The World Rally Championship (WRC) said it captured more than half of the domestic TV market share during the recent Rally Finland.
Confirmed:
- 56.1 per cent of viewers on Finnish TV watched WRC’s visit to the country
- On the ground, more than 250,000 fans attended across the weekend
Context:
This is quite a remarkable figure for WRC, and it highlights just how successful the championship has been at embedding itself in local communities. WRC is unique in that it races in many countries that rarely host global motorsport championships – in fact, half of its calendar falls into this category.
Finland is a hotbed for rallying fanatics, with 24-year-old Kalle Rovanperä the latest in a long line of supreme talents produced by the country. Finland has produced eight different WRC champions – five more than France, which sits second on the all-time list.
WRC is more than aware of its place in Finnish culture, as evidenced by the recent contract extension with Rally Finland until the 2031 season – and the fans certainly responded.
Comment:
“These numbers simply confirm what we already knew – Finland lives and breathes rallying,” said WRC Promoter’s senior director of events Simon Larkin.
“But it is not just the Finnish fans turning up for their home rally. What always impresses me is the wide array of flags we are seeing flying at the event – from USA to South Africa to Australia – confirming WRC Secto Rally Finland as a bucket list event for any motorsport enthusiast.”
Coming next:
Next on the WRC calendar is the Rally del Paraguay, which becomes the 36th host country in the championship’s history. Based in Encarnación, close to the Argentine border, organisers hope to tap into the region’s passionate motorsport following. Rally Argentina, staged between 1980 and 2019, regularly drew 600,000 to 700,000 fans, and WRC is aiming for a similarly significant regional event.
Go deeper:
- ‘More events is not better’: Why the WRC calendar won’t be expanding for the sake of it
- WRC eyes Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia for new race in 2027
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