In other evolutions of the 2019 calendar, Abu Dhabi moves from being the season-opener to the penultimate round. Locations for two of the 11 rounds will be revealed over the coming weeks, pending FIA World Motor Sport Council final ratification.

The traditional FIA European Rallycross Championship classes for Euro Supecar and Super1600 will continue to support world championship rounds as will the RX2 International series presented by Cooper Tires.

The 2020 season will also usher in the all-electric rallycross development series, codenamed Projekt E, which will feature at a number of the European rounds of the world championship.

The 2020 season begins with the World RX of Barcelona-Catalunya on April 18-19 and concludes with the traditional finale in Cape Town on November 14-15, a contract which now extends until at least 2021.

The World RX of Portugal, in the northern Portuguese town of  Montalegre, returns after a one-year hiatus. Portugal had the privilege of hosting the opening round of the first FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2014.

Spa-Francorchamps, which featured epic battles on the daunting Eau Rouge-Raidillon section in 2019, is the third event of 2020 on May 16-17 – the World RX of Benelux.

The World RX of Germany, makes its debut on August 1-2 amid the stadium atmosphere of the Mullenbachsleife within the Nurburgring grand prix circuit layout.

Elsewhere the calendar has a traditional look to it with events in the rallycross heartlands of Hell in Norway (June 13-14), Holjes in Sweden (July 4-5) and Loheac in France (September 5-6).

Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of Motorsports at IMG, the promoter of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, said: “World RX continues to flourish as our footprint grows. We have put together a perfect blend of traditional rallycross circuits and bold new venues for 2020.

“We are delighted to add Nurburgring to the FIA World Rallycross Championship and equally pleased to welcome back Portugal in 2020 and extend our partnership with the City of Cape Town until 2021.

“Last year we added Abu Dhabi and Spa-Francorchamps. Next season Nurburgring joins the family and we will have further details of the two other destinations for 2020 shortly.

“We are also thrilled to bring Projekt E, the first electric production-based motorsport series, to our rallycross portfolio as further proof of our commitment to a world which is rapidly embracing EV technologies.”

Projekt E is a collaboration between IMG and Austrian company STARD (Stohl Advanced Research and Development).

The calendars for Projekt E and the RX2 International series will be released shortly.