Why the WRC should bring Rally Australia back to Perth

1 . Perth has rich rallying history 
Perth hosted Rally Australia from 1988 to 2006 with the city still hosting the fabled nearly every year since 2005, Tarmac West rally.

2. It was repeatedly voted one of the world's best rallies 
Four-time champion, Juha Kankkunen who won the rally 4 times, has said that the Langley Park stage being his favourite stage he’s ever driven on in addition to Australia’s fan atmosphere. Not only was it loved by drivers but also fans being voted Rally of the Year in 1995, 1999, and 2000

3. Western Australia provides spectacular rally terrain 
The region around Perth has fast gravel roads with forest trees closely lining the roads with massive natural jumps with water crossings all through flowing stages. The historic rally used areas southeast of Perth, including the famous Bunnings jumps. In recent times, the rally was held over east in places like Coffs Harbour; although the roads seam similar, they couldn’t be more different with Perth hosting the smooth, loose, fast, tight gravel stages while the east hosting twisty gravel stages. This all made for unusual grip levels not only between stages but on a single stage, the grip could feel anything from driving on asphalt to surviving on snow.

4. Perth is an international city with a spectacular backdrop 
If Perth were to be brought back, the series could host another Super Special Stages on the river front just like what Perth innovated with in the early 90’s with the Langley Park head-to-head stage or in its later life, the Gloucester Park head-to-head stage. Both locations have unimaginable history with the inner Perth area hosting the red bull air races, some of Perth’s first horse races, and the host of many famous events.

5. It generates international exposure for Western Australia 
The WA Government itself highlighted the worldwide media attention generated by Rally Australia and its economic impact. In 2000, the government stated the event had an economic impact of more than $23 million. A WRC round gives Western Australia something relatively rare: a major international sporting event that can be packaged alongside tourism in not only Perth but the rest of the state.

6. It has an enormous nostalgic following 
Perth is remembered by an entire generation of Australian rally fans. Bringing it back wouldn't be creating a new event from scratch; it would be reviving an established piece of Australian motorsport history with guarantied spectators arriving. Even the FIA describes Perth as the former home of Australia's WRC event.

7. An event famous for innovation 
Rally Australia experimented with quick fire stages, centralised service areas and different event formats. Perth was the first ever event to have a Super Special Stage at Richmond raceway in 1989. That next year it was moved to Langley Park on the front of the swan river, that stage would become host to some of the most memorable moments in rally history. With for the first time in history, it put cars side by side, head-to-head, first to cross the line wins. That Super Special Stage format would become a fan favourite for future rally events with it becoming a must have stage of nearly every WRC event. Fans on grandstands meters away from the action seeing the whole stage. Bringing the Rally back would mean that the home of the super special stage can remake those nostalgic memories of head-to-head cars.

8. Perth has changed dramatically since 2006 
Perth has massively changed since 2006. The city, population, infrastructure, tourism industry and surrounding regions have all developed substantially. A modern WRC event would put a much greater emphasis on spectator accessibility, television presentation, digital media and compact event formats. Ironically, many of the ideas Perth pioneered decades ago fit extremely well with what modern WRC wants.

(An early draft of a promotional poster)

And make sure to use the hashtag

#RallyBackToPerth