Since 2020, a number of factors made the FIA World Rallycross Championship go with a condensed, Europe-centric season until the 2022 season, but given the first calendar announcement for 2023, Rallycross Promoter decided it was time for expansion for the championship to regain its worldwide aspect.
The confirmation of the proposal came during the latest World Motor Sport Council meeting held at Bologna, which also confirmed the calendars for the Euro RX1 and FIA RX2e.
The support championships will remain strictly in Europe, while the World RX presents a total of four rounds of its planned ten in other continents, with the overseas trips coming back for the first time since 2019, when the Cape Town RX was the stage for the title decision of that season. Along with the Cape Town RX dpuble header, an unconfirmed venue in Asia will be host to the second and final double header of 2023 after a four year hiatus since the 2019 Abu Dhabi RX.
Another major change in the schedule comes with the return of more traditional venues replacing the FIA Grade 1 circuits brought in during the IMG era. Spa-Francorchamps and Nürburgring saw their last rounds being held this season after short spells in the championship, being replaced by Mettet and Estering, which return after being absent since 2018.
By coincidence, another return to the championship is Lydden Hill, with the birthplace of rallycross pitting the United Kingdom back into the World RX route, replacing another FIA Grade 1 circuit after an equally short spell at Silverstone. Other circuits departing from the World calendar are Bikernieki, in Riga, and Barcelona, which is out for the first time since it was included in 2015, being the top grade circuit that had the longest spell in the championship.
As per usual in World RX, the overseas rounds will be at the end of the season to avoid logistical nightmares, with Hell, Höljes and Lydden Hill opening the season in June and July. In August, while Mettet and Montalegre are the hosts of August, with Estering ending the European season in September before the visits to South Africa and Asia.
Extra good news arrived in regards to the event format, which will be back to a more traditional route than the one used this year, which was heavily criticized by fans and even some drivers. Four heats start the weekend, with the previous session time deciding the grid for the next session, and the 12 best drivers go to the Semifinals,, with the six best going to the Final to fight for the event win.
2023 World RX calendar:
18 June - Hell
2 July - Höljes
23 July - Lydden Hill
6 August - Mettet
27 August - Montalegre
10 September - Estering
21-22 October - Cape Town
25-26 November - TBC Asia
For the Euro RX1 Championship, six rounds are kept but some significant changes appear. Along with the World RX related modifications, the Riga RX was axed, meaning that Latvia won’t be in the World RX and Euro RX1 programs for the first time since its inclusion in 2016.
Nyirád acts as the season opener and stays as the standalone round for the European championship, which means that even the World RX drivers may use it as a competitive preparation.
2023 Euro RX1 calendar:
21 May - Nyirád
18 June - Hell
2 July - Höljes
6 August - Mettet
27 August - Montalegre
10 September - Estering
In FIA RX2e, only Hell and Höljes are kept from 2022, while all the returning European circuits complete the calendar. With noise restriction policies being the norm at Lydden Hill, the FIA RX2e was the choice to join the World RX in the United Kingdom.
2023 FIA RX2e calendar:
18 June - Hell
2 July - Höljes
23 July - Lydden Hill
6 August - Mettet
10 September - Estering
PHOTO: Red Bull Content Pool
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