The FIA has confirmed a landmark long-term commercial rights agreement for the World Rally Championship and European Rally Championship, marking what it describes as the biggest deal in the history of both series.
The agreement follows the acquisition of WRC Promoter GmbH by French automotive company Cosmobilis and private credit investor Park Square Capital, ending a search for new ownership that had been building since reports first surfaced in 2024 that previous rights holder WRC Promoter, owned by Red Bull and German investment firm KW25 since 2013, was preparing for a sale.
The new deal is understood to run for around 25 years, though the FIA has not disclosed the full financial terms. Leading the transition is Eric Boullier, the former Lotus and McLaren Formula 1 team principal, who takes over as CEO of WRC Promoter and will oversee the rollout of the new commercial strategy.
At the core of the agreement is a commitment to unprecedented investment in rallying, aimed at expanding the sport’s global audience, strengthening its financial position, and delivering a richer experience for fans through improved storytelling and wider media distribution.
Plans also include boosting FIA branding across events and broadcasts, while the federation will retain oversight of the sport’s governance and regulatory framework. A new FIA Growth Fund is also being launched to support rally development at both grassroots and elite levels.
The timing is significant, arriving just ahead of the introduction of the WRC27 technical regulations in 2027, which are expected to reshape the championship’s competitive landscape.
FIA Deputy President for Sport Malcolm Wilson, who has spent decades in the sport, called it the most significant financial commitment to rallying he has witnessed in over 40 years involved in the championship.
The announcement lands at a moment of uncertainty for some of the sport’s biggest names, with nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier hinting his own WRC career may be nearing its end even as the series enters this new commercial chapter.
The post New era for WRC as FIA announces historic investment agreement appeared first on KBC Digital.