The World Rally Championship’s Italian round will move to Rome from 2027, while existing host Sardinia will stage next year’s round before the switch.
The WRC announced its 14-round 2026 calendar in August with the location of Italy’s round to be confirmed, with both Sardinia’s gravel stages and Rome’s asphalt roads vying to host the event, which has moved to an October slot instead of its traditional June berth.
The venue switch follows the WRC Promoter signing a new five-year deal with Automobile Club d’Italia [ACI] earlier this year.
Sardinia has won the battle to host next year’s Italian round (1-4 October) before the rally, currently based in Olbia, swaps the island’s rough gravel roads for the mainland’s asphalt stages around Rome and the Lazio region from 2027 to 2030 at least.
Rome has held a round of the European Rally Championship schedule since 2017, through the Rally di Roma Capitale event. As previously reported, the rally has been eager to elevate its event, which includes a stage running alongside the iconic Colosseum, to WRC level.
After next year’s Rally Italy, Sardinia’s gravel stages will switch to the ERC calendar in 2027. Sardinia has hosted the WRC every year, barring 2009, since the event moved from Sanremo on the mainland in 2004. Italy has also been represented in the WRC by Rally Monza in 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 restrictions were in place.
Rally Rome
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
Rally di Roma Capitale will continue on the ERC schedule next year before undergoing a revamp that will include more stages, having previously been located in the town of Fiuggi, 90 kilometres from Rome.
According to the WRC, “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.”
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.”
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