German World RX postponed as Nürburgring assists disaster relief effort

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

The second and third rounds of the FIA World Rallycross Championship set to be held at the Nürburgring next week have been postponed due to the ongoing effects of the widespread recent flooding in the region.

The World Championship will get underway in Barcelona this weekend, followed by the Nürburgring, which was set to follow a week later, on 31 July - 1 August. However, the wide-ranging recent floods in Germany has 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 rescheduled doubleheader will now act as the 2021 season finale over the weekend of 27-28 November. Existing tickets will remain valid for the new date.

"Everybody has seen the pictures of the devastating recent flooding in Germany, and whilst the Nürburgring itself has thankfully been largely spared by this natural disaster, the same cannot, unfortunately, be said for the surrounding area," Arne Dirks, Executive Director, Rallycross Promoter GmbH, said. "It is important to remember that there are far more important matters at stake here than rallycross, and we must pay immense tribute to the event organisers, who have worked night and day to help the humanitarian efforts."

"At the same time, they have collaborated very closely with us as the World Championship promoter and the FIA to find a solution to reschedule the event, and we are very much looking forward to going to this legendary venue later in the year for what promises to be a pulsating season finale – with the World Rallycross Champion set to be crowned at one of motorsport’s most iconic venues."

This means World RX of Sweden at Höljes will now become round two of the current campaign on 20-22 August.