Central European Rally 2025: Spectacular, compact, attractive

• CER organisers are already working on the first innovations for the 2025 WRC event

• In particular, the liaison stages are to be significantly shortened next year

• FIA Junior WRC drivers will be part of the Central European Rally for the first time

The Central European Rally is planning a more compact, fan-friendly format for its third edition from 16 to 19 October 2025.

The dust on the special stages of the Central European Rally 2024 has barely settled, and already the planning for next year's event in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic is in full swing. From 16 to 19 October 2025, the world's best rally drivers will once again be guests in the heart of Europe. The hub of the event will once again be the service park at the exhibition centre in Passau, where the rally will return after this year's guest appearance in Bad Griesbach. However, the rally management will continue to use the excellent infrastructure at the thermal spa hotels in the town of Bad Griesbach. Compared to the first two editions of this globally unique rally in a three-country format, the event will be significantly streamlined by shortening the connecting stages. 

The service park in Passau will be the centre of the rally next year, from where the WRC stars will take on stages in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.

‘This is primarily in response to the wishes of the drivers and teams, but also of the spectators, for a more compact event,’ explains Tomáš Kunc, one of the managing directors of CER Event GmbH. "The different characteristics of the stages in the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria are popular with drivers, teams and spectators alike and should be retained in a more compact format. We are intensively discussing and working on the format for Thursday's ceremonial start and the super special stage in Prague," added Kunc. “We are in close contact with the WRC promoter, who is supporting us in shortening the overall length of the rally,” says Andreas Bachmeier, also a CER managing director. ’The event format on Thursday is just as much the focus of our considerations as the possible merger of the two award ceremonies to date into a single, television-friendly format. What is already certain is that, in addition to the Passauer Land, there will also be attractive routes in the Freyung-Grafenau district again."

When planning the 2025 WRC round, the organisers are taking on board a lot of feedback from participants and fans and are in close consultation with the WRC organisers and municipal and local decision-makers.

A compact event concept should also attract more participants. “Fewer total kilometres and fewer hotel nights: fewer costs,” is the formula that private rally teams in particular should take positively. And of course the spectators, for whom there is already great news, will also be pleased about additional rally participants. The WRC promoter recently announced the calendar for the Junior WRC, the final of which will take place during the Central European Rally in 2025. This means that not only the top stars of the rally scene, but also the best young drivers in the world will be competing in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. One of them will be the female driver who, after the ‘Beyond Rally’ selection process at the Central European Rally this year, is nominated to take part in the Junior WRC. The German Claire Schönborn has a good chance of being selected. At the same time, drivers and teams from the three participating countries should also receive special support to take part in the CER. The organisers are already in initial talks with the participating associations.

The ticketing system is also being scrutinised as part of the improvement measures. In order to significantly improve the service for fans and visitors, there will be a digital option in addition to the option of receiving tickets by post or purchasing them at regional advance sales outlets. This change should not only make it easier to access tickets again, but also enable spectators to be checked smoothly on site. The organisers also want to improve the spectator guidance system. In the second year of the Central European Rally, there were significantly fewer traffic jams and a fundamental improvement in access to the special stages. Shuttle buses were used in some cases, which not only reduced traffic congestion but also reduced the carbon footprint of the entire event. The ADAC commuter network app, which encourages carpooling, also contributed to this.