In a surprising move, the FIA has scrapped Rally Saudi Arabia as the closing round of the 2026 World Rally Championship. The decision comes just two months before Formula 1 is set to conclude its season in the Gulf region, raising fresh questions about the sustainability of racing in the Middle East.
The FIA and WRC Promoter confirmed that the event, originally scheduled for November 12-15, will no longer be part of the WRC calendar. In an official statement, the FIA said it had worked "extensively" with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and championship stakeholders to keep the rally on the schedule. However, "ongoing uncertainty in the region and its effect on logistical arrangements" was cited as the primary reason for the cancellation.
Interestingly, the rally itself has not been cancelled outright. It will still run on the same dates but will be folded into the FIA Middle East Rally Championship. Saudi Arabia has pushed back against any suggestion that the decision reflects conditions on the ground, stressing that it "remained ready to host the event safely and successfully" and that the country "continues to operate normally with national systems fully functional."
With the round dropped, the WRC season will now finish at Rally Sardinia on October 1-4. That event becomes the 13th and final round of the year, meaning the world championship will be decided two months before F1 even arrives in the region for its Qatar and Abu Dhabi season finale on November 29 and December 6. This reshuffling inevitably alters the title fight, especially for drivers still in contention.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, addressed the decision directly. He stated that the federation had explored every option with its Saudi and WRC partners to keep the event running as planned, but regional developments meant the WRC element couldn't go ahead this year. Ben Sulayem stressed that the federation's confidence in the organisers and in the rally's longer-term future in the Kingdom remains unchanged. He confirmed the standalone Middle East Rally Championship event will still run in November with FIA support, and said the priority now is working with Saudi partners and WRC Promoter toward bringing the world championship back to the country in 2027.
The calendar change still needs sign-off from the FIA World Motor Sport Council. F1's own end-of-season calendar is, for now, unchanged. However, this cancellation serves as a stark reminder that nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to racing in the region, and all eyes are now on how F1 will navigate the situation.
Baca Juga
FIA batalkan Rally Saudi Arabia dari kalender WRC 2026. Keputusan ini memicu spekulasi tentang kelanjutan balapan F1 di Timur Tengah.
Rally Arab Saudi 2026 dibatalkan, WRC hanya menyisakan satu reli penentu di Italia. Elfyn Evans memimpin 21 poin atas Pajari dan Solberg.
FIA coret Rally Arab Saudi dari kalender WRC 2026, pukulan telak bagi Sami Pajari dan Oliver Solberg yang bersaing dengan Elfyn Evans.
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