NEW to the World Rally Championship? Discover all you need to know, from the cars they drive to the race locations and more!
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is where speed meets skill across some of the world’s toughest terrains. But what exactly is WRC, how do the cars differ from other motorsport series, and where do these thrilling races take place?
Whether you’re a motorsport fanatic or a curious newcomer, this beginner’s guide will break down everything you need to know.
The championship is one of the most unique motorsports in the world. The biggest difference between the WRC and other series is that the drivers race the clock rather than each other in the most exotic locations, day and night, with a co-driver directing them the entire time.
The World Rally Championship provides hair-raising racing action, and fans who attend the races get an adrenaline rush of their own, getting closer to the action than at any traditional racing circuit.
What cars race in the World Rally Championship?
There are currently three cars competing across four teams: the Hyundai Shell Mobis team drives a Hyundai i20 N Rally, the M-Sport Ford team races a Ford Puma Rally, and Toyota Gazoo drives the Toyota Yaris. The fourth team is yet to be confirmed.
All the teams compete with modified, high-performance versions of street cars, which are equipped with 1.6-litre turbocharged engines.
Every car is set up for the extreme conditions rally drivers face. They have a specification of 380 horsepower, six-speed gearbox, and four-wheel drive, with the cars maintaining a minimum weight of 1,190kg.
The cars are also fitted with aerodynamic packages, including rear wings, diffusers, and spoilers, to ensure maximum speed and control for the drivers.
Where does the WRC race?
During a standard year, the series races in 12 countries across five continents. Each rally presents different challenges to the drivers, from terrain to weather.
The World Rally Championship sets up multiple routes at each of their locations. These can vary anywhere from 3km to 35km in length, and each car will take on each route at least twice in different ‘stages’.
Rally Estonia takes in the stunning forests and lakes in the beautiful northern European country. The Ypres Rally in Belgium sees the cars speed through picturesque dirt roads, some splitting famous vineyards before the final leg takes on the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
But some of the WRC’s races are the most unique motorsport events on the planet. For example, Rally Kenya will be the toughest rally stage in the world with its dusty desert tracks and safari-style routes along the Kenyan plains.
However, on the end of the scope, the drivers have to overcome Finland’s icy forests, with some stages being held in the dark frosty eveings. Finland hosts two rallies, an Artictic Rally in Lapland, and a drier race in Central Finland.
Here is the full race calendar:
- 22- 26th January – Rallye Monte-Carlo
- 12- 16th February – Rally Sweden
- 19 – 23rd March – Safari Rally Kenya
- 24- 27th April – Rally Islas Canarias
- 15 – 18th May – Rally de Portugal
- 5 – 8th June – Rally Italia Sardegna
- 26 – 29th – EKO Acropolis Rally Greece
- 17 – 20th – Delfi Rally Estonia
- 31 – 3rd August – Secto Rally Finland
- 28 -31st August – Ueno Rally del Paraguay
- 11 – 14th September – Rally Chile Bio Bio
- 16 – 19th October – Central European Rally
- 6 -9th November – FORUM8 Rally Japan
- 27 – 30th November – Rally Saudi Arabia
What is a stage in WRC?
A stage is a time trail against the clock which every team runs throughout the weekend. They run each route twice in a single day, which makes up a ‘leg’, before moving onto the next ‘leg’ of a different route the day after. A ‘leg’ in the WRC is known as a day and consists of numerous timed special stages.
How is the winner of a rally decided?
At the end of each stage, the driver’s times are recorded and added to the previous stage, so at the end of weekend, every car has a time.
Penalties will be added for drivers cutting corners, making certain repairs, or even arriving late or early for the next stage.
Once all the times and penalties are added, the winner will receive 25 points, with 18 for 2nd, 15 for 3rd, 12 for 4th, 10 for 5th, all the way down to 1 point for 10th place.
What does the co-driver do?
A co-driver is the most important navigation system in all of motorsport. Unlike traditional racing circuits, where drivers have to memorise every corner and repeat the turns and laps, it’s impossible for the WRC drivers to remember every turn of every route.
However, the risks are much higher compared to other motorsport series. One slip at a corner and your car could be falling down a mountain.
The job of a co-driver is to sit in the passenger sit, directing the driver throughout the rally. They then take notes on each stage and tell their driver the direction of the corner, the severity of the turn, and any straights that will be coming up between the corners.
The most important aspect of being a co-driver is to be clear with the instructions and that they are concise and accurate, so the driver can prepare the speed of the car and be in the correct gear.
If it goes wrong, the car could end up flying off the course!
That’s a round up of everything you need to know about the wild ride and adrenaline fueled world of the World Rally Championship.
