FIA to take control of troubled World Rallycross Championship
The FIA has announced that it will own and promote the FIA World Rallycross Championship with immediate effect.
Following a difficult few seasons with WRC Promoter at the helm, the FIA’s investment aims to re-boot the championship by prioritising free-to-air coverage and bringing the sport to new audiences.
For 2025 and beyond, the FIA-controlled World RX championship will retain the ‘Battle of Technologies’ race format. Introduced in 2024, it pitted EV-powered and internal combustion engine (ICE)-driven cars against each other for honours in the championship’s top-flight supercar category.
The FIA claims its decision to retain the ‘Battle of Technologies’ in World RX underlines its commitment to innovation and sustainability.
“The championship has huge potential to grow and develop at a global level and I am confident that this new opportunity for the FIA to operate the championship brings with it a bright future,” said FIA junior road sport director, Emilia Abel. “The FIA will put fans and competitors at the heart of the work that is to come. All of us are looking forward to the 2025 season and being a part of this new era of Rallycross.”
Moreover, the FIA investment will promote the help develop younger talent looking to make their way to the top level in World RX by working closely with National Sporting Authorities, beginning from entry-level Cross Car events.
Kenneth Hansen, team principal and owner of the Hansen World RX Team and himself a 14-time winner of the European Rallycross championship, commented: “We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and his team at the FIA which will now ensure the growth of our sport, from Cross Cars at the grassroots level to the pinnacle of World RX.
“We look forward to working closely with the FIA in the coming months to turn the potential of rallycross into an exciting reality. We are confident that together we can restore our beloved sport to where it belongs as a global off-road spectacle!”
A seven-event World RX race calendar for the 2025 season will be announced by March 14 subject to confirmation by the World Motor Sport Council.
