instead - but it has chosen not to do that.

We all get it, Saudi isn't popular politically. Fortunately I've not seen too many complaints here, but I've seen a couple of popular figures on SM they are boycotting Saudi and that they can unsubscribe from Rally.TV and walk away from the series - yet they continue to complain. Please leave. Please join them if this is how you feel, this is the only way you make any meaningful point. How long do you want to complain before you realise you're insignificant and just annoying the wrong people.

[focus206]

The first Safari was basically run by Motorsport UK, and slowly being weaned off over the years. I assume that it’ll be fairly similar for Saudi, though I’m sure that paid trips on Safari are more enticing than Saudi.

Not sure how long it’s been since they last had a MERC round.

As far as I know, Saudi Arabia hosted one single MERC in its history, in 2010.

[focus206]

2) It's a commercial World series, not a European sport, and it's in decline which is linked to being too European. Those are at the crux of this deal.

I disagree. Only few fans who are obsessed with "too much Europe, we need to go to USA/India/Saudi etc."
Sure, the manufacturers could like one or two more rallies in their own key markets, but after that they'd soon complain about the series being too expensive because it goes to the four corners of the map - and probably the lack of visibility in those new countries, because too few people care to begin with.
Rallying is a European sport whether one likes it or not, and it's called world championship because it goes to the best international rallies around the globe, which include extra European events like Safari, NZ etc... lower the standard of those extra European events and even less people will care.

Within this series the UK, France, Germany, Spain (soon Italy ?), have all lost their events before Saudi was even announced,

France has Monte, Germany has CER, Spain will have Canarias, maybe Italy will have Roma, all very popular rallies...

We all get it, Saudi isn't popular politically. Fortunately I've not seen too many complaints here, but I've seen a couple of popular figures on SM they are boycotting Saudi and that they can unsubscribe from Rally.TV and walk away from the series - yet they continue to complain. Please leave. Please join them if this is how you feel, this is the only way you make any meaningful point. How long do you want to complain before you realise you're insignificant and just annoying the wrong people.

I don't particularly care for what the Saudi law is. I have my doubts they can organize a decent rally, both in terms of spectacle and the organization itself. They barely ever hosted a MERC rally, and have you ever seen footage of MERC rallies? For the vast majority a borefest in flat, barren landscape. IF they can put up a nice rally then nice, but signing a 10 years contract is silly. We all know, money talks.
Also that's such a bad mentality in my opinion. Complaining is the first step to change. Nobody ever complains, nothing ever changes, unless the ones above decide so. A bit like saying to all the fans who want 100 events outside of Europe to leave because they're insignificant and don't belong to such an European sport.

[Backa]

Complaining is the first step to change.

Sometimes. Quite often complaining is done instead of making first steps to change things, kind of shifting-blame excuse.

Even if Saudi round would be boring and/or poorly organized, for WRC and teams it probably will be financially beneficial anyway and it can lead to fans being less depressed about state of this series as a whole. Saudis tend to overpaid in sports.

MERC rallies in Kuwait or Qatar are flat borefests but in contrast to them, Saudi Arabia is not all flat desert. They have some roads similar to those used in Jordan Rally.

[AndersX]

Saudi landscape is stunning, we all have seen that in Dakar. From Picture Perfect point of view - will be good. Diversity of scenery - also will be good. Might even collect many spectators. Might even be the most spectator friendly event due to the wide access from everywhere with the proper car. Moral aspect is different matter here. We have seen that in FIA this part had never been an issue. Obviously Saudi investment will release and ease up some existential pressure of this beautiful motorsport. Let us wait and see where all this goes. I guess they will hire some European rally organization team to run the event.

[Sal yet again]

Middle Eastern money though has been around for a while and didnt hear of that many people walking away when Citroen were backed by Abu Dhabi and Ford by Qatar both countries with issues around rights for certain parts of society. FFS the WRC went to China in the past!

I share some of the disappointment that has been expressed elsewhere but we have an FIA President from that part of the world and a promoter chasing $ over heritage so it was inevitable.

[GigiGalliNo1]

It's funny that I've had a couple discussions you could say, on social media with people who complain that Saudi is in. Boycott this, won't support that, I'm out (!) and Money talks etc. And how other countries should have the event over Saudi due to their human rights, women's rights etc.

Since 2018, the Kingdom has progressed and changed. Fact. Yes there might be some topics of cultural differences ie Death penalty for example for crimes - but you know, there still are other places in the world for example Indonesia, which everyone flocks to Bali for holidays or is seen as one of the worlds top destinations.

K.S.A is run with a religious rule but is becoming lenient. Many countries are strict with law, you wouldn't go to Singapore and chew gum would you? It is a crime but no one is up in arms over this. Or visiting South East Asia and poking at Royal members...

Others I've discussed with have mentioned that Paraguay should be in the calendar. But what people don't know is that corruption remains widespread as well as organized crime, environmental destruction, systemic discrimination damage to the rights of rural and Indigenous populations continues to occur. Poverty and gender-based discrimination limits rights of women and children is going on as well.

Australia? Lack of government (federal and local) support for (motor) sporting that includes local population/residents and tax payers. Don't forget sponsors don't seem to have any interest in major sporting events or NZ for a world scale event unlike F1. Australians prefer football, soccer, tennis - you now 'athlete' physical sport.

I would categorise this paragraph under "Human Rights" be present or from the past:

Please don't get me started on what really is going on in Australia. There is no indigenous voice in government that is acknowledged. And no apology unlike Canada to it's indigenous people for when the British came, colonised, raped women, stole children and shipped them off to other parts of the country to educate them to be more "white" and never see their families again. Recently, a national vote ended up in disaster with a massive NO. Australia is one of the most diverse nations in the world yet is systematically Racist. We also have a housing shortage where yes, people are living in their cars, or tents in parks, in cities; have no rental homes or tenancies available and when they are available - the prices are over more than double what they were pre-2020. So completely unaffordable. You know how Americans live in carparks... same here! There is a high rate of Domestic Violence which of late, is becoming more of an issue than anything else.

How can a nation rich in resources and money treat its people, native or current immigrants so poorly? People speak of human rights... basic human rights.

Someone name me a country where there is no crime, housing problems, politics, corruption, funding, support and what some might call "Sport Washing".

If you really look hard, you'll see, no country or region is has clean hands.

[focus206]

Saudi landscape is stunning, we all have seen that in Dakar. From Picture Perfect point of view - will be good. Diversity of scenery - also will be good.

Yes, but WRC doesn't go on the dunes of the Empty Quarter. How are their gravel roads that are suitable for a rally car? Hard to tell, because they don't even have a MERC round to take as example. Jordan Rally wasn't too bad, but most of MERC rallies I've seen footage of are very, very boring.