According to Autosport, the gravel stages of Argentina are finally returning to the World Rally Championship in 2028 under a multi-year contract. That is massive news for anyone who remembers the raw electricity of the South American rounds. Between 1980 and 2019, those rocky mountain tests were an absolute staple of the calendar, missing only in 1995 and 2010. A 2020 comeback was famously knocked out by the coronavirus pandemic, leaving Chile and Paraguay to carry the South American banner alone in the meantime.
Now, the government of Cordoba has struck a deal with the WRC to bring the noise back to Argentina's second-largest city. The service park will set up shop around the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes sporting precinct. Even better, work is already underway to bring back legendary stages like El Condor. Before any of that becomes official, the FIA will observe a candidate event in March next year as part of the FIA CODASUR Rally Championship.
WRC Promoter CEO Eric Boullier pointed out just how much this rally means, noting the unmatched passion of the fans in Cordoba and the legendary atmosphere of those stages. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had already championed a comeback back in September, highlighting his own personal memories of competing in Cordoba and praising the country's motorsport blood.
Meanwhile, the future for the championship's other South American stops remains up in the air. Both Chile and Paraguay are locked into the 2027 schedule, though Paraguay's current deal is entering its final year. Rally Paraguay recently hit turbulence after title sponsor Ueno Bank collapsed, which also brought the removal of president Santiago Pena. Even so, the FIA confirms that preparations for next season's event running from 21-24 October are moving forward without interruption, and local reports suggest the organizing team is confident about securing a new title sponsor.
