Reported
Rally Scotland’s 2027 inclusion on WRC calendar looks promising
FIA officials and WRC drivers, including Elfyn Evans, evaluate proposed Rally Scotland for 2027 calendar return.
World Rally Championship leader Elfyn Evans recently participated in the British Rally Championship’s Grampian Forest Rally, a candidate event for the 2027 World Rally Championship calendar. His involvement, along with an FIA delegation, suggests positive progress toward Rally Scotland rejoining the WRC schedule next year. Rally Scotland secured a three-year deal in March to bring the WRC back to Great Britain, which last hosted a WRC event in 2019. The evaluation event took place in Aberdeenshire last weekend.
Driver Assessment of the Proposed Rally Scotland Roads
Elfyn Evans drove a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 as a zero car during the Grampian Forest Rally, allowing him to experience the proposed rally roads without competing. This provided a crucial opportunity for the Welsh driver, currently leading the WRC standings with 201 points, to assess the challenging nature of the gravel roads. He noted that the roads are quite fast, comparable in some ways to those found in Wales, though with a different surface and more camber. Evans' feedback highlighted the demanding characteristics of the terrain, suggesting a significant challenge for crews when the rally officially joins the WRC calendar in 2027. He commented on the value of gathering initial impressions and notes, even in a different specification car, particularly for evaluating tyre wear under current conditions, which were drier than typically anticipated for a future WRC event, according to Motorsport.com.
FIA Scrutiny and Finnish Involvement
The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) dispatched a team of officials to oversee the Grampian Forest Rally, meticulously examining the proposed roads and infrastructure for Rally Scotland. This delegation included rally category manager Marina Dunach, sporting delegate Timo Rautiainen, safety delegate Nicolas Klinger, and medical delegate Anna Carreras Castanye, according to Motorsport.com. Timo Rautiainen, a Finnish sporting delegate, played a key role in this assessment, ensuring that the event meets the stringent criteria required for a World Rally Championship round. This Finnish representation underscores the importance of thorough evaluation by experienced motorsport professionals. The FIA’s presence indicates a serious review of the event’s readiness and suitability for the WRC calendar, signaling a commitment to maintaining high standards for all championship events.
Implications for the 2027 WRC Calendar
The positive feedback from a championship leader like Evans and the rigorous assessment by the FIA team are encouraging signs for Rally Scotland’s return. The event’s fast, challenging characteristics could add a distinctive element to the 2027 World Rally Championship season. With four rounds remaining in the current 2026 WRC season, attention is already turning to future calendars and the potential new additions like Rally Scotland. The WRC last visited Great Britain in 2019, making a 2027 return significant for fans and competitors alike. This evaluation event serves as a critical step in finalizing the arrangements for Rally Scotland’s re-entry into the global motorsport arena.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Reported, which means a newsroom we cite carries this but the people involved have not confirmed it. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Sanni Koskela.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Motorsport.commotorsport.com
- Autosportautosport.com
