LIMERICK’s bid to host the World Rally Championship in 2025 will be presented this week.
World Rally Championship (WRC) promoters and officials, as well as officials from Motorsport Ireland will descend on Limerick Racecourse in Patrickswell this Thursday (January 4) to hear Limerick Motor Club’s pitch to have the WRC staged in Limerick.
Limerick Motor Club, in association with the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, have been campaigning for Limerick to host the event, which is returning to Ireland in 2025 for the first time since 2009.
If Limerick Racecourse’s bid is successful, it would see the racecourse transformed into a 10,000 square meter service park and international media centre, as well as the WRC fan zone, for the duration of the competition.
It also would host more than 1,500 volunteers and hundreds of officials, marshals, and service crew members from the world’s largest rallying teams, including M-sport Ford, Toyota Gazoo Racing, and Hyundai Shell Mobis.
The event would see more than 250,000 spectators from Ireland and internationally attend, with Limerick’s proximity to Shannon Airport and the large motorway network nearby expected to bolster its bid.
Maurice Meskell of Limerick Motor Club said: “Working in recent months with the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, we feel that we have put together a strong case to bring this prestigious international sporting event to the Mid West.”
“Limerick Racecourse is an ideal location due to its quality connectivity and established service areas and we feel our bid is further strengthened by the support we have received across the region from elected members of Limerick City and County Council, Fáilte Ireland, An Garda Síochána, local chambers of commerce, Shannon Airport, motor clubs in surrounding counties, and the wider business community,” he added.
Karen Ronan, general manager of the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, said: “The experience of other regions suggests that substantial and broad economic benefits are associated with hosting the World Rally Championship.”
“The Mexican state of Guanajuato this year saw more than 600,000 rallying fans gather for the WRC leading to a €36.5m injection in the local economy along with high hotel occupancy rates and prominent international media coverage.
“The support received locally for our bid suggests that Limerick is ready and willing to deliver a hugely successful base in Ireland to stage the event for Motorsport Ireland and the WRC.”
A decision on the host location is due to be made next week. Kerry and Waterford are the two other locations that are shortlisted alongside Limerick.
