The FIA World Rallycross Championship has announced the draft calendar for the 2017 season, which is subject to final confirmation by the FIA World Motor Sport Council which meets in December.
There are a few changes to the provisional calendar which sees World RX enter its fourth season of competition in 2017 as well as seeing an unchanged line up on its support package. The 2017 Calendar looks like this:
Round 1: SPAIN – Barcelona 1 – 2 April
Round 2: PORTUGAL – Montalegre 22 – 23 April
Round 3: GERMANY – Hockenheim 4 – 6 May
Round 4: BELGIUM – Mettet 13 – 14 May
Round 5: GREAT BRITAIN – Lydden Hill 27 – 28 May
Round 6: NORWAY – Hell 10 – 11 June
Round 7: SWEDEN – Holjes 1 – 2 July
Round 8: CANADA – Trois-Rivieres 5 – 6 August
Round 9: FRANCE – Loheac 2 – 3 September
Round 10: LATVIA – Riga 16 – 17 September
Round 11: GERMANY – Estering 30 September – 1 October
Round 12: SOUTH AFRICA – Cape Town 11 – 12 November
There are a few changes to the 2016 Calendar with Spain becoming the opening round in 2017 in an April double header with Portugal. Latvia will take place two weeks earlier next year whilst Buxtehude in Germany will once again form the penultimate round of the World Championship. This event will also take place two weeks earlier than it did this year.
World RX will have its annual double header weekend with the DTM for the third year in a row next year as both series bring their action packed racing to the legendary Hockenheim circuit for the first weekend in May, which sees the opening round for the Deutsche Touring Masters series. Argentina is replaced as the Season Finale by South Africa in 2017 as the series heads to Cape Town thanks to a recently announced three year deal.
EURO RX
2016 FIA European Rallycross Champion Kevin Hansen in the Peugeot-Hansen Academy 208 WRX. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX
The FIA European Rallycross Championship is once again split into three categories for Supercar, TouringCar and Super 1600. The Supercar Category will remain at five rounds with the premier class competing at Spain, Norway, Sweden, France and Latvia with the traditional opening round in Belgium replaced by a round at Loheac in France. The TouringCar competitors will compete in five rounds at Spain, Belgium, Great Britain, Norway, and Germany whilst the Super 1600 class will race at the following six rounds: Portugal, Belgium, Sweden, France, Latvia and Germany.
RX2
2016 RX Lites Champion Cyril Raymond in the newly re-named for 2017 RX2 Series. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX
The RX Lites Series has undergone a re-name for 2017 as this will now be called “RX2” where the series will compete in seven rounds next year, with two of those rounds taking place outside of Europe for the first time. The Calendar consists of Belgium, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Canada, France and South Africa.
The Final round of the 2016 FIA World Rallycross Championship takes place at the Rosario circuit in Argentina on 25-27 November.
