Sardinia is preparing to host the FIA World Rally Championship for the 23rd time. The Italian round of the world championship, organized by the Automobile Club of Italy with the support of the Region, is changing dates: no longer traditionally held in early June, but in 2026, it will be the penultimate round of the championship (and the last in Europe) from October 1 to 4. The return to Sardinia at such a late stage of the season enhances the sporting value of the event, which could prove decisive in the race for the world title like never before. Only three times previously, in 2004, 2012, and 2020, has it been held in the fall.
A location steeped in Italian rallying tradition, it will offer a particularly picturesque autumn landscape, as well as more challenging technical conditions, with a greater likelihood of variable weather and treacherous terrain. Next year, Alghero will host the Rally's headquarters. This will be a special occasion, as it will be the tenth time the Catalan city has served as its headquarters, a tradition that began in 2014 and will alternate with the city of Olbia starting in 2021.
The return to the Riviera del Corallo will also involve an adaptation of the route, maintaining the passage on the most characteristic stretches, to meet the logistical needs of the service park, which will return as usual in front of the Lungomare Barcellona.
