With Australia confirmed, it would seem highly unlikely that New Zealand would get one of those places, which is a crying shame.Australia can consider itself lucky, despite the FIA sticking to their guns by giving New Zealand a one-off WRC round in 2020, before handing it back to Australia the following year. For sure, New Zealand have been incredibly unlucky because of the COVID-19 crisis, and if you were keeping things even in the school yard, then NZ would be given that slot in 2021, with Australia being told to wait until every child had their turn.
Rally Australia ran in Coffs Harbour on seven occasions, the first time in 2011. Photo: Peter Whitten
It's logical, but perhaps not entirely fair on all parties.Like it or not, it's a problem that Coronavirus is solely to blame for, and one which neither Rally Australia or Rally New Zealand had any say it. That the FIA and the WRC Promoter have taken the stance they have is unfortunate. In a two-horse race there'll always be one winner and one loser. In this case, Australia has won it by a full World Rally Car length.
2021 WRC events confirmed:
| Monte Carlo 1 | Tarmac | |
| Finland | Gravel | |
| Portugal | Gravel | |
| Sweden | Snow | WMSC confirmed in 2019 |
| Kenya | Gravel | WMSC confirmed in 2019 |
| Spain | Tarmac | WMSC confirmed in 2019 1 |
| Italy | Gravel | WMSC confirmed in 2019 |
| Japan | Tarmac | WMSC confirmed in 2019 |
| Australia 2 | Gravel | WMSC confirmed in 2019 1 |
1. Subject to Event Promoter Agreement
2. New location, same organiser
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