Latvia is set to host a round of the World Rally Championship for the very first time next season as Rally Latvia joins the calendar.
Rally Liepāja has been a mainstay of the European Rally Championship in recent years and will once again be a counting round of the 2023 season.
But in 2024 the rally will step up to the WRC under the new name of Rally Latvia.
“It has always been our goal to keep at least one slot in the WRC calendar available to enable an event to rotate from the ERC to the WRC,” said Peter Thul, senior director of sport for WRC Promoter which manages both the WRC and ERC.
“Rally Latvia becoming the first to be granted this slot is a clear recognition of its sporting and promotional excellence, and the commitment of the Latvian Government to rallying.
“This decision highlights the strategic importance of the Baltic regions for WRC. We have a longstanding relationship with broadcast partner TV3 and look forward to expanded collaboration with them for the 2024 event.
“This, as well as our ever-increasing network of over 50 broadcasters in more than 150 countries, makes WRC one of the most widely viewed motorsport championships on the planet.”
The event is expected to cover several regions of Latvia, including major cities Rīga and Liepāja, but the exact date for the event is to be confirmed. This year it will be staged on June 17-18.
Rally Latvia director Raimonds Strokšs described the event’s promotion to WRC as “a dream come true moment”.
He added: “Our work that started many years ago has finally concluded with a clear pathway for Latvia to host a WRC event in 2024.
“For RA Events as an event organizer, this is a tremendous milestone that carries huge responsibility with it. But we have such reliable partners in the Latvian Government, our rally city Liepāja, our capital city Rīga, and our general sponsor Tet – plus many more.
“Behind them there is an even broader team of enthusiastic people, with whom we can pull this off and are ready to tackle all the challenges that lay ahead of us.”
Latvia’s inclusion in next year’s WRC calendar is yet to be approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
