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The 2025 FIA Junior WRC calendar promises intense competition across diverse terrains but leaves out Africa's iconic Safari Rally, focusing instead on new European challenges that push young talents to their limits.
The FIA Junior WRC calendar for 2025 is set to test young rally talent across some of the world’s most iconic landscapes, yet once again, Africa’s legendary Safari Rally Kenya is notably absent from the lineup.
Unveiled on October 23, the upcoming season marks the return of Portugal’s gravel-fueled Vodafone Rally de Portugal and the debut of the Central European Rally, showcasing the FIA's focus on European stages and terrains.
Five high-octane rounds will make up the 2025 Junior WRC calendar, allowing competitors to race on snow, gravel, and tarmac in identical M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo cars.
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Despite calls to bring back the Safari Rally, known for its thrilling mix of wildlife and raw, untamed African landscape, the championship has maintained its European-centric agenda, leaving fans in Africa hopeful but empty-handed for another season.
FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager Maciej Woda shed light on the decision.
“2025 is shaping up to be another landmark year for the FIA Junior WRC. We’ve designed a calendar that will challenge our crews across a variety of terrains, from icy roads in Sweden to the searing heat of Greece and the changeable Tarmac of Austria, the Czech Republic, and Germany," he said.
While Woda highlighted the appeal of the new Central European Rally and the returning Portuguese leg, the Safari Rally’s absence was not addressed directly, despite being an integral part of WRC history and one of the world’s most unique rallying experiences.
The season kicks off from February 13-16 with Rally Sweden, where young crews will brave the winter snows and lightning-fast ice-covered routes of Umeå, taking on studded tires and mastering the rare challenge of rallying in frigid conditions.
From there, the championship travels south to Portugal from May 15-18, where fans can expect scorching competition amid the vibrant atmosphere that has made this rally legendary since its inception as a founding round of the WRC in 1973.
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Portugal’s sun-drenched, rocky stages have long been a favorite, and their return to the Junior WRC is widely anticipated.
Next, the 2025 Junior WRC heads to the punishing terrain of the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece from June 26-29.
Rally Finland will follow from July 31 to August 3, maintaining its high-speed, high-stakes reputation. Based in Jyväskylä, Finland’s gravel roads offer jumps and thrilling speeds that set it apart on the Junior WRC calendar.
Finally, the season will culminate with the new Central European Rally, a unique cross-border event held on Tarmac through Austria, the Czech Republic, and Germany.
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Safari Rally enthusiasts may feel that their event, with its iconic stature and unpredictable terrain, remains a missed opportunity for the Junior WRC, which would benefit from the variety and global appeal it brings.
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