– The World Rally Championship (WRC) and grassroots motorsport are about to receive a comprehensive financial boost from the FIA, the global automobile federation: After the takeover of WRC Promoter GmbH by the French Cosmobilis Group and Park Square Capital and the conclusion of a new rights agreement, more money is expected to flow.
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FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem described the agreement to Motorsport.com, a sister platform of Motorsport-Total.com in the Motorsport Network, as the “deal of the century,” because “there is no other deal with the FIA that is as good as this one.”
“The contracts signed before my time were bad deals. I say that openly,” bin Sulayem added. “What did we get from Formula 1? Do you know how much the FIA got from it? Zero – and no say at all.”
“That doesn’t work anymore. So we made improvements. We improved the agreement for Formula E.” Last year, the FIA President had already promised that the revenues from the sale of the commercial WRC rights would be directly reinvested in rallying.
FIA President: “It’s not just about the money”
“Rallying is enormously important,” emphasized the former rally driver. “It’s not just about the money. It’s about working as a unit with the promoter, returning funds to the sport, significantly improving it despite all challenges, and listening to the teams, the drivers, the fans, and the media.”
In addition to direct funding of areas of the World Rally Championship, the FIA has now launched the new “FIA Growth Fund.” This is intended to support projects that encourage young drivers to pursue a career in rallying.
“The FIA has always granted subsidies, but these were limited in the past because we did not have enough funds available. When we talk about the design of the fund: it’s not just about giving people money.”
“Rather, we want to encourage young drivers to get into rallying and support them. But rest assured: the funds from the fund will definitely flow,” the FIA President made clear. “There are two aspects: on the one hand, it’s about financing the championship itself.”
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“The championship needs a financial boost. Is it about the money? No. It’s about having the right promoter. A promoter who understands us. A promoter who works hand in hand with us. And that’s exactly the point: you can already feel the harmony with them. This is very clearly shown in body language.”
“To come back to the financing: the funds are available,” bin Sulayem emphasized without giving further details. “The details about the financing will be announced later; we are currently working on how the funds will be used.”
“FIA Rally Star” program before a comeback?
An initiative that could see a revival in the coming months is the so-called “FIA Rally Star” program. The world federation had provided considerable funds for this four-year program, which started in 2021 and aimed to discover a future WRC champion.
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The program – an idea by Jerome Roussel, responsible for FIA Cross-Country and regional rally championships as well as former communications chief of the FFSA – was aimed at drivers aged 17 to 26; more than 7,000 applicants competed for six spots.
The initiative ultimately offered the chance for coveted cockpits in the Junior WRC and WRC2. Two of the “FIA Rally Star” drivers have made rapid progress within the WRC: Romet Jurgenson won the Junior WRC title in 2024 and now competes for M-Sport Ford in WRC2.
Another graduate, Taylor Gill, finished second in the Junior WRC last year and has already celebrated successes in WRC2 this season. When asked if “FIA Rally Star” could return in the future, bin Sulayem added: “Oh yes, a return is possible.”
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“However, in a new form, because we need new stars,” the FIA President hinted that there could be changes. “The program was good but needs some adjustments. It needs a slightly different, an improved version.”
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