The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Sport on Saturday announced that the Kingdom will stage Rally Saudi Arabia, as a round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) from 2025 onwards.
The event will be organised by the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports and in collaboration with the World Rally Championship.
The ground-breaking, 10-year agreement was signed in the presence of Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company, Jona Siebel, WRC Managing Director, and FIA Secretary General for Sport, Valerio Iachizzi, at a special ceremony in Sardinia during the WRC Rally Italia Sardegna.
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The deal to stage Rally Saudi Arabia signifies the WRC’s return to the Middle East for the first time since the 2011 Jordan Rally.
As a current host of Formula 1, Formula E, Dakar Rally and Extreme E, the confirmation of WRC’s arrival in Saudi Arabia continues to showcase the Kingdom as the new home for global, prestige motorsport events in the Middle East.
“This is a great moment for motorsport in the Middle East. It has been over a decade since the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) last visited the region, and from my own experience, I know very well the unique challenges that the drivers and co-drivers will face when Rally Saudi Arabia gets underway in 2025,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity for national and regional drivers to showcase their talents on the world stage, and I am very thankful to HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company & the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation, for continuing to push forward and develop our sport in Saudi Arabia,” he added.