Following approval by the World Motor Sport Council, a series of revisions to the regulations governing the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship have been introduced. The updates refine event formats, streamline operational procedures and establish a new Rally-Raid Masters Drivers Championship. These changes will form part of the 2026 FIA W2RC Sporting Regulations, governing the top level of off-road competition for the 2026 season.

The following is a summary of the updates approved by the World Motor Sport Council.

New W2RC Masters championship Approved by the World Motor Sport Council

The World Motor Sport Council has approved the creation of a new FIA Rally-Raid Championship for Master Drivers, establishing a dedicated title for competitors aged over 50. Eligibility is limited to Silver drivers, with FIA Platinum and Gold drivers excluded.

The new championship is intended to give independent drivers a meaningful competitive objective as the overall level of competition within the category continues to intensify.

Prologue Format Update Approved

The World Motor Sport Council has approved changes to the use of Prologues in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, limiting them to the opening round of the season. From the second event onward, the starting order for Stage 1 will be based on the current Championship standings.

This adjustment reduces time pressure on one-week rally-raids, where the Prologue offers limited sporting value, and eases operational demands for organisers and competitors.

While the Prologue is no longer used on Championship rounds beyond the opener, it remains mandatory for all events in the World and Regional Baja Cups.

Power Selective Section Removed

The World Motor Sport Council has approved the removal of the Power Selective Section from World Rally-Raid Championship events. The decision follows experience from the 2025 season, which showed that the format created operational challenges for organisers and officials without delivering the intended live broadcast benefit. The change will streamline event operations and create a more efficient running of future Championship rounds.

2026 FIA World and Regional Baja Cups registrations open

The World Motor Sport Council has approved the 2026 calendars for the FIA World, European and Middle East Baja Cups. Registrations for the Cups are now open on https://registrations.fia.com/bajas. Drivers from World and European Cup will choose six events out of eight on which they will score points, while all four events of the Middle East will count for the standings. The calendars are set as follows:

Other amendments to the Sporting and Technical Regulations governing the cups, recently discussed by the W2RC and Cross-Country Rally Commissions, will be proposed to the World Motor Sport Council on 10 December.