Safari Rally Kenya
Rally Islas Canarias
Rally de Portugal
Acropolis Rally Greece
Rally Estonia
Rally Finland
Rally del Paraguay
Rally Chile Bio Bío
Central European Rally
Rally Japan
Rally Saudi Arabia
The 2025 FIA World Rally Championship launched. The engines whoosh,...
WRC 2025 Schedule: New TWISTS, New Thrills?
The 2025 WRC calendar takes three exciting turns. So, compared to the WRC 2024 calendar, the value base hasn’t changed.
| Date | ROUND | PROS✅ | CONS❌ | TRICKY⚡ | BROADCAST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ROUND 1: January 22-26 |
Iconic season opener with mixed surfaces (tarmac/snow) tests driver versatility. Historic prestige and stunning Alpine backdrops boost fan engagement. |
Unpredictable weather shifts create tire strategy chaos. Limited daylight in January complicates recce. | Balancing snow tires on dry tarmac sections—get it wrong, and grip vanishes. | Canal Plus Sport, Rally.TV | |
ROUND 2: February 12-16 |
Pure winter magic—high-speed snow/ice stages with banked “snow walls” for thrilling cornering. Fan-friendly Umeå base. |
Mild weather risks melting ice, turning stages into slush. Limited spectator areas in remote forests. | Reading snow depth changes mid-stage; one wrong line = buried in a drift. | SVT, Rally.TV | |
ROUND 3: March 20-23 |
|
Legendary “car breaker” challenge with fesh-fesh dust, wildlife hazards, and rugged savanna terrain. |
Extreme heat and rough roads punish mechanical reliability. Logistical headaches for teams in Naivasha | Navigating hidden rocks at 150+ km/h while dust clouds blind co-drivers. | Sport TV, Canal+, Rally.TV |
ROUND 4: April 24-27 |
|
WRC debut excitement! Foggy mountain tarmac roads add drama (think Monte-Carlo meets Japan’s twists). |
Narrow roads limit overtaking. Unfamiliar stages = high risk of pace note errors. | Sudden fog patches on cliffside turns—zero margin for error. | TV3, Rally.TV |
ROUND 5: May 15-18 |
|
Massive fan turnout and iconic gravel stages (Fafe jump!). Northern Portugal’s sandy roads favor bold drivers. |
Deep ruts form quickly, battering suspensions. Dust management critical in tight forests. | Managing tire wear on abrasive gravel while pushing for stage wins. | Sport TV, Rally.TV |
ROUND 6: June 5-8 |
|
Technical gravel stages demand precision. Sardinia’s coastal scenery = social media gold. |
Rocky terrain shreds tires. Mid-summer heat strains crews and cars. | Avoiding jagged rocks hiding in deceptively smooth corners. | RAI, Rally.TV |
ROUND 7: June 26-29 |
|
Historic “Rally of Gods” with rocky, moon-like stages. Lamia’s revival brings nostalgia. |
Car-breaking boulders and 40°C temperatures test endurance. Limited service access. | Surviving tire punctures on razor-sharp rocks without losing minutes. | COSMOTE TV, Rally.TV |
ROUND 8: July 17-20 |
|
Baltic bullet train! Super-fast gravel roads reward bravery. Compact route = less fatigue. |
Rain turns sandy roads into slippery sludge. High-speed jumps risk undercarriage damage. | Flat-out commitment on blind crests—hesitate, and rivals gain seconds. | TV3, Rally.TV |
ROUND 9: July 31 – August 3 |
|
“Finnish Grand Prix” jumps and flowing roads = WRC’s most iconic spectacle. Home turf for Toyota. |
Tiny mistakes at 200 km/h = catastrophic crashes. Nightmare for rookie co-drivers. | Nailing the “yump” landings—too sideways, and you’re in the trees. | MTV3/MTV Urheilu/MTV Katsomo, Rally.TV |
ROUND 10: August 28-31 |
|
WRC’s new jungle adventure! Paraná River stages add unpredictability. |
Debut event = unknown pace notes. Humid weather strains cooling systems. | Adapting to soft, riverbank gravel that shifts with every pass. | Rally.TV |
ROUND 11: September 11-14 |
|
Coastal fog and dense forests create cinematic stages. High-altitude sections test engine power. |
Narrow roads punish mistakes. Remote service park complicates repairs. | Switching focus between forest hairpins and open coastal straights. | Rally.TV |
ROUND 12: October 16-19 |
|
Cross-border tarmac thrill ride. Technical German roads + Austrian alpine passes. |
Variable weather in October. | Dialing in suspension for mixed road surfaces in a single stage. | Sky Sports, Servus TV, Rally.TV |
ROUND 13: November 6-9 |
|
Toyota’s home turf! Tight, technical tarmac through Toyota City. Fanatical local support. |
Rain-soaked roads = aquaplaning risks. Limited room for error on mountain passes. | Perfecting hairpin exits on wet concrete—too aggressive, and you spin out. | Abema, Rally.TV |
ROUND 14: November 27-30 |
|
Season finale glamour with Jeddah’s desert stages. |
Blinding dust storms and monotony of desert landscapes. | Navigating soft dunes at dusk—light fades fast, shadows hide ditches. | Saudi Sport Channel (SSC), Rally.TV |
Flag icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com
❗Note: Dates and times are subject to change. All sessions are listed in their local event time zones.
The FIA World Rally Championship Calendar: for beginners
The first twist:
Rally Islas Canarias
While legendary and one of my favorite rounds like Monte Carlo, Sweden, and Kenya will remain, Croatia will be phased out until 2026 to make way for the Rally Islas Canarias – the first twist.
Ah, I like Rally Croatia for its technical turns. However, the Rally Islas Canarias is like an old friend you haven’t seen in a long time – yes, but hold your horses. This time, it means… tarmac stages with volcanic backdrops! Yes, you read that right! Expect winding roads and fast, flowing stages typical of Spanish rallies in the stunning background.
The second twist:
Rally Paraguay
However, next are rugged Portugal, unpredictable Sardegna, exciting Greece, fantastic Estonia, legendary Finland, and a completely new Paraguay – the second twist. Geez!
Rally Paraguay takes the WRC into new territory with lush green landscapes and challenging gravel roads. Folks – we’ve never had a WRC event in Paraguay! So, no even expectations here.
The third twist:
Saudi Arabia Rally
Then comes Chile, followed by the Central European Rally. I love Rally Chile. However, the Japanese round has to end the season, which has become a tradition, but not this year. The season ends with a third new venue: Saudi Arabia, which adds an extra round, totaling 14.
The deserts of Saudi Arabia join the party! Yes, Saudi Arabia has been gaining popularity in world motorsport, but it offers thrills in return; ask Formula 1 fans! Ironically, the venue is the same – Jeddah. The event presents a new challenge, with temperatures above +30C that will test the drivers’ endurance to the limit.
The goal is to create an epic, new rally experience, and what could be better than a challenging desert? Fortunately, they have removed the hybrids from the Rally1 cars. Otherwise, this will be the technical killer, no less.
So, although the absence of Mexico and Croatia is disappointing, the WRC is shaping up to be the most exciting season yet.
The FIA WRC 2025 Calendar
❗Note: Dates and times are subject to change. All sessions are listed in their local event time zones.
Download the WRC 2025 Calendar
Sync the races to your devices with our WRC 2025 calendar download (CSV or iCal). Perfect for:
- Planning your rally weekend naps.
- Explain to your boss why you're 'sick' every other weekend.
- Pretending you'll stick to a timezone-friendly sleep schedule.
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