The rules of the game

The rallies can last 2, 3 or even 4 days. The total distance of the special stages must be between 300 and 500 kms. A rally can be run on mixed surfaces, but all stages must be held on the same type of surface (mixed stages are now forbidden). More than 80 kms of stages between two service halts is not allowed.

Recce takes place according to a programme defined by the organizer. Crews can cover each stage twice maximum. Speed is limited and checked by GPS.

The shakedown also helps to decide the starting order of the first stage on snow and gravel. First of all, the crews can cover the stage twice in free practice. Then each car sets off for a timed run in the championship order. The drivers can then choose their starting order for the first section, the quickest being the first to choose and so on. The cars are placed in parc fermé after the qualifying shakedown.

In tarmac rallies each crew must cover the stage four times minimum.

For the first section of tarmac rallies the crews start the stages in the drivers’ world championship order. After that the starting order is decided according to the overall classification of the previous section. On gravel, the starting order for the first section is decided by the qualifying shakedown. Then the P1 and P2 priority drivers start in the reverse order of the general classification of the previous section.

There are two-minute minimum intervals between starts. The stages are timed to a tenth of a second. A standing start is given while the finish is a flying one. The penalty for jumping the start is 10s.

Service is strictly forbidden outside the times and places defined by the rally programme. The crew members can work on the car at all times (outside the parc fermé) with the help of the on-board equipment. Services can be carried out in the main parc or in distant zones. The only people allowed to work on the car are the crews and the eight mechanics identified by armbands.

During a distant service the equipment that can be used is reduced to a minimum (jack, pressure pins, hand tools). Repairs must be carried out with the parts carried in the car.

The manufacturers must designate a tyre manufacturer complying with the specification of the FIA for the whole season. The Citroën Total World Rally Team has chosen Michelin. The number of tyres per crew is limited by the supplementary regulations of each rally. A car can carry two spare wheels maximum.

A manufacturer who has entered two cars can use eight chassis maximum over the whole season, and each car cannot use more than three engines. Each manufacturer can ask the FIA for a waiver for one additional engine. Replacing the turbo during the rally is forbidden.

Each manufacturer must nominate two links of three rallies and one link of two rallie in which he will use the same transmission and the same lot of spare parts (sub frames, steering racks, turbochargers). Finally, a car cannot use more than five sets of dampers and five sets of knuckle joints per rally.

Unless stated differently in the event Supplementary Regulations, a crew that has retired during a day of the rally can restart the next day after being given a 5-minute penalty for each stage it has not finished or missed (minimum penalty, 10 minutes). The crew is allowed three hours service to prepare for this restart.

Rallies must include a Power stage to improve TV coverage. This stage generally measures 4 to 8 kms and ends the rally.

For the Drivers’ and Co-drivers’ World Championship points are awarded at the end of each rally to the first ten crews according to the following scale: 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1. Additional points are awarded to the first three in the Power stage (3,2,1). For the Manufacturers’ World Championship points are awarded to the first ten nominated crews according to the following scale: 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1. All results are counted to establish the final overall classifications of the championships.

The FIA awards Drivers’, Co-drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles. Manufacturers must take part in all the rallies by nominating two World Rally cars. The Manufacturers’ World Championship is also open to teams which must undertake to enter at least seven rallies including two outside Europe with one or two World Rally Cars of the same make.

Private testing is forbidden outside the nine countries in Western Europe. A manufacturer can organize test sessions over 42 calendar days per year.