"The WRC issue will be resolved within three weeks": Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, speaks about the future of rallying

Present in Le Mans for the 24 Hours, Mohammed Ben Sulayem spoke about the future of the WRC and its new promoter. According to the FIA ​​President, the announcement is imminent and will come in the next few days.

This is information that should delight fans of rallyFor almost a year now, the FIA ​​has opened a tender for the commercial rights of the WRC, currently held by Red Bull and KW25, may find new buyers. As we exclusively revealed to you back in January, Eric Boullier, former head of McLaren and Lotus in Formula 1, will thus be the new strongman of the World Rally Championship through a consortium which he leads, composed of various investors including the Cosmobilis Group.

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However, although discussions between all parties involved have been progressing well for several months, no announcement has yet been made, despite repeated expectations during this first half of the year. Time is ticking, and those involved in the WRC desperately need to know the ins and outs of the immediate future of their sport. In this regard, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem may have let the cat out of the bag this Saturday, June 13th, from Le Mans, where he will be attending the [event name missing] this weekend. 24 Hours of Le Mans. "DaIn the coming days, I will finalize matters related to one of the disciplines closest to my heart: rallying. The WRC issue will be resolved within three weeks. You can write that down: if it isn't, then I will be solely responsible.he firmly stated.

In order for the WRC case to move forward, the FIA ​​changed the rules of the game.

Fourteen-time Middle East Rally Champion Mohammed Ben Sulayem is naturally attached to the sport. According to him, "The WRC doesn't need a band-aid, it needs a cure."And this, according to him, is also one of the reasons why the sale of commercial rights has dragged on so far. “Initially, a new promoter was hoped for for a seven-year period. But what can you possibly achieve in seven years? The FIA ​​therefore had to reconsider this timeframe. We don't want the matter to come back to the FIA's table in seven years; we need a proactive promoter with whom we can build.”, thus confirming in half-words, as the rumors suggested, that the period concerned by this acquisition of commercial rights will be longer than initially imagined by the governing body.

A less expensive WRC for all stakeholders

In Le Mans, Mohammed Ben Sulayem also spoke about the new WRC sporting regulations, which will come into effect in 2027. As a reminder, the top category will consist of Rally2 and new 2027 WRC cars, whose costs will be capped. “For the WRC to be more accessible, it also needs to be more affordable. The new cars will cost something like €350,000 each to produce, and running three cars will cost something like €25 to €30 million per year in the future; we won't be talking about €70 million per season anymore. This way, the WRC will be more accessible for manufacturers.”Mohammed Ben Sulayem also mentioned the stance the FIA ​​will adopt once these agreements are formalized: “The cars will cost less to produce, they will be less expensive to run, and for the organizers, it will be less expensive to integrate them into the calendar. The FIA ​​will invest money in the WRC, and the format will change. We will work hand in hand with the new promoter to develop issues related to TV broadcasting, communication, etc.”

"At least five manufacturers in the short term" is Mohammed Ben Sulayem's objective for the WRC.

With just over six months until this new regulatory era comes into effect, there is now not a minute to lose. "The signing will be announced in two or three weeks; I can't wait any longer."Mohammed Ben Sulayem insisted again. And for good reason: currently, potential candidates for entry into the WRC via this new regulation are few and far between, and the future coexistence between Rally2 and WRC 2027 remains unclear, to say the least. "For now, several manufacturers have expressed interest, but things should accelerate once everything is announced. We hope to attract at least five manufacturers in the short term."Mohammed Ben Sulayem admitted, without specifying whether he was including Project Rally One and WRT Rally1 Spain in these five manufacturers, as they had already announced their intentions for next year.

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