WRC is still in an identity crisis

With half a program for the two best drivers, the chance of a new champion and an exciting season is high. But things continue to simmer in the background…

If the duel between Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville and living legend Sébastien Ogier, who drives for Toyota, is a preview of the rest of the World Rally Championship, we can be prepared for a classic.

WRC

The second game was played until the last day. In the end the Belgian was ahead. His chances of winning the title have never been higher than this year, as reigning champion Kalle Rovanperä and eight-time champion Ogier will only drive a limited number of rallies for Toyota this season. Briton Elfyn Evans will therefore spearhead Toyota’s campaign, a role he fulfilled with elan, finishing third behind Ogier. The Estonian Tänak, who last won the title in 2019 and has now returned to his old nest at Hyundai, is also more than an outsider. His fourth place with a weak car provides a sufficient basis for the rest of the year.

However, most of the conversations centered around the new points system now being used in the WRC. By continuously shortening the events and then adding bonus points for the last special stage of each rally, the teams are becoming more and more calculating. Bigger differences are rare, so on Sunday tires were saved in particular to make the difference to the bonus points in the “Power Stage”. That’s why two rankings will be created starting this year.

One at the end of Saturday, when 18 to 1 points will be awarded to the top ten in the rankings provided the car reaches the rally finish line on Sunday. On Sunday, the top seven cars will receive 7 to 1 points, plus 5 to 1 Power Stage bonus points. It’s all extremely complicated, with the bizarre twist that it’s theoretically possible that the winner of the rally won’t go home with the most points based on the times of all the special stages added together.

Identity crisis

The fact that the WRC continues to struggle with its identity is also shown by the announcement that the Rally Sardinia will be completed in 48 hours over three days at the end of June. Teams want to cut costs and offer employees reasonable working hours, while the WRC organizer is trying to condense Sunday driving as much as possible to make the sport interesting for television. But the true spirit of the sport is increasingly being diluted in this way.

The discussion about the new generation of cars is also going on in the background. Some believe that much cheaper models are better to drive than today’s complex hybrid cars. But they are necessary for manufacturers to spread a “green” message, and at 500 horsepower they are spectacular to see and hear. As a temporary solution, the regulation has now been introduced that the Rally1 monsters can also drive with a dummy hybrid system in order to make them interesting for private drivers, which can bring in good money for the manufacturers. However, there is still a lack of influx of new brands and the fan base is also very poor compared to Formula 1. Luckily, there’s a lot to look forward to for loyal fans in the coming months.