The 2021 event was based in Olbia in Sardinia and contested over twenty special stages totalling 303.10 km (188.34 mi) in competitive distance.

[5] Neither did the WRC-3 title defenders Jari Huttunen and Mikko Lukka,[6] who competed for Hyundai Motorsport in the WRC-2 class.

[8] Jari Huttunen and Mikko Lukka won the World Rally Championship-2 category,[9] while Yohan Rossel and Alexandre Coria won the World Rally Championship-3 category.

[10] Reigning World Champions Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia entered the round with a two-point lead over Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin.

In the World Rally Championship-2 standings, Andreas Mikkelsen and Ola Fløene held a nine-point lead ahead of Esapekka Lappi and Janne Ferm in the drivers' and co-drivers' standings respectively, with Marco Bulacia Wilkinson and Marcelo Der Ohannesian in third.