– The planned season finale of the World Rally Championship (WRC) 2026 has been removed from the calendar without replacement. The rally in Saudi Arabia, scheduled for November, cannot take place as part of the WRC due to the ongoing conflict in the region, which is why the season will now end in October with the Rally Italy in Sardinia.
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In a press release on Thursday, FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem stated: “In recent months, we have worked closely with our partners in Saudi Arabia, our member association, the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, the WRC organizer, and the stakeholders involved in the championship to explore all possible ways to enable the scheduled execution of the Rally Saudi Arabia.”
“However, due to the current developments in the region, the WRC part of the Rally Saudi Arabia will not take place this year. Such decisions are never easy, especially after the enormous effort all parties have put into preparing the event,” said Sulayem.
The rally will still be held, but only as part of the Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), the regional rally championship in the Middle East. “Even though the WRC part of the event will not take place this year, our confidence in the organizers and the long-term future of the rally remains unshaken,” emphasized Sulayem.
“We will continue to work together with our partners in Saudi Arabia and the WRC organizer to bring the FIA World Rally Championship back to Saudi Arabia in 2027,” announced the FIA President.
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The decision follows weeks of discussions and comes a few days after both Toyota and Hyundai informed the FIA that team members could not travel to the Middle East due to company-wide travel policies.
M-Sport Ford had been ready to travel to Saudi Arabia since last week, as the British Foreign Office had declared that travel to Jeddah and the surrounding region was safe.
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The British team had also obtained security assurances from the organizers, but on Wednesday the Foreign Office updated its travel warning and advised against travel to certain parts of Saudi Arabia.
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WRC promoter CEO Eric Boullier explains: “This was a difficult decision, especially given the considerable effort and commitment of our partners in Saudi Arabia in preparing this year’s event.”
“However, the current developments in the region and the resulting logistical challenges make it necessary for us to create safety and clarity for the rest of the 2026 season,” added the Frenchman.
From a sporting perspective, the cancellation means that Elfyn Evans now has one hand on the world championship trophy. The Toyota driver leads the world championship ahead of the new finale in Italy with a 17-point lead over Sami Pajari and 21 points over Oliver Solberg.
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The calendar change still needs to be officially approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
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