The World Rally Championship (WRC) has announced a significant broadcasting rights agreement with the BBC that will start in 2027. This three-year deal will allow the BBC to broadcast live several selected stages, including the Power Stage of all races, along with 60-minute programs about them.
Among the highlights of this agreement is the extensive coverage of the Rally Scotland, which will mark the return of the main rally competition to the United Kingdom after its absence since 2019. The last time the WRC was aired by the BBC was during the 2001 Rally GB, before losing the rights to Channel 4 starting in 2002.
This agreement will be carried out through collaboration between BBC Scotland, BBC Cymru Wales, and BBC Northern Ireland, which will combine their expertise and resources to provide comprehensive coverage. Fans will be able to follow all the races through BBC iPlayer, as digital rights for sharing content on various platforms are also included.
Rhuanedd Richards, Director of BBC Nations, expressed enthusiasm for the addition of the WRC to their sports portfolio and highlighted the competitive nature and dramatic locations of the championship as attributes that perfectly align with the BBC. Its return to the calendar with the Rally Scotland is particularly anticipated.
Prior to this announcement, WRC television rights in the UK were fragmented among various channels. TNT Sports, formerly BT Sport, had maintained live coverage rights since 2014, while ITV had aired race summaries since 2020 and S4C provided coverage in Wales.
This new broadcasting rights agreement is the first major news for the WRC since the French automotive company Cosmobilis and private investor Park Square Capital acquired WRC Promoter, becoming the new holder of the commercial rights to the series. Eric Boullier, the new CEO of WRC Promoter, stated that the collaboration with the BBC is a crucial step in their strategy to increase the visibility of the WRC in the UK.
Coinciding with the announcement of the agreement, Rally Scotland has unveiled its new logo, which will be used starting in 2027. Hugh Chambers, CEO of Motorsport UK, expressed that this new design represents a clear identity for the event, helping to build a national platform for rallying and the WRC in general.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
