The FIM is proud and delighted to announce that Amaury Sport Organisation, better known as A.S.O, will become the promoter of the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship, which will be renamed FIM World Rally-Raid Championship as of 2022. The agreement with the company that is responsible for the Dakar and the Tour de France amongst many other headline events will be for an initial five-year term and marks the first time the series has had an official promoter since its inception in 2003. Over the last decade and half the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship has established itself as the premier championship of rally raid.
A.S.O is a company that owns, designs and organises top international ‘non-stadia’ sporting events. Its inhouse team brings with it great experience in event organisation and associated media thanks to delivering almost two hundred and fifty days of competition each year that is spread over ninety event across twenty five countries. A.S.O event portfolio covers sailing, running and golf alongside cycling and motorsports. Amaury Sport Organisation is a subsidiary of the Amaury Group, media and sport group that owns the French newspaper L’Equipe.
Inside this new collaborative framework, the FIM and A.S.O will work together to unify their sporting and technical regulations in order to provide a new level of consistency for competitors across all events whilst respecting its environmental strategy to support climate action, technology and innovation, improve safety and sustainable practices.
Marking the start of this new era, the Dakar as the World’s biggest off-road rally will open the 2022 season. The championship will include categories for RallyGP, Rally2, Rally3, Junior, Women, Veteran Trophies and Quad. The 2022 calendar, along with the championship’s new identity will be revealed during the 2022 Dakar presentation on Sunday 28th November, which will be broadcast live at 11.00hrs on the Dakar and Eurosport.fr platforms.
Speaking about this important partnership Jorge Viegas, FIM President said: “After many years of discussion I am very proud to announce that A.S.O. will today become the promoter of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship and that the Dakar will be part of the 2022 calendar for the very first time. It is an important milestone for the FIM to welcome such a prestigious event and promoter into the FIM family. A.S.O will take the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship to the next level where it deserves to be. Rendez-vous Sunday!”
Yann Le Moënner, CEO of A.S.O. concluded: “We are particularly happy to join the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship with the Dakar which will kick off the 2022 season next January. I would like to thank the FIM and its President, Jorge Viegas, for the confidence he has shown in us having appointed A.S.O. as promoter of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. This Championship represents a great opportunity to develop the discipline, to harmonize the rules and to increase its media coverage. It is also the right time to work together to meet the challenge of the energy transition and further improve the safety of pilots.”
