Tag: Motor sport

4Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Calendars, Events

2026 FIA World Rally Championship calendar: 14 rounds confirmed 

The FIA and WRC Promoter have unveiled the calendar for the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), confirming 14 rounds across four continents. The season begins at Rallye Monte-Carlo from 22-25 January 2026, with crews tackling France’s icy alpine roads in one of rallying’s most iconic settings. A spectacular street stage in downtown Monte Carlo on Saturday evening adds extra drama and glamour to an already demanding weekend. It’s the start of a calendar that blends snow, gravel and asphalt events – including returning rounds in the Canary Islands and Paraguay following their introductions in 2025 – before culminating in the desert terrain of Saudi Arabia from 11-14 November 2026. Notably, the opening half of the year brings a welcome mix of surfaces. Asphalt rallies in Croatia, ...

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12Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Bucket List, Holidays & Trips

Sports travel bucket list: two ‘road to Monaco’ supercar tours 

Here’s something special for the car and racing fans among us – supercar driving tours in Europe to add your travel bucket lists. Ultimate Driving Tours has unveiled two new exclusive supercar journeys that finish at the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, one of the marquee events on global motor sport calendar.  Combining luxury hospitality with exploration of European landscapes, the curated "road to Monaco" itineraries – the European Supercar Tour and the Le Grand Tour Provence – enable guests to traverse the continent’s most picturesque roads over 10 or seven nights while enjoying the finest five-star hotels, exquisite fine-dining, and experiential surprises throughout.  Both tours conclude in the high-adrenaline atmosphere of Monte Carlo for a no-expenses spared, all-encompassing exp...

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24Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

FIA European Rally Championship: new event in Spain on 2025 calendar

A new event in Spain and the return of Croatia Rally and 81st Rally Poland are among the highlights of the 2025 FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) calendar, which has been approved following an electronic vote by FIA World Motor Sport Council members. Revving into action with the all-asphalt 42nd Rally Sierra Morena - Córdoba Patrimonio de la Humanidad in Andalusia from 4-6 April, the 2025 ERC schedule features eight events, including five on asphalt and three on gravel, spread from April to October. After hosting the season opener this year, V-Híd Rally Hungary provides the first gravel action of the campaign from 9-11 May, followed by the BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia in Sweden (29-31 May), a second consecutive loose-surface event. 81st Rally Poland completes the ERC’s tri...

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13Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

FIA World Rally Championship: Croatia returns in 2026 and 2027

Croatia will return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2026 and 2027, following the signing of a three-year agreement that will also see the country host an FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) round in 2025.  The agreement reaffirms the commitment that started when Croatia first joined the WRC in 2021 and underscores the country's ongoing role as a key destination for world-class motorsport events.  The contract was announced by Simon Larkin, senior director of events for WRC Promoter GmbH, and Daniel Šaškin, president of the Croatia Rally Organising Committee, in the presence of Croatia’s Ministry of Sports and Tourism State Secretary, Josip Pavić, and Croatian Automobile and Karting Federation president, Robert Markt.  Since debuting in the WRC in 2021, Cro...

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30Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

‘Celebration of Speed’ returns to Lympstone Manor in July 2024

Lympstone Manor, a luxury manor house hotel in the English county of Devon, will host its annual Celebration of Speed on Wednesday 10 July 2024. The one-day summer festival commemorates Michelin-starred chef-owner Michael Caines’ love of motorsport with a line-up including panel discussions with TV presenter and racing driver, Jodie Kidd, and TV presenter and motor specialist, Ant Anstead. As the evening draws in, Lympstone Manor transforms for a “Party in the Paddock”, with a musical line-up including rock sensations The Feeling and DJ Gok Wan.  The 28-acre grounds will transform as it welcomes an exclusive collection of supercars, and motorbikes, offering guests unrivalled access to some of the most desired and exciting brands in motorsport including Lamborghini, McLaren, Ferrari, an...

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18Jun By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Travel

Sebastian Vettel is confirmed for the Red Bull Formula Nürburgring event

A decade after his inaugural Formula 1 Grand Prix triumph at the Nürburgring in his car dubbed "Hungry Heidi", four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has announced that he will return to the legendary circuit on 9 September for the Red Bull Formula Nürburgring event.  Joining the ranks of high-calibre racers like GP winner and Red Bull Racing test driver Daniel Ricciardo, Vettel is set to navigate the formidable Nordschleife in his championship car, the RB7, now refitted to run on synthetic, carbon-neutral e-fuel. This September, the Red Bull Formula Nürburgring will feature motorsport legends and an expected crowd of 30,000 spectators amidst the Eifel’s scenic vistas. One of the event’s highlights will be Vettel's demonstration run, symbolising his commitment to the sport and it...

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15Jun By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Business, Sports Travel

2023 WRC Guanajuato Rally México generates €35.6m economic impact 

The Guanajuato Rally México, round three of the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship, had a significant economic impact for the host state. According to Juan José Álvarez Brunel, Guanajuato’s secretary of tourism, the event from 16-19 March 2023 directly and indirectly contributed 695m pesos (€35.6m) to the region, specifically to the three cities of León, Guanajuato and Silao, around which the Guanajuato Rally México was based.  Close to 600,000 fans enjoyed the WRC’s first return to North America since the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to a 61% hotel occupancy in the state. Guanajuato Rally México offered six major spectator venues, starting with the spectacular rally-opening Guanajuato Street Stage on Thursday evening, where fans packed into every viewing vantage point possible inside the...

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26May By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Travel

Event in focus: 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary

The French department of Sarthe is gearing up to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans race, which takes place from 10-11 June 2023 (4pm to 4pm) at the Circuit de la Sarthe.  First run in 1923, the endurance race is part of the “triple crown” of motor sport – alongside the Indianapolis 500 and F1 Monaco Grand Prix. Expect an epic battle between Toyota, Ferrari (back in the top-tier category after a 40-year hiatus), Porsche (record holder for the most Le Mans wins), Peugeot and Cadillac.  To mark the centenary, the 24 Hours Museum on the circuit is hosting a special exhibition (1 June-2 July) of 86 cars that have either won the race or left a mark on its history.  Event organisers have also announced that after record sales, all ticket...

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21May By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Business, Sports Travel

F1 FanZone added to 2023 Silverstone Festival line-up

An all-new F1 FanZone will a major highlight at this summer’s Silverstone Festival. This year marks the 75th anniversary of motorsport at the circuit in England, and celebrations over the 25-27 August bank holiday weekend will be enhanced by the addition of this exciting feature which builds on the highly popular modern Formula 1 content that was introduced for the first time at the event last year. Reliving all the excitement of the British Grand Prix that takes place from 7-9 July, the F1 FanZone at Silverstone Festival will provide visitors with the opportunity to get up close to see a grid of current grand prix cars. Formula 1 teams already confirmed for the showcase include Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant, BWT Alpine, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS, Oracle Red Bull Racing and Willia...

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8Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Guides, Sports Travel

Event in focus: Motor Valley Fest 2023 in Emilia Romagna, Italy

Emilia Romagna’s Motor Valley Fest returns from 11-14 May 2023 for a celebration of Italy’s rich automotive and motor racing history. The four-day festival takes place in the heart of the northern Italian region’s “Motor Valley” – spread across the Unesco-city of Modena and surrounding areas – and will feature a wide range of activities, events and test drives. Highlights include the re-opening of the Automobili Lamborghini Museum in Sant’Agata Bolognese (Bologna), as well as live music, food and entertainment throughout. Long regarded as the “Motor Valley” due to its important contribution to Italy's motor industry, Emilia Romagna is home to celebrated names such as Ferrari, Maserati, Pagani, Dallara, Ducati and Lamborghini; there is no other place in the world with such a rich motor ...

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31May By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Guides, Sports Travel

2023 BTCC calendar unveiled: Donington Park GP makes return

The 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTTC) calendar has been announced by series organisers TOCA. After completing just three events of the 2022 campaign so far, the motorsport series has already locked down its dates for next year, with a return to the Donington Park GP circuit arguably producing the most significant headline. Next season commences on the Donington Park National circuit in late April, before the Brands Hatch Indy circuit event in May, and an earlier-than-usual slot for Snetterton.  The summer months are occupied by trips to Thruxton, Oulton Park, Croft and Knockhill, before the return to the Donington Park Grand Prix circuit – for the first time in more than 20 years – takes place in late August As is often the case, the campaign concludes...

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25Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Travel

2021 FIA World Rallycross calendar: Nürburgring moved to season finale

Rallycross Promoter GmbH has confirmed that the World RX of Germany at the Nürburgring - scheduled to be the second and third rounds of the 2021 FIA World Rallycross Championship - will be postponed to the end of the season due to the ongoing effects of the widespread recent flooding in the region. The World Championship campaign gets under way in Barcelona from 23-24 July, and the Nürburgring - a new addition to the series’ calendar - had been due to welcome the headlining World RX battle and all-electric FIA RX2e Championship a week later, 31 July to 1 August. The wide-ranging recent floods in Germany have forced the postponement of the event, with the Nürburgring having become a focal point of the rescue and recovery efforts as a collection and distribution centre. The reschedule...

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28Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

World Rally Championship: Acropolis Rally Greece added to 2021 WRC calendar

Greece will return to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) for the first time in eight years after the fabled Acropolis Rally Greece was added to the 2021 calendar. The gruelling gravel road event forged a reputation as one of the WRC’s iconic fixtures after joining the inaugural season in 1973, and WRC Promoter has finalised a multi-year agreement with the Greek government for the Acropolis to return. It will form round ten of the 2021 season on 9-12 September, replacing Copec Rally Chile which has been cancelled due to continued travel and other governmental restrictions amid the pandemic. The Acropolis was first held in 1951. It became regarded as one of the WRC’s toughest rounds, as twisty and rocky mountain roads combined with intense heat and choking dust to provide a fie...

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21Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

British Rally Championship 2021 season to start at Oulton Park Circuit

The iconic Oulton Park Circuit in Cheshire will provide the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship with a history-making opening round of the 2021 season as the series commences with the Neil Howard Stages in association with Graham Coffey & Co. Solicitors on 31 May. Despite announcing its six-round calendar of events recently, British Rally Championship organisers have since been offered the opportunity to open the season at the Cheshire circuit in May, bringing an additional asphalt event to the schedule. The impressive circuit played host to the opening special stage of Wales Rally GB in 2019 which provided a unique and challenging backdrop for the best rally drivers in the world. That setting will now provide the starting point for the BRC elite in what is sure to be a ...

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1May By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Business

Scottish Highlands up first on Rally the Globe’s updated events calendar 

Rally the Globe, a not-for-profit members’ club for owners of pre-1976 vintage and classic cars, has announced a revised events calendar for 2020, 2021 and 2022. With the coronavirus causing major travel restrictions, many of the club’s events – including the Round the World circumnavigation – have had to be cancelled.  Anticipating the likelihood of international travel regulations being gradually relaxed, the amended calendar commences this autumn with the first of two events set entirely in the UK. First up on the revised schedule – government advice permitting – is the spectacular Highland Thistle Rally in the Scottish Highlands from 4-9 October. The rally will begin and finish at a five-star hotel in St Andrews and the five-day route is open to all pre-1977 models. The second UK-b...

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28Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Guides, Sports Business

British Touring Car Championship: revised 2020 provisional calendar announced

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTTC) series organisers TOCA has published a revised provisional calendar for 2020.  This year’s championship will feature nine events and a total of 27 races. The 2020 season is now scheduled to start on 1-2 August at Donington Park and will conclude at Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit on 14-15 November. Newsletter: sign up for updates from Sports Tourism Media Alan Gow, BTCC chief executive, said: “These are incredibly challenging times for the whole nation. Through it all, we have seen the importance of being both adaptable and pragmatic… and the BTCC is no different. So it’s entirely logical to draft plans and lock-in our provisional dates, with the ability to amend those if circumstances dictate.  “Obviously this calendar presents a hectic...

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13Feb By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

Silverstone Classic 2020: ‘greatest hits’ race card to mark 30th anniversary

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in style, this summer’s Silverstone Classic will feature a spectacular “greatest hits” showcase of retro races.  Harking back to when Silverstone hosted the UK’s first-ever race meeting dedicated entirely to historic racing - a trend-setting milestone in motor sport history - no fewer than five of the grids for 2020 actually featured on the original 1990 race card.  Thirty years ago the two-day festival - staged, as today, two weeks after the Formula 1 British Grand Prix - presented a wide-ranging 12-race programme including showdowns for historic Grand Prix cars, 50s sports cars, historic Formula Junior, SuperSports as well as round 4 of the FIA European Challenge for Historical Touring Cars. Iconic races and cars on show This year’s Classic includes ...

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9Feb By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Venues & Stadiums

New Porsche Experience Centre to open in 2021 in Franciacorta, Italy

German sports car manufacturer Porsche has announced that a new Porsche Experience Centre (PEC) will be built in Franciacorta, Italy.  After openings in Leipzig, Silverstone, Atlanta, Le Mans, Los Angeles, Shanghai and the Hockenheimring, the PEC Franciacorta will be the company’s eighth in total.  Covering an area of around 60 hectares, the modern facility is being constructed at the Autodromo di Franciacorta racetrack in the centre of northern Italy.  Porsche Italia is investing more than €26m (£22m) in the destination and it’s expected that it will be ready after a massive refurbishment at the beginning of 2021.  State-of-the-art and spacious, the PEC will feature a multi-purpose 2,400sqft area crossed by an impressive suspension bridge. A restaurant and the terrace overlooking the ...

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20Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

Le Mans Classic 2020: relive Le Mans ’66 with Grandstand Motor Sports travel packages

Fans inspired by the new Le Mans ’66 film starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale have the chance to witness the same on-track battles at the Le Mans Classic in July 2020. The four-day event is one of the biggest in historic racing and features cars that took part in the famous Le Mans endurance race between 1923 and 1981.  Next year will be the tenth running of the biennial event, which has become one of the most popular classic car gatherings in Europe. Motor sport travel specialist Grandstand Motor Sports is offering three- and four-night travel packages to the Le Mans Classic. The event will be held from 2-5 July 2020. Grandstand’s Le Mans Classic self-drive packages include:  Three or four nights' accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis in a choice of hotels, guesthouses an...

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11Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Guides

2020 British Rally Championship to have six rounds in six countries

The 2020 calendar has been announced for the British Rally Championship (BRC) with six rounds taking place in six countries.  Next year Britain’s premier rallying series will see events held across the UK in Wales, England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The series will once again visit Belgium for the Ypres Rally and also head to Ireland for the West Cork Rally. Iain Campbell, the BRC championship manager, said: “Plans are well underway for the 2020 championship season.  “The announcement of the calendar shows our commitment to providing the best all round package for events for our competitors and spectators. We have a mix of short, sharp one-day shootouts to longer, tougher international events.  “Our calendar allows competitors to compete on some iconic stages against some of the b...

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