The World Rally Championship (WRC) has signed a three-year extension with Toyota City to continue hosting the Rally Japan.
Contract:
- Toyota City to continue hosting Rally Japan until 2028
- Event has utilised asphalt stages in the mountainous surrounding area since returning to Japan in 2022
Context:
The event has grown in stature quite quickly after returning to the schedule in 2022, with more than 160,000 spectators attending the event and its official fan zones in 2023, while an estimated 370,000 additional fans lined the road sections to catch the drivers competing.
The rally first debuted in 2004, but fell off the WRC calendar after the 2010 season. This extension means that the Rally Japan will exceed its previous stint on the schedule in terms of length.
Comment:
“Toyota City has been incredibly welcoming to the WRC since we returned to Japan. The centralised service park results in an amazing fan experience in the heart of the city,” said Jona Siebel, managing director of WRC.
“We have an excellent partner in Toyota City that shares our values in sustainability and clearly sees the benefit that we bring to the city by extending our agreement there.”
Coming next:
The 2024 WRC season comes to a close with the Rally Japan from 21st to 24th November.
Go deeper:
- Beyond Rally 2024: Why technological, social and environmental innovation is needed for motorsport to achieve sustainable progress
- Exploring the revamp of WRC’s Rally.TV, ‘the home of offroad motorsport’
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