WRC Rally Islas Canarias
WRC fan experience to be improved via service park changes
Plans to improve the WRC fan and team experience in service parks will begin this year
Tom Howard
Published: May 7, 2025, 10:38 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Fans
Photo by: M-Sport
World Rally Championship service parks will undergo changes to infrastructure this year with further improvements expected in 2026.
Improving the current service park model has emerged as the next target for the WRC's promotional plan, with a view to enhancing both the fan and team experiences at events.
This time last year the WRC released its promotions strategy to stakeholders, headlined by its wish to take the championship to the USA in 2026. Earlier this month the championship revealed it had a contract in place to achieve its goal of hosting a round in North America through an event in Tennessee next year, subject to approval by the FIA and the USA’s motorsport authority.
It has also made progress in delivering more data and team radio to its television broadcast to help improve the storytelling of rallies through its ‘command centre’, which is expected to unveil further developments at Rally Portugal next month.
Now the WRC is focusing on improving its service park experience, with proposals currently being evaluated by the board.
Last May the championship stated that “WRC Promoter will aim to increase attendance at WRC events through developing the on-site fan experience”, which followed a push from the FIA last year to allow event organisers more freedom when it comes to organising event service parks.
Details regarding the exact changes to infrastructure for this season remain unclear at this stage, but they will be focused on improving the experience for spectators.
Service park
Photo by: M-Sport
"We are ticking things off and Rally USA was a pinnacle part of that and things like the data centre," said WRC event director Simon Larkin. “The service park is our next target and we have some internal proposals for our board at the moment and we start to see those changes in the second half of the season.
“There will be a consistent approach to infrastructure, promotion and activations in the service park.
“We have already said it will be x number of events in Europe this year stepping through to all events next year. This is about WRC Promoter investing into the event experience.”
Read Also:
WRCRally Portugal set to feature record-equaling WRC Rally1 line-up
WRCChanges to FIA's swearing sanctions under consideration, says Ben Sulayem
There are also plans to save teams money with the implementation of universal service park structures for long-haul events. It is understood this will come into force at this year’s season finale in Saudi Arabia, with the roll-out expected to continue in 2026.
“Next year it will be for [long haul] and that includes the single supplier of structures which we tested at the Central European Rally last year, and that is rolling out toward the end of this year and then with consistency for next year,” Larkin added.
“This is part of the expansion of the calendar and the reason to have a single supplier is the teams can spend far less in investing in a second set of sea freight if they have to spend half as much.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Rally Portugal set to feature record-equaling WRC Rally1 line-up
Next article Exclusive: Carlos Sainz Sr considering run for FIA president
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Tom Howard
Josh McErlean to test 2027-spec M-Sport WRC car at ERC finale
WRC
WRC
Josh McErlean to test 2027-spec M-Sport WRC car at ERC finale
Jon Armstrong announces WRC co-driver split for 2027
WRC
WRC
Jon Armstrong announces WRC co-driver split for 2027
Latest news
Lamborghini World Finals | AM-LC Race 1: An unstoppable Lewandowski dominates to win Race 1
Lamborghini Super Trofeo
LBST Lamborghini Super Trofeo
World Finals - Monza 2026
13 min
Lamborghini World Finals | AM-LC Race 1: An unstoppable Lewandowski dominates to win Race 1
Why Cadillac F1 boss provoked fresh intrigue by dodging driver question
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
Why Cadillac F1 boss provoked fresh intrigue by dodging driver question
Lamborghini World Finals | PRO-PRO/AM Qualifying: Pole position for Lind, Bamber, Van der Drift and Marcelli
Lamborghini Super Trofeo
LBST Lamborghini Super Trofeo
World Finals - Monza 2026
1 h
Lamborghini World Finals | PRO-PRO/AM Qualifying: Pole position for Lind, Bamber, Van der Drift and Marcelli
Jorge Martin's endless ordeal since signing for Aprilia
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Jorge Martin's endless ordeal since signing for Aprilia
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe