Rome Hits Milestone in Bid for 2027 WRC Round

Rome Hits Milestone in Bid for 2027 WRC Round

The Italian capital’s plan to host a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) next year reached a significant milestone following the completion of a constructive candidate event last week. The WRC announced plans to switch the location of its Italian round for 2027, with the asphalt-based Rally di Roma Capitale set to take over from the gravel stages of Sardinia. Sardinia has hosted the WRC every year, except for 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, during COVID-19 restrictions.

Rome has held a round of the European Rally Championship (ERC) since 2017 through the Rally di Roma Capitale event, and organizers aim to elevate the rally to WRC status. A delegation from the FIA attended last week’s ERC edition of the Rally di Roma Capitale, which was won by WRC2 star Roberto Dapra, to assess the event's viability for an upgrade to WRC.

According to the FIA, a candidate event (test rally) must be held and deemed successful before any final decision is made to include the event in future WRC calendars. Rome is one of three new rallies proposed for the 2027 calendar, alongside the USA and Great Britain, via Rally Scotland. Last month, the FIA visited the proposed USA round location in Tennessee and Kentucky, while a delegation will head to Scotland in August for the Grampian Forest Rally, which will serve as Rally Scotland’s candidate event.

The Rally di Roma Capitale featured a revised route with new asphalt stages near Rome and a service park located in the capital city. The FIA noted the strength of the promotional platform provided by the event’s super special stage running alongside the famous Colosseum. An FIA report stated, "Returning to the ERC for the ninth time, the 2026 edition served as an important live-event assessment of Rally di Roma Capitale’s ability to step up to the FIA World Rally Championship, showcasing the event's continued development through a redesigned route and new landmark locations in central Rome."

The FIA will analyze the findings in the coming weeks to determine if the rally can be included in next year’s calendar, which is expected to be announced later this summer. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed excitement regarding the growth of the championship, stating, "This is another exciting moment for fans, reflecting a year of growth for the championship in 2026, with candidate events held in the United States, the United Kingdom, and now in the historic capital of Italy."

"I would like to thank our Member Club, the Automobile Club d’Italia, WRC Promoter, local organizers, and everyone who collaborated to support this process. With the candidate event now complete, our focus turns to finalizing our reports and sharing our learnings with the local organizers."