FIA reveals 2027 WRC rules, new points system for 2025

The FIA ​​has revealed the future path for the World Rally Championship with the release of 2027 technical regulations and a new-look points system to be introduced next year.

The World Motor Sport Council has confirmed that the new-look ‘WRC27’ cars will be more versatile and will be built to a cost limit of €345,000 to encourage more teams and manufacturers to compete. The rules will be applicable on a 10-year cycle.

Reducing costs has been a key element of the new rules after the cost of current Rally1 cars reaches almost one million euros.

These cost savings will be achieved through component cost specifications rather than financial regulations. There will also be savings in the technical design of some components which will make them more durable during the rally.

In addition to reducing the cost of cars, running costs for teams are set to be reduced by limiting personnel, reducing logistics transport costs, increasing the use of local facilities and enhancing data connectivity to aid offsite engineering .

The Rally1 cars will be based on the existing space frame chassis but will be built to enable manufacturers to run a range of powertrains, including internal combustion engines, hybrids and full electrics. It is understood that torque meters will be used to equalize the technology if manufacturers choose different powertrains.

The bodywork of almost any scaled production car can be fitted into the Safety Cell, meaning hatchbacks can potentially compete against saloons, SUVs, and bespoke rally concept designs to be phased in from 2027. is also a possibility.

Motorsport.com understands that the speeds of the 2027 cars will be slower than the current Rally1 and closer to the speeds of the top-tier WRC cars from 2012-2016.

The rules lay the groundwork for the possibility of a cross-over between the FIA ​​World Rally Championship and the FIA ​​World Rallycross Championship. Although this will still require further approvals and updates, the rules set the stage for manufacturers or teams to run concurrent programs, potentially with different powertrains meeting the specific needs of each championship.

“The regulations we have approved today are vital for the long-term development of the FIA ​​World Rally Championship. They lay the foundation for an exciting future with a focus on cost control, sustainability and increasing participation at the top level of rallying,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

New points system confirmed for 2025

The FIA ​​has also confirmed that the controversial points system introduced for this season will be changed for 2025.

This year’s brand new points structure has proven to be a hot topic among competitors and fans due to its complexity and importance, with many believing that it has devalued overall rally wins.

Points are divided over Saturday and Sunday, with drivers able to claim provisional points for their overall position at the end of the Saturday stage, which are banked when the rally reaches the end.

A sliding scale of 18-15-13-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 was awarded to the top 10 at the end of Saturday, but only to those crews that reached the conclusion of Sunday’s event.

In addition, Sunday provided a different points allocation (7-6-5-4-3-2-1) for the top seven fastest crews on Sunday’s stages on top of the 5-4-3-2-1 system. Went. Top five times on the rally-ending Power Stage.

While the new system was designed to improve the action on Sundays, and has been highly effective in generating excitement, drivers and teams have been highly critical of the system’s point weighting, which has been ridiculed on several occasions.

A number of proposals for changes to the system were put forward by the WFC Commission earlier this year before the FIA ​​decided on a 2025 directive.

Points will be awarded based on the general classification of each rally using the following scale: 25-17-15-12-10- 8- 6- 4- 2-1 for the top 10.

In addition to the traditional 5-4-3-2-1 proposed for the Power Stage, additional points will be awarded to the top five fastest crews on Sunday.

According to the FIA, “The revised format brings simplification by removing Saturday points, reduces the possibility of the rally winner receiving fewer points than the second-placed competitor, and continues to increase the excitement and competitiveness of Sunday.”

The “Super Sunday” format will retain its role as an important competition day, while the Power Stage will remain a key element for broadcasters and fans.