New events for WRC calendar

WRC

The World Rally Championship calendar looks set for an overhaul, with the potential for three new events in the next two seasons.

Chile’s place on the 2019 schedule is all but certain, but Autosport’s sources have revealed that Japan will also join, provided its November candidate rally runs without any major issues. Rally Japan’s WRC return for the first time since 2010 (above) would mean that five of the anticipated 14 rounds next season will be long haul.

Chile is the 14th round for 2019, and Japan is tipped to replace an existing European counter, with the most likely loser tipped to be Corsica. A further European round is likely to be jettisoned to make room for the Safari Rally, which is highly likely to be back for 2020.

With Rally Turkey returning this season, that would mean a total of four new events in just three seasons. The new rallies are at the heart of WRC Promoter’s development for the series.

One source told Autosport: “What we need now is for everybody to be getting something from the championship. The teams have been by paid by the promoter for Turkey; it’s part of the agreement [with Turkey] that there’s a fee for them to cover some of the logistics.

“The promoter has to make that happen – it’s keen to make a new funding model work where rallies have to pay their way, just as they do in Formula 1. It will be the same agreement with Chile, Japan and Safari when they arrive on the roster. The promoter has to have the ability to make a business out of the championship.”

The Tour de Corse organisers declined to comment on rumours that this year’s event could have been the last WRC action on the French island.