Porto Cervo Racing announces the cancellation of the 2026 Rally Terra Sarda
The 2026 edition of the Rally Terra Sarda, scheduled from 9 to 11 October on the roads of the Province of Olbia-Tempio
and valid for the TER Series and the Zone 10 Rally Cup, will not take place
The 2026 edition of the Rally Terra Sarda, scheduled from 9 to 11 October on the roads of the Province of Olbia-Tempio and valid for the TER Series and the Zone 10 Rally Cup, will not take place.
Arzachena (OT), 7 July 2026 – Porto Cervo Racing announces the cancellation of the 2026 edition of the Rally Terra Sarda, scheduled from 9 to 11 October on the roads of the Province of Olbia-Tempio. The event, included in the TER Series and Zone 10 Rally Cup calendars, will not be held following a decision taken with great responsibility by the board of the organising association.
This is a particularly painful choice, made not because of a lack of passion, enthusiasm or organisational ability — qualities that have enabled the Rally Terra Sarda to establish itself as one of the reference events on the international rally scene — but due to the absence of the external conditions required to guarantee the quality standards that have always distinguished the event.
Statement from the Rally Terra Sarda Organising Committee:
“Some decisions are ones that no organiser would ever wish to make. There are events that, over the years, cease to belong solely to those who organise them and become part of the heritage of a territory, its communities, its volunteers, businesses, drivers and all those who have helped them grow. The Rally Terra Sarda has become exactly that. For this reason, announcing that the 2026 edition will not take place is the most difficult decision in our history.
This is not a withdrawal caused by a lack of enthusiasm, expertise or organisational ability. On the contrary, the Rally Terra Sarda comes after some of the most important years in its history, unanimously recognised for the technical quality of its organisation, its safety standards, its ability to promote the territory and the international prestige gained thanks to its inclusion in the TER – Tour European Rally, the FIA circuit that combines sport and tourism promotion. In recent editions, the event has attracted crews from fifteen countries, world champions and leading figures in international rallying, reaching 115 crews in 2023 and 110 in 2024 — figures that are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve in the Italian rally scene today.
The event came close to 20,000 attendances, generating around 5,000 overnight stays in accommodation facilities in the area in 2023, confirming its extraordinary ability to extend the tourist season and create real economic value for hotels, restaurants, services, commercial activities and local businesses. In the 2025 edition, hosted in Ogliastra, the organisational staff alone generated over 1,200 hotel stays across eleven accommodation facilities, involved around 500 people in the organisation and generated more than 1,000 meals for staff members alone.
Added to this is the international television promotion guaranteed by the TER circuit, with coverage in more than 150 countries, potentially reaching 99% of the world’s population through the series’ network partners. These figures describe much more than a motor race: they describe a project capable of generating economic development, tourism promotion and international visibility for Sardinia. We are choosing to stop an event that works, because we believe that the system in which organisers currently operate is no longer sustainable.
This decision is intended as a cry of alarm. We apologise to all the crews who were eagerly awaiting the 2026 edition. We know how disappointing this decision may be, but we believe that, at certain moments, stopping is the only way to make the seriousness of the situation understood.
Special thanks go to the TER Series and its promoter Luca Grilli, who from the very beginning understood the deeper reasons behind our decision. Although saddened by the suspension of the 2026 edition, they have confirmed their full closeness and support in this difficult decision, sharing its spirit and purpose. The relationship built over these years has not weakened in any way; on the contrary, it has been strengthened by mutual trust. Together, we will continue working so that the Rally Terra Sarda can return as soon as possible to the international TER calendar, even stronger, with the same ambition that has made it one of the series’ reference events.”
Porto Cervo Racing extends its thanks to its partners, the municipalities involved, the institutions, law enforcement agencies, Civil Protection, race officials, volunteers, collaborators and all those who, over the years, have contributed to the growth of the event. The association confirms its commitment to continue working so that the Rally Terra Sarda can once again play a leading role on the international rally scene as soon as conditions allow.
Photos: copyright-free images from recent editions of the event.
Gabriele Michi
Tel. 329 331 8710
