- Season 4 of the W2RC will consist of 5 rounds.
- A new event in South Africa is set to premiere in the mid-season.
Classic bookends
The Dakar will once again get the show on the road in Saudi Arabia in January. Next up will be the dunes of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, which will bring down the curtain on the Middle Eastern act in late February. The Rallye du Maroc, another event that has been on the calendar since 2022, will continue to wrap up the series in October. In contrast with these classic bookends, winds of change are blowing in the mid-season. The BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal is returning after its inaugural edition last year, but it will now come at the tail end of the season, moving from April to late September to set up a Portugal-Morocco one-two combo. The two weeks between the finish of the Portuguese rally and the start of the Moroccan race will provide ample time for the teams to cross the Mediterranean by ship.
Africa to the power of two
The W2RC serves up a fresh challenge every season, and 2025 is no exception. A brand-new race is set to make its debut in the cradle of rally raids. The South African Safari Rally, the latest addition to the calendar, will take up the third slot of the series in late May. Just like the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal in 2024, the South African round is the brainchild of an experienced organiser eager to host the W2RC. The team in charge of the South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) will roll out the red carpet for the international caravan in South Africa to bring back the memories of the 1992 Paris–Cape Town rally! It will be the first time in the history of the W2RC that Africa sets the scene for two championship rounds. The promoter ASO, the FIA and the FIM have their finger on the pulse of the competitors and the teams. They have designed a balanced and diversified calendar that also slashes costs, as the times and locations of the 2025 rallies will make it possible to dispatch the vehicles by ship from one round to the next.
David Castera, Motor Sports Director at Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO, the promoter of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship), stated: "It will soon be three years since the launch of the 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."
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. 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."
FIM President Jorge Viegas added : “2025 will mark a significant chapter for the FIM World Rally Raid Championship, with the calendar including five prestigious events across five countries and three different continents running from January right through to October. During the ten-month campaign that will start in Saudi Arabia and conclude in Morocco, it is important to note that championship will visit Africa in both hemispheres – south and north – which reinforces the global status of the series and confirms that the eventual winner will a true FIM World Champion. On behalf of the FIM I would like to thank our promoter ASO and all the other stakeholders who continue to work together for the growth and benefit of this incredible championship.”
