Rally New Zealand will not be selected for the 2023 WRC

The announcement came on the eve of the much-anticipated return to the World Radiocommunication Conference after a 10-year hiatus. Organizers said that the “highly competitive” environment among countries wishing to organize WRC events was behind the invitation, and that it would be practical to organize an event “every two or three years”.

The WRC is currently working on an expanded 14-round schedule for next year, which could include five flights, with Kenya and Japan and an expected return to Mexico and South America, as well as a rally in the Middle East.

Rally New Zealand was due to join the WRC for the first time since 2012 in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to de-list it in 2020 and 2021. For a period between 2009 and 2012, Rally New Zealand and Rally Australia ran alternately.

“We believe the future of this event in New Zealand is strong. The WRC has deep roots in New Zealand and the interest from fans this week shows how important this event is to our country,” said Rally New Zealand President Peter Johnston.

“This week is the first FIA World Motorsports Championship event to be held in New Zealand, featuring plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and fully sustainable fuels, and represents a new era in motorsport.

“We are confident that after a successful event this week, our team will be in a strong position to be included in the 2024 WRC calendar.”

WRC Promoter managing director Jona Siebel says negotiations with event partners Rally New Zealand are already underway to secure the rally’s future return.

“The entire WRC community is looking forward to our return to New Zealand, where the event is on the calendar for the 2020 season for the first time,” said Siebel.

“Here we are two years later and the excitement is still there. With the amount of work that PJ [Peter Johnston] And his team, along with the great support of Tataki Auckland Unlimited and other sponsors and partners, we want to find a way to ensure this effort is leveraged with a strategy for future returns.

This will require a clear commitment from the central government as well as Auckland Unlimited, and we are very engaged in these negotiations now.

“Rally New Zealand has a great heritage at WRC, and as we have seen with the recent return of Rally Safari Kenya and Acropolis Rally Greece, it is the main ambition of the WRC promoter to maintain such events when possible.”

Chris Simpson, Head of Key Events at Tataki Auckland Unlimited added: “We hope that discussions between WRC, government and Tataki Auckland Unlimited will continue in a positive way, and that the event will return in the coming years.”

Rally New Zealand is scheduled to start on Thursday, with it scheduled to go in the evening local time.