The championship was established in 1988, following the expansion of the World Rally Championship into the Asian region. Its creation was linked to the debut of Rally Australia, providing a structured international competition for the Asia-Pacific territory. In its inaugural season, Japanese driver Kenjiro Shinozuka secured the title driving a Mitsubishi Galant VR-4.
During its early years, the APRC maintained a close relationship with the WRC. More than half of the calendar consisted of joint WRC events, which encouraged significant participation from factory teams. Japanese manufacturers including Mazda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Subaru supported approximately half of the front-running entries during this period.
The 1990s represented a high point for manufacturer involvement and world-class competition. Toyota driver and double World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz won the APRC title in 1990. Other notable WRC figures who secured rally victories in the series include Juha Kankkunen, Didier Auriol, Colin McRae, Tommi Makinen, Richard Burns, and Ari Vatanen. Several WRC teams utilized the APRC as a junior development squad to prepare drivers for global competition.
By the late 1990s, major factory teams began to withdraw or shifted their focus to supporting regional drivers. The 2000 Rally New Zealand marked the final joint event between the WRC and the APRC. Following the departure of global WRC teams, the competitive landscape shifted toward regional entities, such as Subaru’s New Zealand-based operation and the Malaysian manufacturer Proton, alongside various privateer teams.
The championship's technical regulations evolved to favor Group N cars, a move that initially benefited Subaru and Mitsubishi as they were the primary manufacturers producing eligible vehicles. By the mid-2000s, the field consisted almost entirely of privateers. However, the introduction of Super 2000 regulations prompted a return of manufacturer interest, led by Proton. Since 2013, Skoda has utilized the APRC to develop young European drivers, including Esapekka Lappi, Jan Kopecký, Pontus Tidemand, and Ole Christian Veiby, all of whom progressed to compete at the WRC-2 level.
The APRC has functioned as a proving ground for talent from emerging rallying nations. Malaysian driver Karamjit Singh recorded the first major success for a driver from these nations, followed by Jean-Louis Leyraud of New Caledonia and Gaurav Gill of India. The series has also attracted European drivers seeking a more cost-effective alternative to the European Rally Championship, such as Jussi Valimaki.
To address fluctuating entry numbers and the vast geography of the region, the FIA introduced sub-classes split by territory. The Asia Cup includes events in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, and Thailand (which joined in 2003). The Pacific Cup covers Oceania events in Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Historically, the series also featured technical sub-classes for Group N and naturally aspirated Two Litre cars.
In 2009, Cody Crocker became the most successful driver in the history of the championship by winning his fourth consecutive title at the Indonesian Rally, achieving all his successes with Subaru.
Following a two-year hiatus caused by COVID-19 travel restrictions, the APRC resumed competition in 2022. The return event was held at the Madras International Circuit in Chennai, India, where debutantes Karna Kadur and co-driver Nikhil Pai won the opening round of the Asia Cup. The 2022 overall title was won by Hayden Paddon. In 2023, the championship was claimed by Indonesia's Rifat Sungkar and co-driver Ben Searcy, while H. Rahmat and Hade Mboi won the Asia Cup.
The championship's history is defined by several multi-time winners. Beyond Cody Crocker's four titles, four other drivers have secured three APRC championships each:
Possum Bourne (New Zealand)
Kenneth Eriksson (Sweden)
Karamjit Singh (Malaysia)
Gaurav Gill (India)
The championship currently hosts events in New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Japan, China, and India, having previously included rounds in New Caledonia, Thailand, and Indonesia.