New Safari Rally dates confirmed: Penned for June 24-27

Kenya's Carl Tundo in action in 2018. [File]

Safari Rally and Japan were both included in this year’s calendar but cancelled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, are also listed. Spain returns after a year’s absence.

The cancellation of this year’s Safari Rally Kenya, one of global motorsport’s legendary contests, means the WRC returns to Africa, the world’s second-largest continent by size, for the first time since 2002.

Croatia will also host a round of the FIA WRC for the first time after being named in the 2021 calendar last Friday.

Estonia is also included in the 12-round series after being called-up at short notice to host a widely-praised post-lockdown restart event in September. It was the Baltic state’s first WRC appearance, the WRC Promoter Jona Sibel said in a statement.

The season features nine European events and three outside Europe. It has been strategically designed to allow for a continued Covid-19 impact on international sport by scheduling the majority of rounds from June onwards.

Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, (centre) flags off the first car at the Laikipia county edition of the KCB Safari Rally in March.

The calendar was approved by the FIA, world motorsport’s governing body, and WRC Promoter managing director a Siebel said it would appeal to both competitors and WRC fans alike.  “The inclusion of Croatia to the WRC for the first time is an exciting new challenge to our fixture list and brings huge anticipation,” he added.

 “Estonia’s championship debut a few weeks ago proved a massive success, even more so given the short time available to the organisers to prepare the rally. It fully deserves to retain its slot for 2021.”

The season kicks-off with the traditional season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo in the French Alps. It will be followed by Rally Sweden, the series’ only pure winter fixture.

Croatia forms the third round and will be held on 22 - 25 April. It is the opening pure asphalt encounter and will be based in capital city Zagreb.  Portugal’s late-May fixture is the first of three hot weather gravel rounds.