Former McLaren Formula 1 team principal Eric Boullier faces the ultimate test as WRC Promoter chief executive following its recent takeover by Cosmobilis and Park Square Capital.
The French automotive group and the private credit investor have secured the commercial rights to rallying’s top tier. Boullier takes charge of a World Rally Championship grid currently dependent entirely on Toyota, M-Sport Ford and Hyundai for its premier class.
Targeting New Manufacturers For WRC27
The newly appointed boss must leverage Cosmobilis’s extensive commercial network of automotive brands to populate the service park ahead of a major regulation reset. The impending 2027 framework introduces a per-car spending limit of €345,000 to entice independent engineering firms and major factory outfits.
Calendar expansion remains crucial to this recruitment drive, with prospective rallies in the United States, Rome and Scotland fighting for calendar slots.
Modernising The Sporting Event Format
Boullier also plans to alter stage structures to boost broadcast appeal and trackside attendance without eroding the sport’s endurance character. While ruling out a drastic reduction in overall duration, the Frenchman noted the success of concentrated Sunday stages trialled in Estonia and Finland.
“I am a motorsport fan, but not used to rally. One of the concepts of rallying is we have many stages every day. If you do that, it’s impossible to broadcast properly or get the emotions out of the racing,” Boullier told motorsport.com.
The championship organiser expects to finalise the 2027 schedule within two months as executives pursue unprecedented commercial expansion.
