WRC event at ‘breathtaking’ Aberdeenshire

Article posted by Coliseum, March 30^th, 2026

Image: P&J Live

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship will return to the United Kingdom in 2027 with a new event – the Rally Scotland – headquartered in Aberdeen (City in Scotland, United Kingdom) and taking place in the forests of North-East Scotland.

‘aberdeenshire.gov.uk’ stated that the Motorsport UK has agreed to a three-year deal with the WRC Promoter GmbH (commercial rights holders of the FIA World Rally Championship) to bring the championship back to the United Kingdom from 2027 to 2029. The agreement follows funding support from the Scottish Government, the Aberdeen City Council and the Aberdeenshire Council.

Paris (France)-based the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is an international organization with two primary functions surrounding the use of the automobile. Its Mobility Division advocates the interests of the motoring organizations, the automotive industry and the motor car users in the fields of road safety and traffic circulation. The Sport Division is a governing body for many international motorsport championships and disciplines including Formula One (F1).

London (UK)-based Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for the open-wheel, single-seater formula racing cars run by the Formula One Group (a group of companies responsible for the promotion of the FIA’s Formula One World Championship and the exercising of the sport’s commercial rights) and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the world’s premier forms of motorsport since its inaugural running in 1950 and is often considered to be the pinnacle of motorsport.

The World Rally Championship (WRC) is an international rallying series owned and governed by the FIA. Inaugurated in 1973, it is the second oldest FIA World Championship (after Formula One). Each season lasts one calendar year and typically consists of 13 three- to four-day rally events driven on surfaces ranging from gravel and tarmac to snow and ice. Each rally is usually split into 15-25 special stages which are run against the clock on up to 350 kilometers (220 mi) of closed roads.

Bicester (UK)-based Motorsport UK (MSUK), formerly known as the Motor Sports Association (MSA), is a national membership organization and governing body for four-wheel motorsport in the United Kingdom. Legally, it is a not-for-profit private company limited by guarantee.

‘aberdeenshire.gov.uk’ further stated that the rally will be based at P&J Live at The Event Complex Aberdeen (TECA) with facilities including an indoor service park, rally headquarters, event arena, and conference and seminar space.

The P&J Live (also known as The Event Complex Aberdeen) is a multipurpose indoor arena in Aberdeen, Scotland (UK). Opened in August 2019, it offers a capacity for all types of shows and events from 5,000 to 15,000. Replacing the former Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) the 10,000-seat arena is used for concerts and other events. It is the largest indoor arena in Scotland as well as the fifth-largest arena in the United Kingdom.

The stages will run on closed forest gravel roads across Aberdeenshire providing a compact route built around the proven infrastructure and some of the United Kingdom’s best gravel rally stages.

The event is expected to be allocated an Autumn slot in 2027 with the exact dates to be confirmed when the FIA finalizes the championship calendar later this year.

Put in Paul Macari, Head of Planning and Economy, Aberdeenshire Council, “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome this landmark motorsport event to our stunning corner of Scotland. We’re incredibly proud to be showcasing to the world everything which makes this region so special – from the warm hospitality of our towns and villages to the breathtaking scenery which defines our landscape. This event will shine a well‑deserved spotlight on Aberdeenshire.”

The return ends a seven-year hiatus for the United Kingdom round of the WRC, one of the sport’s longest-standing events and what many regard as its spiritual homeland.

North-East Scotland was chosen for its combination of sporting challenge, the international transport links, the ample hotel capacity, the event infrastructure, and the striking natural scenery.

Its coast, forests and mountains provide a fitting backdrop for a sport played across some of the world’s most dramatic and televisual landscapes.

The Rally Scotland will also reflect the sport’s changing direction. The WRC cars compete using 100 percent fossil-free fuel and the event will work with the partners across Scotland’s growing sustainable fuel sector.

Motorsport UK will also develop community and social impact programs in the run-up to 2027.

The Championship’s return is expected to deliver a major economic boost across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and the neighboring communities attracting visitors, teams, media, and fans from across the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond.

The UK Round of the WRC has produced some of rallying’s most memorable moments.

Commented David Richards Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), Chairman, Motorsport UK, “Rallying has always held a special place in the story of British motorsport and, for me personally, it has been a huge part of my life. Having experienced the World Rally Championship from inside a rally car, I know just how unique the atmosphere of a UK rally can be – the forests, the fans and the extraordinary community of the volunteers and the motor clubs who make these events so special. We are incredibly grateful to the Scottish Government, the Aberdeen City Council and the Aberdeenshire Council for their commitment to this event. Their support has made it possible to bring the World Rally Championship back to the United Kingdom and Scotland provides a spectacular stage for the next chapter of that story.”

Maintained Malcolm Wilson Order of the British Empire (OBE), Deputy President for Sport at motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, “This is a huge announcement for the FIA World Rally Championship and it really demonstrates the positive direction we are now taking. The United Kingdom has incredible heritage and passion for our sport and the return of a flagship world championship event in Scotland is the start of the next chapter in this long history. As we enter a new era for the WRC in 2027 with new regulations, more accessible cars and more crews competing at the sharp end it’s fantastic to see the appetite is there from the organizers, the Governments and, of course, the fans to put together new WRC events. Alongside Motorsport UK, as the WRC Promoter and the local organizers we are very much looking forward to making these plans a reality.”

Stated Simon Larkin, Senior Events Director at WRC Promoter, “Since the FIA World Rally Championship last visited the United Kingdom in 2019 the Motorsport UK and the WRC Promoter have worked closely together to find the right pathway for its return. We have nothing but praise for the determination and hard work shown by Motorsport UK in bringing this project to life. We’re delighted to be working alongside the Scottish Government and the local authority partners to see this exciting initiative come to fruition – something that will benefit many and especially the passionate rally fans across the United Kingdom.”

Further details including the route information, the stage locations and the opportunities for the local businesses and the volunteers to get involved will be announced in the coming months.

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