The World Rally Championship (WRC) will return to UK soil at the end of next summer after Rally Scotland confirmed the much-anticipated event will start on September 28.
The new Rally will give British fans the chance to cheer on a home-grown champion for the first time in more than 25 years, after Elfyn Evans took the title at last week’s Rally Italia Sardegna.
Hugh Chambers, CEO of Motorsport UK, said: “Elfyn Evans becoming Britain’s first WRC Drivers’ World Champion in 25 years gives the championship’s return to the UK even greater significance, and gives fans another reason to look forward to Rally Scotland in 2027.
“This is an exciting milestone. With the dates confirmed, fans, teams and everyone involved in Rally Scotland have a clear target: 28 September 2027 in Aberdeen.
“Over six days, culminating on 3 October, the WRC action will be back in the UK, attracting a global audience to the best of Scottish gravel roads. There is a huge amount of work ahead, but this is another important step in making Rally Scotland a reality.”
Five days of action
The opening two days will see drivers and co-drivers recce the route at controlled speeds, to make and refine their pace notes. This will be followed by a full-pace shakedown on Thursday September 30, giving crews a final chance to assess car set-up.
The competitive action will get under way on the Thursday evening and stages will then run from Friday to Sunday, with the world’s leading rally crews tackling a series of competitive legs around the region.
The event will be headquartered in Aberdeen, with Rally HQ and the Service Park based at The Event Complex Aberdeen. Much of the action, however, will take place on closed forest gravel roads across north-east Scotland – the perfect place to watch a Rally car.
Scottish spectacle
The event is set to showcase some of Scotland’s best Rally stages – many of which will be familiar to those who currently compete in Rallying or have participated in British national rallying events in the past.
Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, Stephen Flynn, said: “This event will showcase to a global audience what Scotland has to offer and will attract thousands of visitors, teams, and fans from around the world.
“Scotland has a strong track record of delivering major events, and with the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Tour de France Grand Départ and The Open in 2027, and UEFA EURO 2028, we are building on that reputation. This adds another major event to that list.”
Today’s date confirmation follows the BBC’s recently announced three-year WRC broadcast agreement, bringing live coverage of every championship round to UK audiences from next year – including extensive live coverage of Rally Scotland.
Find out more about Rally Scotland and sign up for future ticket information here.