The World Rally Championship is an international rallying series owned and governed by the FIA. Inaugurated in 1973, it is the second oldest of the FIA's world championships after Formula One. Each season lasts one calendar year, and separate championship titles are awarded to drivers, co-drivers and manufacturers. There are also two support championships, WRC2 and WRC3, which are contested on the same events and stages as the WRC, but with progressively lower maximum performance and running costs of the cars permitted. Junior WRC is also contested on five events of the World Rally Championship calendar.
In relation to international motorsport governed by the FIA, Group N refers to regulations providing "standard" large-scale series production vehicles for competition. They are limited in terms of modifications permitted to the standard specification by the manufacturer making them a cost effective method of production vehicle motorsport. Often referred to as the "showroom class", Group N contrasts with Group A which has greater freedom to modify and tune the cars to be more suitable to racing. Both groups may have the same or similar models homologated by a manufacturer.
M-Sport is a motorsport engineering company headquartered at Dovenby Hall near Cockermouth, United Kingdom. It is primarily known for entering the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) since 1997 in partnership with Ford, manufacturing race and rally cars, and providing parts and motorsport services to customers. The company has an automotive evaluation facility at its headquarters, and a second manufacturing facility in Kraków, Poland.
ŠKODA Motorsport is the sports factory team of the car manufacturer Škoda Auto, currently focusing on the development and construction of racing cars. The latest model from Škoda Motorsport's workshops is the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, which was introduced on June 14, 2022, and is set to follow in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo, unveiled in 2019. During the factory team's existence, they have managed to secure five championship titles in the FIA World Rally Championship category WRC 2 in the manufacturers' standings.
The FIA WRC2 is a support championship of the World Rally Championship (WRC). The calendar consists of the same rallies and stages as the parent series and crews usually compete immediately after Rally1 class crews. WRC2 is limited to production-based cars homologated under Group Rally2 rules. There are separate specific championship titles awarded to Teams, Drivers and Co-Drivers.
In relation to motorsport governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, Group R refers to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for rally competition. The Group R regulations were gradually introduced from 2008 as a replacement for Group A and Group N rally cars.
In international rallying, R5 refers to a class of cars competing under Group R regulations. R5 regulations were introduced by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in 2012 as a replacement for the Super 2000 class. In 2019 the FIA renamed the R5 specification ruleset to Group Rally2 as part of a wider plan to reorganise FIA championships and replace Group R with new Groups Rally. Existing FIA homologated R5 cars remain eligible for any FIA Rally2 level competition, and non-homologated R5 or Rally2 cars should be accepted equally at national level where approved. R5/Rally2 cars are based on production cars and feature a 1600cc turbocharged petrol engine.
The FIA WRC3 is a support championship of the World Rally Championship. The calendar consists of the same rallies and stages as the parent series and crews usually compete immediately after WRC2 entrants. Entry into WRC3 is limited to cars that are based on production models and homologated under Group Rally3 rules, although prior to 2022 Group Rally2 cars were used. There are championship titles awarded to drivers and co-drivers. The series began in 2013 and was limited to production-based cars homologated under the R1, R2 and R3 rules, until its cancellation at the end of 2018. The current format of the series began in 2020.
The 2021 European Rally Championship was the 69th season of the FIA European Rally Championship, the European continental championship series in rallying. The season was also the ninth following the merge between the European Rally Championship and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Alexey Lukyanuk was the reigning champion. Andreas Mikkelsen won the championship after 2021 Rally Hungary, using a Toksport WRT prepared Škoda Fabia R5 Evo. Mikkelsen therefore became the only driver to win the ERC and WRC-2 championship in one year and the first Norwegian to win ERC.
The FIA Rally Pyramid is the collective description and organisation of championships, car performance classes and driver aptitude in international rallying. In 2019 the FIA rally commission presented a radical overhaul to the rally pyramid to introduce common nomenclature and structure of the international championships and car classes used across the sport in a similar way to terminology used in formula racing. At the top of the pyramid, Rally1 describes elite level of driver aptitude and car performance in the World Rally Championship (WRC). At the foot of the pyramid is Rally5, designed for cost effective introductory rallying competition.
The Ford Fiesta Rally4 is a rally car developed and built by M-Sport and Ford Performance to FIA Group Rally4 regulations and designed for competition in the fourth tier of the Rally Pyramid. It is based upon the Ford Fiesta road car and is the updated version of the Ford Fiesta R2.
Group Rally1 is a technical specification of rally car for use at the highest level of international rallying in the World Rally Championship (WRC) as determined by the FIA. Despite the use of the word 'Group' in the name, there are not multiple classes or subclasses of car and so 'Rally1' may be used alone with the same definition. Rally1 cars were used for the first time in the 2022 WRC season and replaced the outgoing World Rally Car used in the manufacturer's championship. Though they may run on any individual rally as permitted by the organiser, they are not to be used in any other championship.
Group Rally2 is a technical specification of rally car determined by the FIA. It features 1.6L turbo engines, four-wheel drive and a maximum power-to-weight ratio of 4.2kg/hp. Rally2 cars are used in the World Rally Championship and continental championships; a few national rallying competitions also allow Group Rally2 cars to compete. The group was launched in 2019 with other similarly named groups after the introduction of the Rally Pyramid initiative to reorganise the classes of car and championships in international rallying was approved in June 2018.
Group Rally3 is a technical specification of rally car determined by the FIA. It features four-wheel drive and a maximum power-to-weight ratio of 5.6kg/hp. The class is used in the World Rally Championship (WRC) and regional championships. National rallying competitions also allow Group Rally3 cars to compete. There are three technical subclasses of Group Rally3 however these do not affect competitive eligibility so 'Rally3' may be used alone with the same definition. The group was launched in 2021 with the homologation of the first car after the introduction of the Rally Pyramid initiative to reorganise the classes of car and championships in international rallying was approved in June 2018.
Group Rally4 is a technical specification of rally car determined by the FIA for use in its international competitions: World Rally Championship (WRC) and regional championships. National rallying competitions also allow Group Rally4 cars to compete. There are two technical subclasses of Group Rally4 however these do not affect competitive eligibility. 'Rally4' may be used alone with the same definition. The group was launched in 2019 after the introduction of the Rally Pyramid initiative to reorganise the classes of car and championships in international rallying was approved in June 2018.
In international rallying, the Groups Rally are the collective name given to formulae of rally car as defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile for use in the World Rally Championship and the FIA's regional championships. The names were approved in June 2018 and began being used in 2019 in conjunction with promotion of the Rally Pyramid, a reorganisation of rallying nomenclature, car specifications and championships. As of 2020, the groups' names are officially defined as replacing Group R in the FIA's competitions. The numbering used in the names of the new groups align with the FIA sporting classification, Rally1 is in RC1, Rally2 in RC2, and so on. From 2022 the championships will also align to these numbers, WRC2 shall use Rally2 cars whereas ERC3 for example, will Rally3 cars.
The 2022 European Rally Championship is the 70th season of the FIA European Rally Championship, the European continental championship series in rallying. The season is also the ninth following the merge between the European Rally Championship and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Andreas Mikkelsen was the reigning champion. Javier Pardo Siota is the reigning champion of ERC 2, now renamed as ERC Open, while Jean-Baptiste Franceschi is the reigning champion of ERC 3 - now renamed as ERC 4.
The FIA Motorsport Games Rally Cup is the first FIA Motorsport Games Rally Cup, to be held across tarmac stages around the Circuit Paul Ricard region, between Marseille and Toulon, France on 26 October to 30 October 2022. The category is open to cars entered by teams and complying with Group Rally2, Group Rally4 and Historic regulations. The events are part of the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games.
The Renault Clio Rally3 is a rally car developed and built by Alpine Racing to FIA's Group Rally3 regulations. It is based upon the Renault Clio road car and debuted in 2023.
The 2023 European Rally Championship is the 71st season of the FIA European Rally Championship, the European continental championship series in rallying. The season is also the tenth following the merge between the European Rally Championship and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Hayden Paddon is the reigning drivers champion.
