The Central European Rally debuted in the WRC in 2023.
The inaugural Central European Rally took place from 26 to 29 October 2023 as round 12 of the World Rally Championship. It was designed as a multinational asphalt event, with the route crossing the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. The rally base was in Passau, Germany, while the ceremonial start took place in Prague.
The event covered 18 special stages and about 311.79 competitive kilometres. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe won the rally, while Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä secured the 2023 drivers’ championship by finishing second. The multinational format gave the event a distinctive identity within the WRC calendar.
The year can be confused with 2024 because the rally continued as a recurring championship event after its launch. However, 2023 was its first running and its first appearance in the WRC. It was not a renamed edition of an older WRC rally; it was a new event created for the modern calendar.