The ground-breaking, 10-year agreement was signed in the presence of HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company, Jona Siebel, WRC Managing Director, and FIA Secretary General for Sport, Valerio Iachizzi, at a special ceremony in Sardinia during the WRC Rally Italia Sardegna.
His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sports and President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, welcome the news earlier today: "We are extremely proud to welcome the World Rally Championship to our roster of internationally renowned sporting events that have been established under Vision 2030. Beyond the inspiring skill, speed and stunning scenery, the series represents the absolute pinnacle of the sport and has always driven forward innovation in motorsport. And in Saudi Arabia, the WRC has the perfect partner. A country that offers unique challenges for drivers and outstanding beauty in equal measures, with passionate fans who are ready to embrace the championship and help grow the sport. Already we look forward to staging our first WRC.”
The deal to stage Rally Saudi Arabia signifies the WRC’s return to the Middle East for the first time since the 2011 Jordan Rally. More than just a strategic move, it underscores the WRC's commitment to provide fans worldwide with a fresh and exhilarating experience while underlining Saudi Arabia’s continuous growth as a major global motorsport hub.
HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, added: “We are thrilled to host the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) for the first time in 2025. The arrival of another racing series of global stature in Saudi Arabia confirms the extent of our transformation into a major hub for motorsport in the region. From 2025 we will proudly host Formula 1, Formula E, Extreme E, the Dakar Rally and now WRC and Rally Saudi Arabia in the Kingdom – an unrivalled accomplishment. By growing our motorsport portfolio and further increasing our commitment to hosting major motorsport series such as WRC in the Kingdom, we remain true to the goals of Vision 2030 which aims to improve the lives of all Saudis. We will use the experience we have gained from delivering so many world class motorsport events to ensure that the Saudi edition on the WRC calendar is one of the standout events of the 2025 season and beyond.”
As a current host of Formula 1, Formula E, Dakar Rally and Extreme E, the confirmation of WRC’s arrival in Saudi Arabia continues to showcase the Kingdom as the new home for global, prestige motorsport events in the Middle East. In doing so, it furthers SMC and SAMF’s long-term goal of leveraging the power of motorsports to deliver directly against the Kingdom’s transformative Vision 2030 and to grow interest and participation in the sport, creating career paths for young people and identifying Saudi champions of the future while showcasing the culture and the hospitality of the Saudi people.
Saudi Arabia – as already proven via its successful hosting of multiple editions of the world-famous Dakar Rally – is ideally suited to rally racing and will prove itself to be a perfect home to the WRC with the objective of “Rally Saudi Arabia” becoming a differentiator for the Championship. The Kingdom’s immense and varied landscapes – ranging from volcanic rock to vast deserts, from urban centres to sandy beaches – will test the drivers to their limits and captivate the many fans of this remarkable series watching live in person and at home.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem also commented: "This is a great moment for motorsport in the Middle East. It has been over a decade since the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) last visited the region, and from my own experience, I know very well the unique challenges that the drivers and co-drivers will face when Rally Saudi Arabia gets underway in 2025. It's going to be a great opportunity for national and regional drivers to showcase their talents on the world stage, and I am very thankful to HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company & the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation, for continuing to push forward and develop our sport in Saudi Arabia."
Jona Siebel, WRC Managing Director, further celebrated today’s ground-breaking agreement: “We’re excited by the opportunity to be back in the Middle East and in a country with a proud rallying tradition. Each day will offer vastly distinctive challenges to the drivers and highlight everything Saudi Arabia has to offer, from cityscapes to the desert and from the mountains to the ocean. We will be working with a vastly experienced partner in the Saudi Motorsport Company who have proven their expertise in organising top-level motorsports events such as Formula 1, Formula E and Dakar events. We are confident that this is a rally that will add its own unique identity to the championship.”
*Subject to World Motor Sport Council approval
For Media Enquiries: • Saudi Motorsport Company: media@saudimotorsport.com • SMG Contact: press@thesmg.com • SMG MENA: mena@thesmg.com
About SMC SMC is the dedicated commercial entity established to bring the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s motorsport events under a single umbrella and is the first body in Saudi Arabia dedicated to commercializing motorsport at a national level.
SMC acts as the local promoter for KSA’s growing motorsports events portfolio which currently includes the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the world-renowned Dakar Rally as well as an annual round of the ground-breaking Extreme E series.
These recurring major motorsports events are delivering directly against the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 with each committed to long-term deals that have helped Saudi Arabia to develop an unrivalled portfolio that is not replicated anywhere else in the world.
About SAMF: The Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) sets forth governance and safety standards across all motorsports in Saudi Arabia, aiming to enhance participation and performance through effective coordination among stakeholders and competitors.
SAMF's role as the sole regulator of motorsports in the kingdom, emphasizes the country's commitment to hosting world-class events that prioritize competitors' and spectators' wellbeing above anything else. At the forefront of organizing exciting motorsports events, SAMF regulates world-renowned events including Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Formula E Diriyah ePrix, Dakar Rally, and an annual round of the groundbreaking Extreme E-series. In addition, SAMF provides proficient judges for various motorsports competitions and maintains control over national and international motorsports racing events held within Saudi Arabia, ensuring that all adhere to fair, regulated, and highly safe standards.
SAMF issues licenses to national and international motorsports racing competitors and memberships. Additionally, SAMF oversees the registration process for motorsports racing teams and events, authorizing both national and international competitions.
Established in 2006, SAMF represents Saudi Arabia in international federations (FIA, FIM, and FIVA), aiming to foster the development and sponsorship of motorsports and motorcycle activities on a global scale.
About the FIA The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the federation of the world’s leading motoring and mobility organisations.
Founded in 1904, with headquarters in Paris and Geneva, the FIA is a non-profit organisation. It brings together 243 motoring and motor sport club members from 147 countries across five continents. Its Member Clubs represent millions of motorists, mobility users and motor sport professionals and volunteers.
In motorsport, it administers the rules and regulations for all international four-wheel sport, including the FIA World Rally Championship and regional rally championships, to ensure fair, capably regulated and safe events are conducted in all corners of the globe. In the realm of Mobility, the FIA aims to ensure that safe, affordable, and clean systems of transport are available to all.
The FIA is led by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, elected President in December 2021.He is joined by WRC co-driver champion Robert Reid as Deputy President for Sport, Tim Shearman as Deputy President for Mobility, and Carmelo Sanz de Barros as Senate President.
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