Rome has taken an important step in its proposal to host a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) next year, after successfully holding a candidate event last week.
The WRC announced last year its intention to relocate the Italian event for 2027, with the Rally di Roma Capitale replacing the gravel stages of Sardinia. This change represents a new direction for the competition, which has been based in Sardinia since 2004, except for 2009.
Rome has been a staple on the European Rally Championship calendar since 2017, hosting the Rally di Roma Capitale, and is now looking to elevate its status to WRC.
The FIA delegation attended this year’s edition of the European rally, won by WRC2 driver Roberto Dapra, to assess the event’s viability to move up to WRC. Before including a rally in the calendar, the FIA must approve a candidate event that demonstrates success and meets the required criteria.
Rome is competing with two other proposals for new events in 2027, the United States and Great Britain, with Rally Scotland aiming to receive final FIA approval. Last week, the Rally di Roma Capitale presented a revised route with new asphalt stages and a new service park located in the capital.
The FIA has highlighted the strength of the promotional platform that the event offers, with a special stage running alongside the famous Colosseum. In a report, the FIA emphasized: ‘The rally in Rome highlights the competition’s potential to reach new audiences.’ The final decision on including the rally in the 2027 calendar will be made public this summer.
The president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has stated that this moment is exciting for fans and reflects a year of growth for the championship, with candidate events around the world.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_280294ef4f3f3613b7c4e523a6945386bc8df283