Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper is confident the World Rally Championship could return to Ireland in August or September 2025.
Details emerged about Ireland's aspiration to secure a slot on the World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar in August this year, After MI President Harper wrote to every club urging them “to partake in the process" to locate a suitable area for the Rally HQ and service area required to host the event.
Aiden Harper provided an update on the potential return of the World Rally Championship to Ireland when he was asked by Killian Duffy (On The Pacenote) during the final stage of the Killarney Historic Rally yesterday.
"It is looking good, We are down to the final three locations in Ireland that are capable of hosting the service park, The service park is the nucleus of the whole WRC event. We had a very detailed program, And put it out to all the clubs regards the availability in their areas, We have the final rounds next Wednesday evening after the Motorsport Irelands award lunch, We will then be announcing where we will go"
"Obviously we are working very close to the government regards the issues of funding and once we are able to anchorage and say this is where we are going, We will get onto our local politicians and government representatives to start lobying. We are looking for a three year deal, We can deliver it, We have the people to do it, And we are very passionate about it. Once we get the funding we will deliver it in 2025"
"We are looking at August or September 2025, We want to stay away from the rain and everything else, Fingers crossed we will get the funding, We have the people to do it"
Ireland previously held WRC rounds in 2007 and 2009, and a prospective new event would mark the inaugural all-Irish competition.
On The Pacenote