Organizers of the World Rally Championship have removed Saudi Arabia from the closing stage of the 2026 calendar, shifting the grand finale to Italy due to persistent geopolitical instability across the Middle East.
The championship conclusion was originally scheduled to take place in Jeddah from November 11 to November 14 as the fourteenth and final leg of the season. Following the schedule revision, the global motorsport series will now wrap up after thirteen rounds, culminating in the Rally Italia event in Sardinia between October 1 and October 4.
Although the top-tier World Rally Championship competition will bypass the country, the scheduled Jeddah event will still proceed on those dates as a fixture of the Middle East Rally Championship. Belgian driver Thierry Neuville secured victory at the inaugural Saudi competition when it joined the international calendar the previous year.
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, motorsport's international governing body, emphasized that local officials were fully prepared to host a secure competition. However, the governing authority noted that the relocation became necessary because of persistent regional volatility and the subsequent complications surrounding complex shipping and travel logistics.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem explained that officials exhausted all viable alternatives to keep the fixture on the calendar. He acknowledged the extensive preparation efforts by local partners and reaffirmed the organization's faith in the local hosts and the long-term prospects of the rally.
With the calendar shortened, British driver Elfyn Evans enters the final stretch holding a 17-point advantage over Finnish competitor Sami Pajari at the top of the standings. Evans is heavily favored to claim the championship crown, with a maximum of 35 points remaining available in Sardinia. The Welsh driver, who has finished as the championship runner-up on five separate occasions, is aiming to follow in the footsteps of previous British titleholders Colin McRae and Richard Burns.
The adjustment comes amid a broader pattern of international sports organizations moving fixtures away from the region amid ongoing military conflicts, including hostilities involving Israel, Iran, and Houthi forces in Yemen. Earlier in the year, Formula One officials relocated Grand Prix events from the area, while regional tennis tournaments and golf events have similarly faced disruptions or rising security concerns among athletes.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.
