Rallycross Promoter GmbH has confirmed that the World RX of Germany at the Nürburgring – scheduled to be the second and third rounds of the 2021 FIA World Rallycross Championship – will be postponed to the end of the season due to the ongoing effects of the widespread recent flooding in the region.
The World Championship campaign gets under way in Barcelona from 23-24 July, and the Nürburgring – a new addition to the series’ calendar – had been due to welcome the headlining World RX battle and all-electric FIA RX2e Championship a week later, 31 July to 1 August.
The wide-ranging recent floods in Germany have forced the postponement of the event, with the Nürburgring having become a focal point of the rescue and recovery efforts as a collection and distribution centre. The rescheduled double-header will now act as the 2021 season finale over the weekend of 27-28 November. Existing tickets will remain valid for the new date.
This means World RX of Sweden at Höljes will now become round two of the current campaign on 20-22 August.
Arne Dirks, executive director, Rallycross Promoter GmbH, said: “Everybody has seen the pictures of the devastating recent flooding in Germany, and whilst the Nürburgring itself has thankfully been largely spared by this natural disaster, the same cannot unfortunately be said for the surrounding area. It is important to remember that there are far more important matters at stake here than rallycross, and we must pay immense tribute to the event organisers, who have worked night and day to help the humanitarian efforts.
“At the same time, they have collaborated very closely with us as the World Championship promoter and the FIA to find a solution to reschedule the event, and we are very much looking forward to going to this legendary venue later in the year for what promises to be a pulsating season finale – with the World Rallycross Champion set to be crowned at one of motorsport’s most iconic venues.”
Riga to host double header
Meanwhile, the 2021 World RX of Riga-Latvia from 18-19 September will become a double-header event, increasing the overall number of rounds to nine.
Located on the outskirts of the Latvia’s capital city, the Biķernieki track has been a fixture on the World RX schedule since 2016, with a long gravel section through the wooded infield and no fewer than three jumps making it an instant favourite amongst both drivers and fans.
In evidence of the circuit’s challenging nature, the six rounds held there to-date have all been won by true legends of the sport – World Rallycross champions Johan Kristoffersson, Mattias Ekström and Timmy Hansen, and nine-time FIA World Rally champion Sébastien Loeb.
September’s double-header will now offer drivers two chances to add their names to that illustrious list, with the headlining World RX battle to be complemented by the third outing in the 2021 FIA European Rallycross Championship Euro RX1 title fight.
Raimonds Strokšs, Director, World RX of Riga-Latvia, said: “This is fantastic news for rallycross fans. For two days, spectators at our race weekend in Latvia will have the opportunity to follow twice as many races and twice as many intriguing semi-finals and finals. The 2021 World Championship title will be won in a car running an internal combustion engine, and spectators have been given a unique opportunity to enjoy these cars for the final time before World RX moves forward and switches to electric vehicles in 2022.
“There is much greater responsibility when organising a double-header event – an increased number of races accordingly increases the amount of work required for everything to run smoothly – but I believe that we, our partners and all our service providers are more than ready to bring their best and maintain the high-quality standard set by the events hosted in Latvia.”
2021 FIA World Rallycross Championship
- Round 1 – 23-24 July: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain
- Round 2 – 20-22 August: Höljes, Sweden
- Round 3 – 3-5 September: Lohéac, France
- Rounds 4-5 – 18-19 September: Biķernieki National Sports Base, Riga, Latvia (double header)
- Round 6 – 9-10 October: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
- Round 7 – 23-24 October: Montalegre, Portugal
- Rounds 8-9 – 27-28 November: Nürburgring, Germany (double header)