- WRC Promoter and ACI agree to five-year commitment
- Rome to feature in future WRC plans in Italy
- ERC set for move to Sardinia
Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI), in close collaboration with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), WRC Promoter and local institutions has confirmed a historic return to mainland Italy for the country’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), beginning in 2027*.
Announced Tuesday (23 September), the move will see the WRC return to Italy’s mainland for the first time since 2021, whilst the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) will move to Sardinia from 2027 – 2030. In 2026, the WRC returns to Olbia, Sardinia – home of some of WRC’s closest-ever finishes – whilst Rally di Roma Capitale will once again run on the ERC calendar, acting as a dress rehearsal for 2027.
The new-look Rally d’Italia will be staged on the twisting asphalt roads of the Lazio region, with Rome’s global profile and historic backdrop offering a unique opportunity to raise the WRC’s visibility on the world stage.
“We are confident that this agreement represents the best course of action for the future of top-level rallying in Italy,” said Simon Larkin, WRC Promoter’s Senior Event Director. “The decision to postpone the move until 2027 will give us the necessary time, together with the FIA, to best prepare the event in Rome, ensuring its success from the very first year.
“We are especially pleased to welcome the Lazio Region as a main sponsor of the event and would like to thank President Francesco Rocca and councillors Elena Palazzo and Giancarlo Righini for their strong support and vision.
“Our thanks also go to the City of Rome for embracing the WRC – The commitment of Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Councillor Alessandro Onorato is fundamental to delivering an event worthy of Italy’s proud rallying tradition and global stature.
“Our priority is to create a top-level event that can honour the history of rallying in Italy and project it toward an even brighter future.”
In this regard, the Extraordinary Commissioner of ACI, Gen. Tullio Del Sette, added: “The agreement reached today with the FIA and WRC Promoter is a fundamental step for Italian rallying. We are proud to have secured a five-year contract with WRC Promoter, which not only ensures stability for our championship but also lays the groundwork for the long-term development of rallying in our country.
“This would not have been possible without the immense and continuous support of the Sardinia Region over all these years, for which we are deeply grateful. We also welcome with great pleasure the Lazio Region, which will be the main partner for the Capital’s event. We also thank the FIA and WRC Promoter for their closeness and collaboration during this sensitive but crucial period.”
Sub-Commissioner of ACI, Giovanni Tombolato, also expressed great enthusiasm: “2027 will mark an epochal change for the WRC, with the arrival of new cars and new regulations. I am very excited about this prospect, because on paper, the new rules will allow our local drivers to compete for top positions, and as we all know, in Italy we have many top-level Tarmac specialists.”
FIA Road Sport Director, Emilia Abel, said: “We are pleased to see the long-term future of one of rallying’s most historic and significant events being renewed. Rally Sardinia has been a great challenge for the crews in recent years, and I’m sure next year’s edition will be just as spectacular. We look forward to working together with ACI and the WRC Promoter regarding the long-term future of the WRC in Italy, and the necessary preparation that goes into proposing a new event based in Rome.”
*Subject to FIA and WRC Promoter final approval, based on event location, special stages and organisational structure
