WRC
‘We will never change rallying’s DNA’: Boullier outlines WRC vision
From protecting rallying’s DNA to reshaping its media platform and creating new fan experiences, the leadership behind WRC’s new era has outlined its priorities for the championship’s future.
Rallying’s DNA will remain untouched - but the way fans watch, follow and experience the FIA World Rally Championship is set to evolve.
That was one of the clearest messages from a special press conference at ueno Rally del Paraguay on Saturday, where FIA President H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem formally introduced Cosmobilis as part of the new ownership of WRC Promoter following its acquisition alongside Park Square Capital.
Ben Sulayem was joined by Cosmobilis Chairman and CEO Jean-Louis Mosca and newly appointed WRC Promoter CEO Éric Boullier as the trio outlined their shared vision for the championship’s next chapter.
Here are the key takeaways.
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What will remain the same?
For Boullier, one principle sits above everything else.
“We will never, ever change the DNA of rallying,” he stressed. “We can reassure everybody - all of the stakeholders in the sport, and the fans first - that we will never, ever change the DNA.”
So where does WRC need to evolve?
One major focus will be how the championship reaches audiences beyond its established fanbase.
“We need to bring in more digital,” Boullier explained. “We need to be more present on social media. We need to be able to capture a new audience in the future, not only the hardcore audience.
“By doing this, we will make them want to come and attend rallies in the future.”
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Could the experience of attending a rally change too?
Yes - and Boullier offered an early glimpse of how.
While stressing that the traditional rally format will largely remain, he identified Saturday evenings and Sundays as areas where events could become more accessible and entertaining.
“What we want to change is Saturday night,” he said. “We want to make it more of an entertainment platform, a festival.
“Then we can bring everybody into the service park. We are going to rename it the ‘WRC Arena’, because we want it to be a place to be.
“We want people to be there, to enjoy the place and enjoy the rally.”
Boullier also pointed to the use of a single repeated stage on Sunday, as we saw this year in Estonia and Finland, as one concept which could make it easier to concentrate spectators, improve access and showcase the cars to a wider audience.
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What does Cosmobilis see in WRC?
For Mosca, the acquisition goes beyond investing in a sporting property.
“With the WRC and ERC, we have a long-term plan for both industry and media growth,” he explained, identifying “experience, brands and sustainability” as three central pillars.
“We want to build an international platform where manufacturers, partners, media, technology and fans come together.
“Above all, this marks the beginning of a new era for the WRC and ERC.”
The ultimate ambition, Mosca added, is to make WRC “a global benchmark for motorsport,” while creating sustainable growth across its wider ecosystem.
How important is the relationship between the FIA and WRC Promoter?
H.E Ben Sulayem repeatedly described the new arrangement not simply as a promoter relationship, but as a partnership.
“We need clarity. We need to work together, not have the FIA on one side and the promoter on the other side. It doesn’t work,” he said.
“It is about listening to the teams, listening to the drivers, listening to the fans and listening to the media.”
That closer co-operation, he believes, will be crucial as WRC enters a period encompassing new technical regulations, greater investment and efforts to attract additional manufacturers.
“No one is doing things alone,” he added.
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And what could it mean for the WRC calendar?
Demand for calendar slots, Boullier says, is not in short supply.
“We have a long list of requests,” he revealed. “Everybody wants to know: ‘Can we discuss? Can we make a deal? Can we be part of the calendar?’”
But expansion or change will have to balance ambition against the demands placed on competitors.
“There are logistical considerations and financial considerations for the teams,” Boullier said. “There is also a sustainability consideration, which for us is very important.
“If there is a good opportunity for the future of the WRC, it will receive very serious consideration.”
For H.E Ben Sulayem, the message was similarly clear: the championship is prepared to explore opportunities, but within practical limits.
“We are looking at the whole calendar,” he said. “We are open to looking into every single rally that wants to come in.”
The direction, he insists, is straightforward.
“A new era and a new challenge are starting for us.”
