The latest World Motor Sport Council meeting has produced a provisional World Rallycross Championship calendar for next season, though a replacement promoter for the outgoing IMG is still yet to be confirmed.
Kouvola retains its place on the calendar for 2021 after being brought in at late notice this year as a replacement for other canceled events and is one of eight European locations in the planned 10-round schedule.
All of those eight European rounds take place between May and September, with the final two events taking place in the Middle East (October 15-16) and South Africa (November 27-28).
One of the European rounds in August remains unconfirmed, while both Portugal and Latvia are notable absences compared to the original 2020 schedule.
Formula 1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix venue Yas Marina Circuit is expected to host the aforementioned Middle East race, having made its World RX debut last year and been on the original 2020 calendar.
Though there had been hopes that a new World RX promoter would be announced at this meeting of the WMSC, DirtFish understands that two candidates are still in discussions with the FIA to take over promotion duties for the championship.
Photo: FIA World RX Media
The top class of the European Rallycross Championship supports World RX at the Spa-Francorchamps season opener [May 22-23], Kouvola [June 19-20], Höljes [July 3-4], Barcelona [July 24-25] and Lohéac [September 4/5].
As a result of its calendar being reduced to just two rounds by the coronavirus pandemic, Euro RX lost championship status this year and therefore neither Supercar star Oliver Eriksson or Super1600 dominator Yuri Belevskiy have been crowned for their 2020 achievements.
FIA RX2e, which will use electric cars and replaces the outgoing RX2 series, will join World RX at Spa, Hell, Höljes, Barcelona, Nürburgring and Lohéac.
The Super1600 category has been renamed Euro RX3 for 2021, and it runs at Spa, Hell, Kouvola, Lohéac and the eighth European round which does not currently have a venue attributed to it.
Provisional 2021 World RX calendar
May 22/23 Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
June 12/13 Hell, Norway
June 19/20 Kouvola, Finland
July 3/4 Höljes, Sweden
July 24/25 Barcelona, Spain
July 31/August 1 Nürburgring, Germany
August 21/22 TBA (Europe)
September 4/5 Lohéac, France
October 15/16 TBA (Middle East /Asia)
November 27/28 Killarney, South Africa
