FIA launches tender process to find new WRX promoter

Motorsport.com exclusively revealed last week that World RX commercial rights holder IMG would step away from the discipline at the end of the current campaign, which has now been officially confirmed by the FIA.

“The announcement follows discussions between IMG and the FIA, in which IMG has expressed a desire not to continue as the World RX promoter in 2021 and 2022,” said a statement from the governing body. “Discussions between the FIA and IMG are ongoing. The FIA remains committed to ensuring the ongoing success of the Championship.”

The statement also reveals that while the plan had been to introduce electric cars into World RX’s top category to race against existing internal combustion engine machines in 2021, with the electric introduction delayed for Coronavirus pandemic-led reasons (announced in April), World RX’s top tier will be fully electric from 2022.

“The FIA is committed to the evolution of rallycross with World RX in 2021 alongside RX2e – the first-ever FIA electric Rallycross Championship,” continued the statement. “From 2022, World RX will become fully electric as part of the FIA’s long-term vision for the sport which was first revealed in 2019.”

No invitation to tender for the promotor position has been released by the FIA, and instead interested parties have been asked to contact the Off-Road Commission category manager, Benoit Dupont.

Categories within FIA rallycross’ structure were renamed at the World Motor Sport Council’s latest meeting last week, which will come into effect from 2021.

The existing Supercar class will be known as RX1, new electric Supercars will be known as RX1e, the Junior electric series that will replace the RX2 International Series next year will be RX2e and the European Championship’s Super1600 division will become known as RX3.

While the Kreisel-developed kit for World RX’s electric transition is yet to be completed, the QEV Technologies and Olsbergs MSE developed single-make car that will be run on an arrive and drive basis in RX2e is currently undergoing testing, and has so far been run at tracks in Spain and Denmark, driven by Euro RX points leader and double RX2 champion Oliver Eriksson.