WRC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Summary

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WRC
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WRC2
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WRC3
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FIA JUNIOR WRC

WRC is the main championship, but there are also support championships: WRC2 and WRC3. Junior WRC is contested on selected events of the FIA World Rally Championship calendar.

WRC

The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) is the ultimate test of driver skill, co-driver precision, and engineering endurance. Since its inception in 1973, WRC has pushed competitors and their cars to the limit across some of the most brutal and unforgiving terrains on the planet.

Spanning 14 rallies across four continents and 16 countries, the championship demands mastery of every surface imaginable — from snow-packed forests in sub-zero temperatures to rock-strewn mountain passes in blistering heat. Drivers and teams must adapt to ever-changing conditions as they battle against the elements and the clock. Calendar and event details are available here.

The WRC is contested across three main titles: Drivers’ Championship, Co-Drivers’ Championship, and Manufacturers’ Championship — each requiring consistency, speed, and resilience to conquer rallying’s biggest prize. Championship Standings are available here.

WRC Support Categories

WRC2

WRC2 is the premier support series to the FIA World Rally Championship, showcasing top-tier competition in Rally2-spec cars — the closest machines to those used by WRC factory teams. It’s the ultimate proving ground for drivers aiming to break into rallying’s top level.

The WRC2 championship titles are awarded in three categories: Drivers, Co-Drivers, and Teams. Each competitor selects seven scoring rounds, with their best six results counting towards the title. Any additional rounds they compete in are non-scoring — meaning they can’t earn points but also can’t take them away from others in the championship fight.

WRC3

WRC3 is the FIA World Rally Championship’s dedicated category for Rally3-spec cars — four-wheel-drive machines designed as an affordable stepping stone to top-level competition. Sitting below the more powerful Rally2 cars used in WRC2, WRC3 provides a cost-effective entry point for drivers aiming to progress through the ranks.

Titles are awarded in two categories: Drivers and Co-Drivers. Competitors may score points on up to seven rallies, with only their best results counting. Any additional events they contest are non-scoring, meaning they can’t gain points but also don’t take them away from others in the fight.

FIA JUNIOR WRC

The FIA Junior WRC is the launchpad for young rally drivers aiming to break into the sport’s top level. It’s the series that helped shape the careers of Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans, and Thierry Neuville, with its graduates racking up in excess of 200 outright WRC rally wins.

Open to drivers born on or after 1 January 1996, Junior WRC is a fully controlled one-make championship, meaning every competitor gets behind the wheel of an identical M-Sport Poland-prepared Ford Fiesta Rally3 — a four-wheel-drive machine designed to bridge the gap between grassroots and elite rallying. With all cars running on Hankook tyres and serviced by M-Sport Poland, the focus is purely on driver skill.

The championship consists of five WRC rounds, covering a mix of surfaces to test adaptability, consistency, and outright speed. Drivers count their best four results towards the title, and an extra championship point is awarded for every stage win - ensuring that raw pace is always rewarded.

Winning Junior WRC is no small feat — but for those who do, it’s a major step towards a full-time WRC career. The champion's prize package includes four arrive and drive rallies on European WRC events in 2026 with an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 car (the next step up from Rally3). The winner also gets the chance to contest a further two rallies in the car at a heavily discounted rate.