Final rally of season in Saudi Arabia cancelled due to Middle East conflict

Deutsche Tageszeitung - Final rally of season in Saudi Arabia cancelled due to Middle East conflict

Final rally of season in Saudi Arabia cancelled due to Middle East conflict / Photo: © AFP

The final round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Saudi Arabia in November has been cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) announced on Thursday.

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The conflict has disrupted motorsports competitions throughout the region with the cancellation of the Formula One Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia and rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi in doubt.

"Ongoing regional developments mean that the WRC element of Rally Saudi Arabia will not proceed this year," FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in a statement, adding however the Middle East Regional Rally Championship will go ahead as planned in Saudi Arabia in November.

"Our focus now is firmly on the future. We will continue working together with our partners in Saudi Arabia and WRC Promoter towards bringing the FIA World Rally Championship back in 2027."

The 14th round of the WRC had been scheduled in the Saudi desert from November 12–15 meaning that Rally Sardinia scheduled for October 1–4 will be the 13th and final round of the season.

The manufacturers' title was already awarded to Toyota last Sunday in Chile, but uncertainty remains for the drivers.

Welshman Elfyn Evans, also in a Toyota, is closing in on his first drivers' title. Evans has 230 points, 17 ahead of the Finn Sami Pajari, in a Yaris. Swedish driver Oliver Solberg is third on 209.

(A.Nikiforov--DTZ)

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Deutsche Tageszeitung - Final rally of season in Saudi Arabia cancelled due to Middle East conflict