Several events will be run under a completely different format compared to recent years. The aim of the change is to bring more variety and diversity to the championship.
“There will be a couple of events next year that will run slightly different formats. I know one event that’s probably going to run a bit longer. And I know an event that’s going to run a tighter format,” confirmed Simon Larkin, WRC Promoter’s Event Director.
Larkin did not mention which events specifically, but one could imagine that, for example, Kenya’s Safari Rally might be run as an endurance event next season.
In Formula 1, a similar concept has been introduced, where some races are held as sprint weekends alongside regular events. A sprint race held before the main event determines the starting grid for Sunday’s race.
However, Larkin emphasised that the WRC is not interested in adopting this approach. The format may vary, but all events will remain under the same branding. Regardless of the format, each event will continue to be called a “WRC rally.”
“We don’t want there to be different brands of events. We don’t want there to be something called a WRC sprint. We don’t want there to be something called a WRC endurance,” he assured.
“We’re constantly told by a lot of our multi-millionaire drivers that things are too complicated. We don’t need to make it any more complicated. A WRC is a WRC,” Larkin stressed.
Nonetheless, Larkin is excited about the upcoming changes and believes they will bring a refreshing twist to next season’s rallies.
“I think it’s great,” he added.
Up until now, WRC regulations have strictly defined the length of rallies, with special stages covering between 300 and 350 kilometres. However, exceptions have been made, such as this year’s Rally Sardinia, which was shorter than usual, with only 266 kilometres of special stages.
