The city of Rome has made significant progress in its bid to host a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2027, having successfully completed a trial event last week.
The WRC organization announced last year its intention to relocate its Italian round, with the Rally di Roma Capitale taking over from the gravel stages in Sardinia.
Since 2004, Sardinia has hosted the WRC, except for 2009, when the event moved from Sanremo to the island. Additionally, Italy was represented in the WRC with the Rally Monza during the 2020 and 2021 editions due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Since 2017, Rome has hosted a round of the European Rally Championship through the Rally di Roma Capitale, and the organizers are determined to elevate the status of this rally to that of the WRC.
Last week, a delegation from the FIA attended the edition of this competition to assess the viability of the rally within the WRC. Roberto Dapra, a star of WRC2, was the winner of the event.
For an event to be included in the WRC calendar, it must pass a candidate test considered a success by the FIA.
Rome is one of three new rallies proposed for the 2027 calendar, along with the United States and the United Kingdom, with Rally Scotland as its representative. More recently, a delegation from the FIA visited the proposed site for the United States round in Tennessee and Kentucky.
The Rally di Roma Capitale presented a revised route, with new asphalt stages close to the city, including a new service park. The FIA highlighted the strength of its promotional platform, with a special stage running in front of the famous Colosseum.
A report by the FIA noted the important moment for the competition, emphasizing that the current edition of the Rally di Roma Capitale had been crucial in assessing the rally’s ability to progress to the WRC.
The FIA delegates worked closely with local officials and organizers to determine the rally’s readiness for potential inclusion in the championship.
With this milestone achieved, the FIA will now analyze its findings in the coming weeks to decide whether the rally can be included in next year’s calendar, with an announcement expected in the summer.
The FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, noted that this is an exciting time for fans, reflecting the year of growth for the championship with trial events held in several key locations.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
