Cross-Country – 2025 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) and Baja calendars revealed

South Africa joins next year’s five-round FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). The FIA World and Middle East Baja Cup schedules, as well as an expanded FIA European Baja Cup, have also received green light.

The five-round 2024 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) calendar submitted by the series’ promoter Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) to the World Rally-Raid Championship Commission has been approved on Wednesday 2 October via an e-vote by the World Motor Sport Council. 

In its fourth season, the W2RC will again challenge competitors across diverse environments, from deserts in sandy and rocky terrains to mountains, maintaining its reputation as the pinnacle of cross-country motor sport. 

Competitors will head to South Africa in May, an event which replaces the former Argentina’s Desafío Ruta 40 in June, in addition to visiting two established events in the Middle East, the European round featuring stages in Portugal and Spain, and a return to the traditional season finale at the Rallye du Maroc in North Africa.

With the rescheduling of the European round BP Ultimate Rally-Raid from April to September, it will now be possible for the W2RC caravan to complete the entire championship using sea freight exclusively. This change is a significant step toward achieving more sustainable logistics, reducing the environmental impact and cutting overall costs.

FIA Baja Cups continue to grow

The World Motor Sport Council has also approved next year’s schedules submitted by the Road Sport Committee on behalf of the Cross-Country Rally Commission.

FIA Baja Cups will return in 2025, with the World Baja Cup hosting eight events, the Middle East Baja Cup featuring four rounds, and the European Baja Cup expanding from five to nine rounds – all reflecting the growing appeal of Baja-style cross-country racing across different regions. Based on competitor feedback, a new sporting format for the FIA Baja Cups will be proposed at the WMSC meeting on 17 October.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed his enthusiasm for the 2025 cross-country rally season: “The FIA World Rally-Raid Championship continues to set the benchmark for cross-country rallying, and we are delighted to witness its growing success, both in terms of competition and global presence. It is pleasing to see the inclusion of South Africa in the calendar, and I look forward to following the action amidst the untamed landscapes Africa has to offer. Additionally, the expansion of the Baja Cups highlights the increasing appeal of the discipline, especially in Europe. The 2025 cross-country rally season will feature seasoned competitors and new challengers showcasing the FIA’s innovative technologies, all set against some of the most magnificent environments on the planet.”

David Castera, Motor Sports Director at Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O., the promoter of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship) stated: “It will soon be three years since the launch of the W2RC championship. Our first priority was consolidating a set of races that are now well differentiated. The BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal is returning after its debut last season, just like the Desafío Ruta 40 YPF Infinia before it. The absence of Argentina from the 2025 calendar doesn’t mean this race no longer has a place in the W2RC. In fact, what we want is to rotate these events. That’s what we’ll start doing next season.”

2024 FIA Middle East Rally Championship calendar updated

On the side of regional rally, the World Motor Sport Council has also approved an updated 2024 Middle East Rally Championship calendar with the cancellation of the Oman International Rally due to the situation in the region.