That said, the calendar shuffle is officially here: as Motorsport.com Italia reports, the WRC will not travel to the Saudi Arabian round scheduled for November 12 to 15 after all. Instead of closing out the year abroad, the world championship will wrap up much earlier on the gravel stages of Italy.
Now, the decision is locked in. The event in Saudi Arabia will still take place, but it will only count for the FIA Middle East Rally Championship. Persistent regional uncertainty and its heavy impact on logistical planning forced the FIA's hand, while manufacturers reportedly withheld authorization to travel to high-risk zones due to insurance concerns.
Because of this, the Italian round running from October 1 to 4 steps up to become the thirteenth and final stop of the season. That means the brutal gravel tracks of Sardinia will provide the backdrop to crown the champion, which is brilliant news given the state of the standings.
Here's the thing: Toyota teammates Elfyn Evans and Sami Pajari are separated by just 17 points heading into the climax of the 2026 title fight. The governing body and the WRC promoter spent months working alongside the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and local organizers to salvage the event, but ultimately pulled the plug on its world championship status.
"Negli ultimi mesi abbiamo lavorato a stretto contatto con i nostri partner in Arabia Saudita e con il promotore del WRC e con tutti i soggetti coinvolti nel campionato, per esplorare ogni possibile soluzione che consentisse al Rally d'Arabia Saudita di svolgersi come previsto," stated FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. "Tuttavia, i continui sviluppi a livello regionale implicano che la componente WRC del Rally d'Arabia Saudita non si terrà quest'anno. Non sono mai decisioni facili, soprattutto dopo l'importante lavoro svolto da tutti coloro che sono coinvolti nella preparazione dell'evento."
Attention now pivots to the future, with the FIA aiming to bring the WRC back to the region in 2027. Ben Sulayem extended his gratitude to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, the Saudi Motorsport Company, and the entire organization team for their considerable efforts.
